Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in Captain’s Quarters- If You Can’t Stand the Heat

Posted by Captain Alexander Cochrane (Commanding Officer) in Captain’s Quarters- If You Can’t Stand the Heat

Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in Captain’s Quarters- If You Can’t Stand the Heat
Posted by… suppressed (9) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Alex nodded and then said “No bonfires on my ship, Calloway. That’s an order.” and he spun her out, back in, and dipped her low and backwards as the music came to a slow stop.

“Not even holographic ones?” she said, demurring.

Lifting her back up, he smiled. “You keep up these kind of ideas, Faye, I may make you the Morale Officer.” and he gave her a wink.

Alex

Faye’s mouth dropped open and she swatted his arm with the back of her fingertips. “You take that back!” she said in a dark tone, despite her still relaxed demeanour. “I might be slightly more socially inclined these days, and maybe I don’t get panic attacks in large social gatherings anymore, mostly, but I’m still an introvert,” she said with a tiny smirk tugging that the corners of her mouth.

~Faye Calloway

“My ship, my rules.” and he laughed. Letting go of her he said “You know what? I’m really happy you are feeling comfortable here, Faye. That you do means more to me than you will ever really know. It’s the first really tangible sign I have had since I came aboard that I’m actually doing ok in the center chair. So… thank you. Thank you for investing so much in this ship… her crew… and yourself. I really am very proud of how far you have come.” and he smiled at her, that pride evident in his eyes.

Cochrane

“Well shucks there Cap’n, you’re goin’ to make me blush,” she quipped with some random accent she pulled from a random corner of her brain.” She was still standing close to him since the song ended, so she leaned into him and gave him a brief but firm hug.

Stepping away, Calloway looked over her shoulder, heading for the table to help tidy up. “Besides, I knew the night you came to see me at work on the auxiliary bridge and stayed to help that you would be a person I could trust. Fun fact, my whole calling you dha’rudh is a perfect sign of this. To date I only ever teasingly called one captain that because I actually trusted them at a time in my life when I trusted absolutely no one. I can respect a captain and still not get along with them and probably think them an idiot, but to trust them without question? Well… I think you know what that looks like. I trust you because you’re worthy of trust, Alex. You always were.”

~Faye Calloway

Alex smiled and picked up a few plates, dropping them in the recycler. “So are you, Faye. Never let anything make you doubt that, ok?”

“You’ve never experienced my right-hook,” she said airily as she grabbed a cloth to wipe everything down. He had to know by now that by her tone she was joking, right?

He looked around the room after they had cleaned up a bit and said “Ok, only thing left is the table.” and he cast a withering glance at it. “Maybe would could accidentally throw it through the window… what do you think?” and he chuckled.

Cochrane

“Ehhh, not recommended. That whole exposure to the vacuum of space is reportedly terrible for ones state of living. So I’ve heard,” Calloway said as she came to stand at the far side of the table, so he got to step backwards this time.

“Lift on three. One. Two. Three,” she said, as she ground down into her feet, and lifted her body upwards with her hips, just lifting the table enough that they could scootch it back into place.”

When they had it in place, Faye gladly set it in place and stood there with her hands on her hips. “Yep, definitely the holodeck next time. At least you can accidentally break one like this. Less scratches.”

~Faye Calloway

Sighing heavily as the room was restored to it’s original state, Alex put his hands on his hips and said “Nice. Thanks for helping me… and for the hasparat. Can’t wait to try it again.” and then his eyes settled on Faye. “So… how are we? Good? Or are there any more photon grenades you need to toss at me tonight?” and he smiled and chuckled.

Cochrane

Faye laughed openly. “While I foresee a day where we can chit chat about absolutely nothing important, I don’t think we should anticipate that happening anytime soon. A consequence of having kept so much hidden for so much of my life and having it all pulled out unexpectedly is that it’s taking time to work through. And as you’ve pointed out, time is something we have lots of out here. Which is a refreshing feeing given I’ve spent most of my life on the edge as the next thing chewed me up and spat me back out. But the main difference right now is that I want to share it and when I do so it all becomes a little less scary. Because, and I’m sure you’ve already figured this out, there’s some pretty heavy stuff there.” She was always slightly worried that it would get too much for people, or they would get tired of how intense it could be. So she had given it out in very selective dollops, and as she had been learning recently, the more selective it had been, the more she had deprived herself a chance to let it go and others a chance to know her story. Small steps.

~Faye Calloway

Cochrane nodded and smiled. “I look forward to the day we can talk about nothing, Faye. But until that day arrives, always remember you can talk to me about whatever you want or need to, all right? I’m here.” He looked around the room and, other than the faint lingering aroma of hasparat, there was little evidence of the night’s festivities and discussion. Looking back at Faye, he said “Thanks for the help cleaning up. But next time… holodeck. And make sure you dress for the dancing.” he said with a grin.

Cochrane

Faye spread her hands out to the side as she looked down at her leggings and tunic. “Hey, I thought this worked nicely,” she said. “I even wore appropriate shoes.” She tilted her head to the side. “You know, I can’t even remember the last time I wore a dress in public. Oh, right”-her expression shifted to one of amusement-“huh, well, let’s just say it’s been a really long time. Never really had a reason to wear one,” she said with a chuckle. Beneath the humour there were memories she decided she wasn’t ready to deal with today, even though she had touched on them ever so briefly earlier. But the whole of them? No.

Stepping away, she gave Cochrane a loose wave of her hand. “Night, Alex.”

~Faye Calloway

Alex smiled and said “Goodnight, Faye. I had a good night… thank you.”

Cochrane

She spun back, grinned and moved swiftly back towards the table and picked up the poetry book. As her finger slipped around the volume, she had to still the weird sensations in her. Faye understood that in accepting the book, she was accepting her need to work through those complicated feelings. Holding it close to her chest, she winked at him and moved to the door, slipping out without another word. Though the high of their dancing had long gone, and her hair in quite the dishevelled mess, Faye was content and at ease, something she usually only found when working with plants. What s delightful surprise!

~Faye Calloway

Alex smiled a friendly smile as she left, but once the door slid closed the smile faded.

“.They are just flirting with pain, now… aren’t they?” he mumbled to himself. He stood staring at the door for a long time, lost in thought. Finally he shook his head and went to far wall. Taking the cello from its stand and sitting on the stool stashed near it, Alex rosined up his bow.

Laying the bow across the strings, he began to play…

Cochrane