by Vol Tryst and February Grace
91016.00
Time: 0320 The morning after The Most Dangerous Man on the Ship
-=Quarters of The Ship's Chaplain, USS Serendipity=-
91016.00
Time: 0320 The morning after The Most Dangerous Man on the Ship
-=Quarters of The Ship's Chaplain, USS Serendipity=-
February Grace sighed as she handed her newborn daughter over to the trusted hands of Fleur Le Marc.
"Now you're sure you have everything you'll need?"
"Yes, yes. Everything and also kitchen sink." Fleur replied. She put the second diaper bag down that February had brought as Sophie squirmed in her arms. Tress, who had refused to go to sleep at all tonight, signed desperately as she clamored to be picked up to see the baby. "Now get out, Alchemy is leaving soon."
"Okayyyyy." February wasn't at all okay with leaving Sophie so soon, but a call to return to duty was just that, and Dabin told her that the place they were headed to was not at all hospitable to children let alone infants. Bru thanked Fleur profusely and made her promise for the twenty-third time that she would contact them right away via subspace if she had any questions, and reminded her that Sickbay was always right there should there be any concerns about the baby's well being.
Camen appeared the moment that Bru had gone, and Fleur sighed as she saw the backpack slung over his shoulder. "Do you really have to go?"
"Yes, this is mandatory for the senior staff." Jariel replied, "Which I am officially a part of. So I have to go. But it's only supposed to be for three days."
"Three days can feel a very long time." Fleur said wistfully. Camen leaned in and kissed her, then he placed a gentle kiss atop Sophie's head and then picked up Tress who was signing to him that she wanted a kiss, too.
Camen kissed her round, dimpled face and ruffled her hair affectionately. "You be a good girl." he mouthed to her, as he was trying to teach her to lip read and remember the words she'd learned before losing her hearing in addition to signing. She nodded. He set her down and signed to her. [[You help Maman with the baby. Be a helpful big girl.]]
[[Tress big girl!]] She signed. [[Help good.]]
"I know you will." Jariel patted her head again. "Pace!"
The young man poked his head out of his bedroom, half asleep and barely looking up from the PADD of text he had been pouring over all night for school. "Sir?"
"Hold down the fort."
"The...fort..."
"Keep an eye on everybody." Camen clarified, as he retrieved his backpack and headed for the door. He looked back upon his small family and thought just how much he hated to leave it, even just for a few days. "I'll be home soon."
Sophie began to wail, Tress kept signing that she was hungry and Pace smiled gently, setting down his work and swinging his sister upside down and then over onto his shoulders. "Don't worry, Fleur. Since everybody is so awake, we may as well have a snack before bed. I'll feed her."
"Pace," Fleur sighed, as she fumbled with the bottle that was sticking halfway out of the diaper bag, "you are an angel."
-=/\=-
"Vol! Wait!!!" February called for Tryst to slow his steps though they were already much slower than they usually would be. "I have to tell you something!"
"Coffee." Tryst muttered mindlessly. How Grace could be so awake and so...perky at three thirty in the morning was beyond him.
"Yeah, sure whatever." Bru said, dismissing his gruffness with a wave of her hand. "I have time for coffee! I can't believe it! I haven't had time for anything in weeks that didn't involve diapers and pacifiers."
"Coffee." Vol repeated in a monotone drone-like voice, wincing as if he wished she could be just a little less enthusiastic given the time. Still, he was glad to sense that she was in such high spirits even after she had finally gone through the difficult process of leaving her baby with someone else for the first time. She was very excited about the assignment ahead, and even he had to admit to himself that she made it seem more appealing than likely it even should. After being cooped up for so long, the idea of fresh air was most appealing to her.
"Come on, Vol." She linked her arm through his and gave a gentle squeeze. "Let's get you your coffee."
-=/\=-
As they sat at a table in the galley aboard the Alchemy, February nearly squealed with joy as she saw a familiar face pass by in the corridor. She waved to him but was unsure if he'd seen her as he kept on walking. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are?"
"I am being forced to go on this ridiculous assignment, on a planet which is less than that of a desirable location, I'm awake before four o'clock in the morning and I still haven't had coffee. What, in the name of the Gods, could make you believe that I am lucky?"
As Vol monologued he continuously stared forward as if he was about to fall asleep with his eyes open. His voice has close to no inflection, but February knew that he wasn't upset with her. Indeed, he was too tired to be anything but zombie-like. Which actually worked out perfectly considering the bit of news she was about to divulge.
"Oh shush, you! You are lucky because I am setting you up on a date with the man of your dreams."
Vol blinked and then ever so slowly turned his head so that he could look at Bru as she continued to speak.
"Trust me! I went to the Academy with this guy. He's a total doll, you're going to love him. He just signed on to The Alchemy Project as part of his Starfleet Intelligence rotation."
Vol raised a quizzical eyebrow, "So you want me to date James Bond?"
