AN: I wrote this chapter ages ago, but never uploaded this. I don't know when I'll be updating this story next, but here's a little something more for all of you lovely people.

The Rumors

"Your name?"

"Taz."

"Your full name, please."

A frustrated sigh.

"Tazmania Beatriz Alvarez."

"Age and date of birth?"

"Nineteen. June twenty-fifth, year 3919, A.D.G."

"Occupation?"

Taz was slowly losing her patience over these idiotic questions that her interrogator obviously knew the answers to.

000

"Captain. Starship Ranger of the Galactic League of Extraterrestrial Exploration."

"How long have you served as a Starship Ranger, Captain?"

"Five years."

"Do you intend to stay with the G.L.E.E. very long, Captain?"

Up didn't see what that had to do with anything.

000

"Is there a point to this entrevista?"

"Oh yes, Ensign Alvarez."

000

She had been escorted out of training by two Rangers she didn't recognize, taking her to a room near the prison cells. All the way there, she had mad mumbled Spanish explicatives, outraged at this supposed injustice.

000

He had been on break, a blessing he did not normally receive, and intended to spend it secluded in his room. He had absentmindedly been flipping through a book Taz had left there recently when he was interrupted by two Rangers he didn't recognize knocking at his door. They had led him, confused, to a room near the prison cells.

000

"I'll get right to the point…"

000

"Are you and Ensign Alvarez together?"

000

"Are you and Captain Up together?"

000

A stunned silence. "What?"

000

A shocked silence. "Qué?"

000

"I don't think I understand the question."

"Oh, I think you understand it perfectly, Captain." A smile, a cold-hearted one. "Have you and Tazmania Alvarez ever had, shall we say, sexual relations?"

000

"That is the most idiota question I have ever heard."

"Is it, Ensign?" the smiled flickered to a frown momentarily. The interrogator stood and began pacing around Taz in a wide circle. "There have been…rumors, Ensign Alvarez."

000

"People have been talking, Captain Up. You and that Spanish ensign have aroused suspicions all around the Starship Ranger Corp."

"Don't see how it's anyone's business."

"Captain, the G.L.E.E. doesn't pretend to hold any interest in its Rangers personal lives; that is not our intention. Your case, however, is different."

000

"Up and I are friends."

"Is that all?"

"Of course it is!"

The interrogator studied her, searching for the lie in Taz's expression. When it was not found, the interrogator returned to their desk. "How long have you known the Captain?"

000

"Four years."

"And you met while on an extended mission in Mexico, yes?"

Up nodded.

"It is reported by your superiors and your fellow Rangers on said mission that you took a certain interest in Tazmania Alvarez after you saved her and her family from a robot attack. How old was she at the time?"

000

"Fifteen."

And you didn't find it odd that a man seven years your senior took an unprecedented curiosity in you?"

"He saw potential in me; said if he trained me right, I'd be able to defend myself is any other robot attacks came to Mexico."

"But you saw him outside of this supposed training, didn't you?"

000

"That's right."

"Why?"

"Cause her mother was the best damn cook on that side of the Texas border."

The smile was gone completely now. "Are you taking this seriously, Captain?"

000

"No, I'm not, because I don't see how this is any of your business."

"Are you hiding something from me?"

"No, I am not."

"When why won't you answer me directly?"

000

"Honestly? Because I think this whole thing is absurd."

"And I agree, Captain."

He was confused.

"Captain Up, the supposed premise of this interview was that your friendship with Ensign Alvarez was being seen as inappropriate behavior on your part. But, as you well know, Tazmania Alvarez is of age, quite capable of making her own decisions and being with whoever she wants."

"We're not together."

"I'm aware, Captain." The smile was back.

000

"Then is this damn thing over?"

"Not quite, Ensign. It is not G.L.E.E. policy to condemn relationships between Rangers of any ranking, but yours and the Captain's case is very unique."

"Why's that?"

"Well, the age difference for one reason. His higher superiority over you, but all those can attribute to the belief that he is your mentor."

"Then what's-?"

"There's more, Ensign."

000

"Spending meal times together, congregating in each others rooms at odd hours, frequenting the training gym outside of instructions time. Captain, do you see why the G.L.E.E. finds this behavior suspicious?"

He didn't answer.

000

"The Captain has expressed an interest in elevating his position as a Starship Ranger, Ensign. Do you not see how a scandal like this ruin his reputation and the chances of a promotion ever happening?"

She didn't answer.

000

"Do you love her?"

000

"Do you love him?"

000

"I don't see how that's-"

000

"Do you love her?"

000

"Do you love him?"

000

"No."

000

"No."

000

They both held the silent fear that they had answered too quickly when their interrogator grinned at them. But, as if satisfied with their answer, the interrogator informed them "You're dismissed."

000

It wasn't until later that night that Up heard a quiet knock on his door, followed by Taz asking his name.

"Yeah, I'm here. Come in."

She entered the room, closing the door silently behind her, and made her way to sit on Up's bed beside him. He wondered to himself is she, like him, had been interrogated as well.

His questions were answered when she said. "Strangest thing happened today. Got pulled out of the gym to talk to some lady from HQ."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yeah."

"She talked to me too."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

Up could safely say that the silence that followed this exchange was one of the most awkward silences he had ever been through. Up thanked a dead god when Taz finally asked "So…what did she want with you?"

He could be vague, Up thought, but he also knew that there was no use of that when he was talking to Taz. "She asked…she asked me if we were together."

"Oh." Taz scratched her head. "She asked me that too."

"Really." It was a statement, not a question. "And…what did you say?"

"Well I said no, of course!" Taz gave Up an odd look. "Why, what did you say?"

"No. I said no."

"Oh. Good, I guess."

Another painfully awkward expanse of time followed.

Taz leaned on Up's shoulder. "Pretty ridículo, isn't it? People thinking we are together?"

"Ridículo." He agreed distractedly.

"I mean we are amigos! Mejores amigos! And we have been for-"

"Four years."

"Yeah."

Up liked the weight of her head on his shoulder. Taz liked the feel of Up's shirt under her cheek. They stayed like that for another expanse of time, both content not to move. They both tried not to think about the ordeal they had been through earlier, any mention of it would risk ruining their moment together.

It won out, however, when Taz asked. "And nothing is going to change that, right?"

Up was not an expert in reading people's emotions, but he was very acute in sensing Taz's. "What did she say to you?"

"Nothing." She wasn't fooling him. "Well, she did say something loco about how our 'scandalous' relationship could ruin your reputation and some mierda like that." She lifted her head to see Up's face. "But that's not true…right?"

This was a discussion Up had been dreading for quite some time, but it wasn't until now that he could honestly say to her. "No, Taz. She was just trying to get to you is all."

"I thought so."

Up liked the way Taz's smiled brightened her brown eyes. Taz liked the way Up smiled back at her.

They both wondered if that meant something, but they pushed that thought away. They were friends, and that's all they would ever be, all they ever wanted to be.

Right?

Right.

But even after Taz left for her own room, the pair of them began to have inklings of doubt in that particular belief.