The video I included with this chapter is one of my favorite songs. I felt it really encompasses how Chekov feels for Mary, or Asonia. Not only that, but the pain of her not being there, and him thinking he'd been rejected. ^÷^

The yellow lights faded away, leaving Asonia and the others onboard the Enterprise. She smiled. "She looks just the same." 'Okay, time to be professional.' She thought.

"Why thank you! I try to keep the ol' gal in tiptop shape!" Scotty rumbled from across the room.

"Hello Mr. Scott." She said, her voice professional and full of authority.

"Hello lass! Look at you, all grown up and an empress!" He said, then reached out to shake her hand.

"Yes, I've been told I look quite different. And it's nice to hear another accent like mine."

"Um, excuse me, captain, but which room will her Highness and I be staying in? I wish to take our bags." Fareilah spoke up from across Asonia.

"You are staying in room 207, deck three."

"My old room?" Asonia gasped, her regal demeanor shattered, Jim chuckled, and tried to help Fareilah with the bags. There were only three, but Asonia's were the biggest.

"I can handle them." Fareilah said, grabbing the two bags from him. He gave them to her in surrender, and turned to Asonia.

"Would you like a small tour? The Enterprise has changed a bit since you last saw her."

"Absolutely. That would be lovely."

"Well come on your Highness." McCoy said, offering his arm. Asonia smiled and took it. Together they walked around the ship, pointing out the remodeled parts.

Finally, they made it up to the bridge, where she'd only been to once or twice, it still looked exactly the same. Well, almost the same. "You replaced the chair?"

"Yeah, we had a run in with some Klingons near the Neutral-Zone. They fired at us, and the ol' chair got knocked off the little platform." Kirk replied, and Asonia nodded.

"I understand. The Klingons have caused trouble for Zindaki as well. Destroyed three vital merchant ships. The crews massacred in the most gruesome ways. I personally attended each funeral." She replied, her head down.

"I'm so sorry." Pavel muttered, back his navigation console. Asonia nodded sadly.

"If you don't mind, I will retire to my quarters now. Excuse me." Then, she walked out.

Leaving the rest to wonder just how much the young woman had changed.

~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~

When Asonia made it to her room on deck three, she typed in her old password for the keypad, and found it wasn't changed.

The door slid open, and the empress found her bodyguard scanning almost every single inch of the room with a scanner. She turned and nearly trampled Asonia, a big smile on her face.

"You didn't tell me that Pavel Chekov was so handsome!"

"You think he's handsome?"

"I guess. But I saw the way you looked at him. And the way he looked at you. He was more than a friend, huh?" She asked her long braid falling over her shoulder."

"I, don't have to tell you." Asonia replied, and began unpacking her bags into the dresser. The room had been remodeled to an ambassador suit. There was two rooms, and one bathroom. Obviously made for the traveler and a guest.

Her she stopped when her fingers brushed soft, blue fabric. She dug her hand into the very back where it was, managed to pull it out.

It was a dress. A blue dress with the medical symbol on the shoulder. Before Fareilah could see, she stuffed it into a pocket of her bag, and continued to unpack.

By the time both girls were finished, they were exhausted, and happily fell onto their beds, asleep by the time their heads hit the pillows.

~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~^~~~

Asonia got up early to take a shower. It took forever, thanks to her long hair. It went to her thighs, and was oddly straight.

She sat down on her bed, wearing a blue dress, and brushed her hair as she caught up on the latest news from earth.

A PADD was included with they room, so she was pretty happy to finally have one again.

By the time her hair was dry, Fareilah was awake as well, and they were preparing to join the captain for breakfast.

Jim, Spock, Bones, Sulu, and Chekov were all waiting when the two arrived. When Pavel saw Asonia, his jaw once again dropped.

She no longer had the white makeup, but she still had the symbols around her eyes and the bridge of her nose. She looked even more beautiful than before. Especially in the dress that, unlike her robes, showed off her natural curves.

"Well, how nice of you to join us!" Said McCoy, who had a plateful of scrambled eggs.

"Please excuse our tardiness." Asonia replied, sitting down at one of the only empty seats. Which just happened to be right next to Chekov.

"It wasn't exactly our fault. The empresses hair takes forever to dry." Fareilah said, sitting a seat over from her empress.

"I guess that is understandable. It is very long."

Soon, the talk stopped as everyone dug in to their eggs. At least, everyone but Fareilah. She just eyes the food wearily.

"I can assure you, Fareilah, it's quite good. It tastes kind of like Zindakian bark oil."

"Are you sure?" Her bodyguard asked, picking at it. "I've never seen a food of this texture be yellow."

"Oh for goodness sakes, just eat it!" Jim said, practically shoving the fork into her mouth.

Her face went from horror, to a hesitant smile. "Okay, it's not that bad." She admitted, and Asonia smiled.

Pavel couldn't help but stare at her. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered. And he never lost the feelings he felt for her.

He couldn't help but think, 'Does she feel the same? Did she feel the same?'

But of course, he didn't have an answer. He never had an answer.