"No, James Bond runs the bar around here remember?" She giggled. "This guy is more like...Illya Kuryakin. Well, if Illya Kuryakin if he were one of the most brilliant engineering minds in Starfleet." She grinned. "He's been tapped to work on the Alchemy related designs after Salvek and Lair hand them back to Starfleet as we go along in the project. Building engine components by hand, redesigning drive systems...."
"So he's a..." Vol let out a sigh before resuming to stare blankly at the opposing wall. Raising a hand to rub his eyebrows in resignation. ". . . grease monkey."
"If anyone in the quadrant could look at Trev Sterling and call him a grease monkey..." February grinned, "I'll eat my hat."
"Computer. . ." Vol began, and the computer upon the Alchemy beeped in acknowledgment. "Have your security protocols been rewritten since my assignment to The Alchemy Project?" Vol inquired.
^That information is classified.^
"O'Sullivan." Bru waved her hand and rolled her eyes.
"But asking you to shoot me would still be out of the question?" Vol continued.
^Security information is classified and restricted to a level of clearance that is above level-^
"Damn." Vol's head and shoulders slouched forward as the man couldn't think of any place he wouldn't rather be. He spoke over the computer not bothering to listen to it complete its spiel. "Never mind."
"Now you just turn that cute little pouty frown upside down." Bru gently reached out and tried to lift the corners of Vol's mouth with gentle hands. "You're so intense when you're sulking. Besides, don't look now but here comes Prince Charming now."
February noticed that Trev Sterling was now peeking in the doorway, hydrospanner in one hand, a tool kit in the other. He looked up at her, his bright blue eyes questioning, and she nodded.
If Vol had already ingested a full cup's worth of coffee, he may have been able to stop what was coming next.
"Trev!" Bru called happily. "Come join us!"
*Tell me you didn't . .. .* Vol thought.
*I did.* February thought, and Vol almost groaned .. She knew him well enough to know just what he'd think about her actions.
"I..." Trev approached, but hesitated. "It looks like you two are almost finished, and besides I really have to get this report to Commander Lair before we are underway..."
"Well then, far be it from us to take you away from your duties. We're sorry to have disturbed you." Vol interjected, plastering a smile on his face and resisting the urge to wave the man away. He got a playful smack on his arm for his trouble.
"Don't be silly." Bru countered. "And it's not like you have the authority to order the poor man around."
"Yeah," chimed in Trev. "I've always trusted Bru's judgement in character. If it weren't for my duties, I'd join you no matter how snooty the Counselor was. As it is though, I really should be going. Perhaps another time." Trev looked to Vol, flashing a grin.
The Counselor still wasn't clicking into the flirting game and instead retained his fake, wide grin.
"Perhaps." he replied..
"Well, it was good to talk to you, Bru. I guess I'll...see you planetside." Sterling nodded slowly to Tryst, then backed away from the table still looking at Bru.
"Yeah. Bye." Bru shrugged her shoulders apologetically to her old friend as he walked away, his cheeks taking on a ruddy tone as if he'd been slapped or suddenly entered an environment so freezing cold that his skin couldn't take the insult. Vol's plastered mask faded as his head hit his arm which was resting on the table and he let out a groan of pure exhaustion.
"Boo." Bru picked up her cup and finished her coffee quickly.
"What?"
"I said, boooo." She drew out the word in displeasure. "You're not going to win a new fan that way."
"Maybe I have enough fans already." Vol lifted his head and sniffed at the last of his coffee before setting it aside. He then picked up the shaker of salt that sat on the table between them and groggily held it out to her.
"What's that for?" Bru asked.
"To season your hat before you dine on it." Vol droned. "Trev Sterling is a grease monkey."
Bru inhaled in horror. "Blasphemy! You haven't seen him in his off-duty clothing. I refuse to injest fiber one from a single hat in my stylish collection until you have and then if you can still call him a grease monkey I'll eat it without the salt."
"I told you, my fan club has a healthy roster. I'm good. I don't need any more...complications in my life especially not a work-place romance."
"Well maybe this potential complication could prove to be the man who'll be your biggest fan of all time." Her eyes returned to their previously sparkling state, as it was simply impossible for her to get, or stay, mad at the Betazoid for any amount of time that could be counted.
"You are a force of nature, Madame." Vol finally sat up straight and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Don't I know it." Bru giggled as she draped an arm playfully around Vol, half-embracing her friend.
------------------
Lt.. Vol Tryst
Ship's Counselor
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Lt. February Grace
Senior Flight Controller and Incorrigible Matchmaker
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
(En Route to Sibalt aboard the USS Alchemy
with everybody else on the senior staff and beyond)
Lt.. Vol Tryst
Ship's Counselor
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Lt. February Grace
Senior Flight Controller and Incorrigible Matchmaker
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
(En Route to Sibalt aboard the USS Alchemy
with everybody else on the senior staff and beyond)