[Snip]

“I am glad that your glad that I finally did. But what about you?” He asked. “How do you feel about me? I just honestly have thought about you for some time since after the academy.” He added.

Captain Alex Becket
Commanding Officer
U.S.S. Ark Angel

Charlotte grew quieter after his admission, her expression softening more from understanding than romance. When she answered, her voice remained calm and measured—the voice of someone who had spent years learning discipline over impulse.
“You thought about me for that long?” she asked gently. “That’s… honestly flattering, Alex.”
She held his gaze for a moment before continuing.
“And I won’t pretend I didn’t remember you either. People like you tend to leave impressions behind.” A faint smile crossed her lips. “Especially loud, overconfident pilot-engineers who somehow end up becoming captains.”
The humor faded slightly into something more thoughtful.
“But I need to be honest with you too.” She folded her arms lightly. “My career has always come first for me. Probably because of how I was raised, probably because of Starfleet itself. I worked too hard to become the officer I am to lose focus now.”
Charlotte stepped a little closer—not intimate, but sincere.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t care about you,” she clarified. “Because I do. I respect you deeply already, and I think there’s a reason this conversation feels easy despite how long it’s been.”
She glanced briefly down the corridor before looking back at him.
“But I’m not walking aboard this ship looking for a relationship. Especially not on my first day, and especially not with my commanding officer.” There was no harshness in her tone, only maturity. “That’s the sort of thing that can complicate careers, reputations, crew dynamics… all of it.”
A softer expression returned afterward.
“And honestly? I think part of why I respect you is because I know you’d understand that.”
She gave him a small smile.
“So maybe the timing still isn’t perfect.” A slight shrug followed. “But that doesn’t mean what we’re saying to each other isn’t real.”

Lieutenant Jr. Grade
Dr. Charlotte Fliehr- Medical
USS ARK ANGEL

He stood there hearing that. “I know. I do understand. It’s just I needed you to know how much I felt about you and how we should go on by taking care of it before hand. I don’t want things to complicate us.” Alex said with a nod.

Captain Alex Becket
Commanding Officer
U.S.S. Ark Angel