The "X" factor

Posted on 05 Apr 2019 @ 7:06pm by Captain Jonathan Reynolds

Mission: Shakedown
Location: Starbase 308
Timeline: MD1 16:00
843 words - 1.7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Charotte stepped off the transport and ushered her almost teenage son in front of her.

"Dad," yelled Eddie spotting Jon, breaking away and running for him.

"Good journey?" Jon attempted lightly after letting his boy go from the big bear hug but his empathic senses already knew she was still angry and very unhappy.

"Of course, your mother always ensures the best," she spat.

Jon decided not to react. "Let me show you to your temporary quarters," he suggested starting down the corridor.

"Is everything sorted then?" his ex wife asked following him. "Have you found me a job so I can be on your ship or are you really taking my baby away from me.

You Jon not Lorena. Do what's right for our family, not your extended families honour," she pleaded.

"Well you know how when we were married and we used to fight about ....."

"We fought about plenty of things Jon," she interupted him annoyed. Couldn't he just say yes and make this bearable. She was terrified she had to turn back around and start to find an appartment on this dive of a starbase to only get to see him when Jons ship came back from missions.

"Awww come on guys," Eddie chimed in. "Mum we only just got here. Can you not start at each other?"

"Yes its sorted," Jon caught her fears and resisted the urge to nod at his son. "Let me explain, you know how you always used to be upset you never got to finish your final year at the academy because we got pregnant."

"How could I forget," Charlotte stated.

"Mum," Eddie said again. He looked up ahead as they walked onto the promenade area. "Ooooo Jumja sticks. Can I mum, dad?"

Jon let Charlotte lead, he didn't know what Eddie had eaten when. She nodded, "don't go too far." He ran off to join the queue at one of the shops.

"I was able to get you in as an on the job ensign on the Andromeda, meaning you can work through your final year and get work experience in Stellar Cartography," Jon continued and smiled at her when they were alone. She had thrown this at him in so many fights. He had got to finish at the academy. He had got to go on and have the starfleet career. Yet she didn't seem happy.

"What about custody. Do we really have to stick to ..."

"My mothers schedule. No look Char ... lotte," he added quickly. "You know mother. The honour of the family. She was angry."

"Yes at me for you breaking our marriage," Charlotte hissed.

"Do we have to hash it all out again?" Jon said trying to stay calm. "I made some idiotic decisions. It was a long time ago ....

"You made two ... and I forgave the first .... and now look where we are,"

"Hey you divorced me remember, you decided you didn't want to try sort things,"

"I wasn't forgiving the second and I really didn't think your mother would try take ..... take ..... my boy. He's my boy,"

"He's ours and yes okay it was horrible in court but you wouldn't sit down and work something out with me one on one. You decided you wanted a slice of the .... family money," Jon stated. "Of course that wasn't smart. You know when shes on your side shes on your side, when shes not she will do whatever she decides needs doing."

She was going that red colour she went when she was about to really loose it. He was very familiar with that colour. He hadn't missed it since they had parted. He did still feel guilty though. "Look the custody, what she doesn't know won't hurt her. And he's my son too. We have to do whats best by him and he needs both his mum and dad equally. We will work out a fair schedule."

She was still as red but he could sense relief eminating off her. "Thats acceptable," she said finally. "I still want to be able to do my therapies though," she added as an after thought. "I deserve some sort of settlement from being married to you."

Jon nodded but could feel a headache coming on. That would cost him. It had always cost him. In an attempt to cope with being a human woman thrown into Betaziod upper class life she had tried many activities and now it seemed she couldn't be without exploring alternative therapies. It had always cost Jon. Time, money, reputation on occasion. But he could tell she needed it. Uprooted from her far more pleasanter life, forced to serve onboard her ex-husbands ship .... Again out of guilt he would bend there. He owed her somewhat.

"Just don't cover my new ship completly in deboritzan crystals ......"

"Oh you might be the Captain Jon but you don't get to tell me what I do with my crystals ….."


OFF:

Commander Jonathan Reynolds
Commanding officer
USS Andromeda

Charlotte Reynolds
Angry Ex Wife NPC Jon

Edward "Eddie" Reynolds
Son NPC Jon