Authors note: If you don't know Lily-Lee, look at the cover art by KalleJ. Her species have stationary territorial males and females that migrate in groups. If you need more details, check out "The four-nostriled creature" (M-rated). Enjoy!

Chapter 1 - Scotty's Ferret

Lieutenant commander Montgomery Scott was yelling at one of his subordinates. "How could you lose a wrench down between the pergium sheets, ya clumsy lout! It's magnetic, and now it's sticking to the side pressing five or six sheets together."

"I'm really sorry, chief, but can't we get it out with pliers or something?"

"Only if you can find me a pair of pliers that are nineteen meters long, can bend around two corners and not scratch the surfaces. Well, can you?" Scott sent the butterfingered lad away and started thinking. Worst place to lose something like that. We can't just pull it out, it would scratch those flexible sheets and if they're scratched they start to adhere to each other. We need something soft. A rope, but we can't steer it. An arm would be perfect, but it's too short of course. I wonder if doc has any remote-controlled prosthetic arms I could borrow? Or maybe..." Scott went to the Botany department, where he knew he would find Lily-Lee when she was off duty. "Hey, lass, how about giving me a helping hand? I've got just the job for you."

–***–

The ordinary protective one-piece could not be used on Lily-Lee since it was far too big. Instead, she was wrapped up in strips of no-stick synthetic silk until she looked like a green mummy. A balaclava over the head and a soft bag to put the wrench in, a look at the blueprints for the pergium sheet construction, and Scott was urging her to go in.

"You go on now. I'm sending you in between sheets five and six but I cannae be certain that is where the wrench is. You may have to come back out and go back in between six and seven. I'll hold the torch for you." Lily-Lee crawled slowly into the tight space and went further and further in. Scott's torch was soon of little use, and after she had turned the first corner she was in the dark. After ten minutes she came out, took a drink of water and went back in under the next layer. Scott was waiting outside, looking pleased. This was surely going to work. Now he heard her voice from down below.

"I've got it! I'm putting it in the bag now."

"Well done! Come on out now so we can turn the unit back on. It's been down for almost an hour already."

"How bad do you want it?" There was mischief in Lily-Lee's voice.

"What? No tricks now, lass. Come out."

"Tell me I'm pretty."

"Sure, sure, you're fine-looking. Will you hand me the bag now? Why are you staying down there?" Scott couldn't see her so she must still be below the first corner.

"I think it's very cosy down here. You should try it sometime."

"COSY! That hellhole? Cramped and hot and noisy. Come out now!"

"Tell me I'm the sexiest woman on the ship, but in the form of a poem. Make it at least twenty lines long."

"That's it, I'm getting the captain."

Soon a little group was standing outside the pergium unit. Kirk, looking amused, Scott, looking impatient and Spock, looking on. Kirk was speaking in a soft persuasive voice.

"Lily-Lee, come out now. You're going to give Scotty an aneurysm. That is not a nice thing to do."

"Well, is he getting anywhere on that poem I asked for?"

"No, he's just letting out a bunch of bad language. Come on, I don't want to have to make it an order." Scott's language was indeed getting very colourful and he was red in the face.

"First that clumsy lout and now THIS! Where can I find a real engineer around here? Next time I'd rather disassemble the entire unit, it would be faster."

"True words. Almost as pretty as a poem." Lily-Lee's head was poking out between the sheets and the men standing there were startled. Scott grabbed the bag with the wrench and went off cursing. Kirk was called back to the bridge. Only Spock remained, watching Lily-Lee unravel the sweaty silk strips. He did not offer any assistance, but stood there anyway. He waited until she had taken off the balaclava before he spoke.

"As long as you have been on this ship there has been logical reasons for your actions."

"Thank you, I guess?"

"Therefore I assume you have one now also."

"Well, I think so."

"And the reason for antagonising Lieutenant commander Scott would be . . .?"

"That this job was dangerous and uncomfortable and I wanted to make sure he never asks me again unless he absolutely has no other choice."

"I see. Strategic incompetence."

"Yes. I don't want to be his ferret. Now I'm thirsty."

"Then let me accompany you to the recreation room on deck five." It sounded almost like a compliment. Almost.