Bonds Forged in Duty

Posted on 2025, Fri Sep 19th, @ 8:36pm by Major Alexander Stroud & Civilian Queen Kaitaama XII

1,102 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 1: Shadows Over Krios - USS Vigilance
Location: Krios Prime, Royal Palace & Orbiting USS Vigilance
Timeline: Several Weeks Later
Tags: Krios, Kaitaama, Major Stroud, USS Vigilance, Romance, Federation Diplomacy, Starfleet Marines

The weeks after Major Stroud and Princess Kaitaama’s first true connection passed in a blur—both for them and for those who observed the blossoming bond. What had started as professional formality between a by-the-book Marine and a headstrong royal had softened into something far more personal, something deeper than either could have predicted.

From the moment Kaitaama had fully imprinted, her presence beside Stroud had been near-constant. At first, it was under the guise of safety—her guards and advisors noting the risks still present on Krios. But it soon became evident that what bound them together was not duty, but affection. Stroud, who had spent his adult life pushing down any thought of personal attachments in favor of military discipline, found himself suddenly relearning what it meant to smile for no reason at all, to laugh, to trust.

During the early mornings, he would train with the palace guards, demonstrating Marine techniques that left the Kriosians both impressed and eager to learn. More than once, Kaitaama herself watched from a balcony, teasing him with sly remarks about his “grim seriousness” even when he was sweating through combat drills. Stroud would only shake his head, wiping his brow, before muttering, “Discipline keeps people alive, Your High—Kaitaama.” She would smile at that correction, reminding him again and again that she didn’t want titles to define them.

At night, away from the rigid schedules of diplomacy and security, they spoke of things no official report would ever contain. She asked him about his childhood, his first days in Starfleet Marine training, his struggles with leadership and responsibility. He confessed that he had never truly thought he would find someone—his career had been his shield, a way to bury the idea that love was for others, not for men like him. Kaitaama, in turn, told him stories of her mother’s reign, of the pressure of being heir to a throne, of the loneliness she sometimes felt even while surrounded by courtiers and guards.

It was in those moments that the imprinting turned into something greater—not just biological, not just instinct, but real, human (and Kriosian) love.

One evening, while the twin moons of Krios hung low in the violet sky, Stroud stood in the palace gardens, staring up at the USS Vigilance as it orbited in silence above. He felt the pull of his duty—Starfleet’s code, the oath he had taken as a Marine. Yet he also felt the weight of something new: the need to protect not just a people, but one person in particular.

Kaitaama approached quietly, her ceremonial robes trailing across the polished stone. She slipped beside him, her hand brushing his before he finally took it in his own.

“You’re thinking of leaving,” she said softly, not as accusation but as fact.

“I’m thinking about orders,” he replied, voice steady, though his chest tightened. “The Vigilance will move on eventually. Marines aren’t supposed to stay.”

“And yet…” she pressed, her eyes searching his face.

“And yet I don’t want to go,” he admitted, turning to meet her gaze fully. For a man who had faced down Klingon disruptor fire and Romulan ambushes, it was this moment—this confession—that felt the most terrifying. “I never thought I’d say that. But with you… it’s different.”

Her smile was faint but genuine, tinged with something hopeful. She leaned forward, pressing a kiss against his cheek. “Then don’t.”

The decision came days later, when Admiral Reacher of Task Force 17 transmitted orders to the Vigilance. With the Kriosian political climate stabilizing and the threat of external interference fading, the ship was due to resume patrol elsewhere. But Kaitaama’s council made a formal request to Starfleet: a permanent diplomatic and security liaison stationed on Krios, embedded with the royal guard. The recommendation came not from her alone, but from both her advisors and the Vigilance’s own captain, who had witnessed the effect Stroud’s presence had on the stability of the region.

The answer was swift: approved.

Major Stroud was officially reassigned as Starfleet Marine Liaison to the Kriosian Royal Guard. The Vigilance would remain in orbit, a symbol of Federation-Krios unity, though her mission profile shifted to long-term support rather than patrol.

The wedding was a spectacle only Krios could offer. Held in the grand ceremonial hall of the palace, banners of the royal crest hung alongside the Federation flag. Starfleet officers stood in formal dress uniforms beside Kriosian nobles clad in rich silks and marked with their species’ distinctive patterns. It was a rare sight: two worlds, two traditions, joined under one roof.

Kaitaama was radiant in her gown, the patterns of her markings enhanced with shimmering designs that spoke of her lineage. Stroud, in his Marine dress uniform, looked every bit the soldier he had always been, though his stern features softened when he saw her walking toward him. For once, duty and love were not at odds—they were one and the same.

The vows were simple, blending Federation formality with Kriosian ritual. When it came time to seal the union, Kaitaama brushed her fingers gently along the side of his face, the gesture both intimate and ancient among her people. Stroud, in return, leaned down and kissed her with the quiet reverence of a man who had finally found a home.

Applause filled the hall, cheers echoing across the palace. The Vigilance, watching from orbit, fired a ceremonial volley of lights across the night sky.

Later, as the celebrations carried into the night, Stroud found himself standing with Kaitaama on a balcony overlooking the gardens. Lanterns floated in the air, music drifted from the halls, and for once, he allowed himself to simply breathe.

“You know,” he said, his arm wrapped around her waist, “I used to think I joined the Marines to escape. To avoid getting too close to anyone.”

“And now?” she asked, resting her head against his shoulder.

“Now,” he said quietly, “I realize it brought me exactly where I was meant to be.”

Kaitaama smiled, her markings glowing faintly under the lantern light. “Then let this be your new mission, Major Stroud. Not one of war or defense, but of love, loyalty, and partnership.”

He kissed her forehead, the weight of years of discipline, loneliness, and restraint finally lifting. “A mission I’ll never fail.”

And above them, the USS Vigilance kept silent watch—a Federation starship standing guard not just over a planet, but over the bond between two souls who had found one another against all odds.

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