Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Janna Kingston (Counsellor) in Kingston’s Quarters- Answers Come in All Forms

Posted by Commander Orvos Legen (Executive Officer) in Kingston’s Quarters- Answers Come in All Forms

Posted by Commander Stark Nightstalker (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Kingston’s Quarters- Answers Come in All Forms
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

The answer was obvious, at least to her. Of course she wanted his help. But more than that she needed to understand how she felt about him. This increased connection between them was only confusing it more. Janna understood that she had had an attraction to him for a long time, but it hadn’t seemed reciprocate, at least outside of some intense moments. Would more time together cloud her understanding or aid it? She didn’t know. But she was willing to find out. More than that, she wanted to find out. Before she realized it, her hand had reached out and rested on his, tangible warmth between their skin obvious. “Yes. Let’s figure this out. And I think I want to talk to Stark too. He was there, so he’s involved even if he doesn’t realize it.”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

There was a part of Orvos that secretly wanted to keep everyone at bay, to refrain from developing close ties. He was long lived and people would come and go. It helped not being attached because it kept his mind clear of any bias. He couldn’t get hurt when either he or they would be parted from the other. With close ties, he had the potential to hurt them.

However, there was a part of him that was growing. It was warm and wanted to reach out, despite being held back. He wanted closeness. He wanted intimacy, sure. He was, in the end, lonely. And she was about to discover all of that and more, he figured.

When she reached for his hand, he didn’t move it away. He kept it there, accepting his fate…for now. Deep down, he wanted this…her closeness, her touch.

Even if nothing ever happened, Janna would always know and be able to point to this moment. It wasn’t just all in her head.

Orvos smiled. “We can get Stark in on this as well. Would you like him here now, or to wait until we have some plan?”

-Lt. Commander Orvos Legen, CE

Practicality warred with desire in this moment, but Janna was all too good at her job and knew how to be patient, to out-wait someone, even if that person was herself. And yet she couldn’t help curling her fingers under his and giving his hand a squeeze. “You know Stark, I half expect him to show up any minute now with his nose twitching telling us he smells something brewing,” she said , slipping into a grin.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Orvos smiled, the feelings growing so quickly. El Aurians had a natural empathic ability, but it only went so far. He was, nonetheless able to sense the same warring in her. Was it her own though? Or was it his own being reflected back? As she spoke, somehow the questions disappeared from his mind as he caved in to desire over logic this time. He saw her grin, unaware of what she said. It was as though something was new in her, something he wanted closer to.

Orvos’s other hand slowly reached up and cupped her cheek as his eyes never left hers. “Sometimes I’m taken aback by you, totally mesmerized by your smile,” he said with his own grin, not realizing that he now mere inches from her face.

-Lt. Commander Orvos Legen, CE

There was a similitude to that first time in the lounge and then the holodeck, when she was still the new counsellor who had replaced the ill-fated Kallen Reese. She had, as Stark had hoped, become her own person here and not just Kallen’s replacement. For that she was grateful. But like then, she was uncertain about how to proceed, except for one important difference: she had confirmation. A moment ago had been a feeling, but this right here was something more tangible. The hand on her cheek just tipped the whole situation into brand new territory. “It’s about time you realized that,” she said, holding her position for a moment. She should Shouldn’t she? Screw it. Sometimes you just had to leap, and while she was exceptionally terrible at that these days, this whole Nexus situation had emboldened her. She had known when she brought up her anger at him, with him, that they would either move forward together, or not. There was very little middle ground here.

All sound logic had conveniently been put into a neat box and shoveled away into a closet deep within the recesses of his mind. It was too late to turn back now, not that he wanted to in the slightest. His heart picked up pace as he made the resolution to just go with it and damn the consequences.

So Janna leaned in and brushed her lips against his. And waited.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

She waited maybe a few nanoseconds. The intimacy of the moment caused a the dam to open. His hand on her cheek moved slightly down to the nape of her neck as his other hand reached around her back. His lips were quick to connect with her own, slow and testing at first before allowing passion to take root. And as he considered leaning her back on the couch, something brought him back some form of exterior senses.

There was a chime at the door.

