Beat Around The Bush

Posted on 11 Aug 2019 @ 12:19am by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant Commander True Keading

Mission: Mission 1 - In the pale moonlight ...
Location: Observation Lounge
Timeline: MD6 After "Dream Analysis briefing"
920 words - 1.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

As everyone filed out Jon wasn't surprised that True waited behind. She had something to say. He had sensed her reaction to him shutting down Aidan a second time. He braced himself. This would either go well or could well be their first fight.

"You want to talk," he said simply.

"Yeah . . . I'm not very familiar with your command style but I just wondered why you were so harsh with Aidan. I didn't agree with him arguing with you, but you seemed to shut him down before that. Aidan is kind of . . . . sensitive about some things. I think you pressed a button."

Jon got up and started putting cups back in the replicator. "I'm a pretty direct guy. Intense some have called me. Its the betazoid side. He was determined to put up a bit of a fight and I had to shut it down. Especially as …." he stopped he wasn't sure if he should share this or not.

True cocked her head sideways. "What?" she asked softly. It wasn't in True to argue about much, unless she believed someone's life or mental health was in danger. Aidan would be all right, she just needed to understand what was between them.

"Can we make this an official counselling session?" Jon asked. "So its all legitamitely confidential? Its not that I don't trust you its just that I usually keep my nose out and I'm kinda breaking my own rule a little. But for the right reasons."

"I don't have a counseling hat to put on but yes, of course you can." True had been standing up but she leaned against the table and waited curiously for his answer.

"His wife is pregnant. At the party. I could sense the spark. Of life force you know," he said feeling somewhat happy he could share that legitimately.

"Oh I knew that," True admitted. But she wasn't sure that was a good enough excuse. He seemed to want to go on though so she kept her mouth shut.

"I just lost 2 good people to comas. I'm not overly happy about sending two into the path of that thing with all the horrendousness everyone's experiencing but we have orders for a sample. We get a sample we get some data. He gets to analyse. Fox won't let me go and Lilura's the best I feel qualified to hack off a piece of it. I mean she can use invisible hands and telekinesis if necessary," he explained.

"I see. Well, I do agree with you there. So not needing him and wanting to keep the mission as few people as possible certainly is a good reason. And I'm not arguing with you. But I do think Aidan remembers that his wife is pregnant. He knows the risks and he's been in plenty of dangerous situations before. But it's not just this particular instance. It just seems like you two butt heads. The last observation lounge meeting." True pointed out.

"Not the case. I'm teaching him to box," Jon said incredulously. "In my spare time. I'm just direct and don't want every decision questioned. And we are 5 days into a mission. I don't know him well enough to be butting heads."

"Okay," True said. It wasn't critically important and if he said there was nothing between them then she was willing to let the subject drop. "I'm just making sure." She flashed him a smile. "I like us to be one big happy dysfunctional family," she joked lightly.

Jon nodded. "Don't we all? And the goddesses help us if and when you end up meeting my mother. Then we will have dysfunctional."

He paused for a moment breathing out finding his calm. This being responsible for everything thing was far more pressing than he ever imagined. "Still thought Andromedas first baby ehh,"

"Oh? Now I want to hear about your mother. And yeah, momentous occasion when the day finally arrives." Even though they were alone, True was still careful. But she placed a hand on his arm. "You don't have to carry everything."

She was right of course but also he was Captain and ultimately the buck stopped at him. He sighed again and placed a hand over the one on his arm and squeezed it. "I appreciate that,".

He wanted to pull her in close but anyone could walk in finding them and that would be inappropriate and no help in maintaining discreet. The touch however did bring his mind back to that morning being wrapped in each others arms. Those penguin pjs, who knew when he would get to see that again. He didn't understand what this connection was between them but he seemed already so at ease with this woman.

Reluctantly pulling his hand back. "I suspect we ought to get back," he added before someone clocked they were missing and put 2 and 2 together getting …. well what he just wanted to keep between them at present. He raised an arm politely in the direction of the door indicating ladies first and said, "Lets get into mother another time ehh."

"Sure," True smiled. "I suspect I'll have plenty of appointments slots available for discussion on her."

Jon smiled weakly at her and nodded nervously. The truth was he really didn't want to have to inflict his mother on her any time soon.

OFF:

●● Lieutenant True Keading
Chief Counselor
USS Andromeda


●●● Commander Jonathan Reynolds
Commanding Officer
USS Andromeda