Stark Nightstalker CIO

He pulled back mere inches, closing his eyes as he focused on regaining some semblance of self-control. He didn’t truly want to though. He longed to just get lost in the moment, but what truly snapped him to his senses was the fact that he could suddenly feel a certain chief intelligence officer nearby. “It’s Stark,” he lightly breathed as his eyes continued looking into Janna’s. “Timing.” He sighed as he slowly pulled back.

-Lt. Commander Orvos Legen, CE

Exhaling a shaky breath, Janna took a moment to breathe in slowly. Her body was vibrating with energy, both anticipation and desire, both hers and Orvos’ and the chime was a reminder to breathe. “Come in,” she said. She didn’t move from her position on the couch next to Orvos, though they had both pulled back. Likely though, anyone with a modicum of intuition could sense the energy in the room. She didn’t mind Stark knowing this and also found some comfort in someone else at a glance being able to guess even a tiny bit of what was going on. It wasn’t just about her and Orvos, but the fact that Janna had been changed. Subtly, but changed nonetheless.

Turning her green eyes on Stark, she still had her hand in Orvos’.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Stark walked in, looked into those green eyes, looked at Orvos, calculated proximity, heart rate, skin flush and pupil dilation. One ear flicked and then he spoke two things.

Orvos was familiar enough with Stark to know when he was analyzing a situation. He sighed in mild frustration and raised an eyebrow.

“Firstly, oops! Secondly, about time”.

Stark Nightstalker CIO

At that Kingston smirked, just a tiny bit. The thought had crossed her mind too.

This time Orvos stood. “What brings you this way Mr. Nightstalker? If you don’t mind my asking, that is.” It was a bit odd for him to show up just as they had considered getting him in on the loop, though he wouldn’t likely be surprised by any answer Stark gave.

-Lt. Commander Orvos Legen, CE

Stark uncharacteristically looked slightly disconcerted by the question. “My first instinct is to lie, but considering the circumstances I’m not going to this time. Recent events have shown that individuals aboard the Athena are in danger from outside forces who have an annoying ability to evade my detection systems. I therefore planted devices in certain peoples quarters to registered elevated heart rate etc that could signify they were in danger…” he actually managed to look sheepish for a brief second, “Obviously they need further calibration to avoid being triggered by… other things”.

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Orvos stood frozen for a moment as he considered what Stark said. He looked down for a brief moment and then back up, realizing his minute mistake before straightening his uniform and coming out of it. “Well, I suppose since you’re here…” he said trailing off looking to Janna for her input.

-Lt. Commander Orvos Legen, CE

Stark flinched slightly, a sign that he had noticed the faux pas.

Janna, for reasons unbeknownst to her in this moment, was amused. Highly, highly amused. And thus she starting laughing. A lot.

Tears running down her face, still sitting on her couch, she shook her head and fell back into the soft cushions. “Ahhh, Stark, you should have warned me when I first came aboard. I think your wish for me to not just be a replacement has been realized, but boy did I not see this coming.” She laughed more.

“I must admit to being relieved that you’re seeing the funny side Janna. My heart was in the right place and it’s so much easier asking for forgiveness rather than permission”.

Gathering herself together, Janna shook her head again, letting her gaze settle on Orvos for a moment before shifting to Nightstalker. “So, you remember our little jaunt to the Nexus care of Kivon? Remember the ball, crystal… thing I wielded to contain him? Yeah, about that…”

Intent black eyes waited for her to continue.

Janna finally rose, pacing, tension threaded throughout her body. But her pacing wasn’t going to fix the situation and so, with a sigh, she stopped near Stark, her green eyes (so alike her predecessor’s) afire. “We don’t quite understand how, or the extent, but I seem to have been… imbued with an intuition, knowing, whatever you want to call it. Not quite empathy, but not unlike it either. I’m already very good at reading people. My job demands it. But I’ve noticed that I am aware of more lately. And then when I touched Orvos, it was like waking up from a dream.”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Stark desperately fought down the urge to twist that last statement and manfully wrestled it back into his subconscious with a mental slap. “So what you’re saying is that the effect of this thing is also tied to Orvos in some way?”

Stark Nightstalker CIO