Posted by Lieutenant Alexandra Garfield (Xenobiologist) in Brisbane Science Conference 2393 — Two Years Ago —

“Are you sure it’s a good idea for you to go to this event? Starfleet has other conferences in other quadrants that doesn’t have you two.” came the voice of Ian Bordeaux as his image shined bright from the computer screen as Chris kept packing as he looked over at his friend staring at him from the monitor.

Chris had been busy in the six years since the the falling out between him and the love of his life Alexandra Garfield. Unspoken words and misunderstanding had brought the two apart and nearly ended their friendship. Yet time has a way of solving some things, if not all things. “Look, you don’t have to come to the conference, I am not even sure why you and your Captain are coming. Neither you nor her are science, what interest do you two have in being here?”

“She wanted to come when I said some of my friends from the academy would be there and Lexi wanted me to come for… well I don’t really know why. She seemed thrilled at the idea of all us being together again and who am to say no to her? She gives you those big puppy eyes and you just say yes.” Ian shook his head slightly, how he kept getting in the middle in these situations was beyond comprehension to himself. He loved Chris and Lexi and the bonds they formed over the years were strong, just just wasn’t sure if the other two felt the same about each other anymore.

“Look, yes it was rocky for the first six months, but one day she called and I decided enough hiding. I picked up and… I don’t know, it was like we never stopped talking.” Chris said as he paused for a moment to sit by the edge of his bed in view of the viewing screen as he tilted his head ever so to the left as he began thinking about the whole last six years. It hadn’t been perfect, and they may never get back all they have but he felt good about this all.

“We reconnected, we avoided topics that would cause issues. I know she isn’t with Noah anymore… but we don’t talk much more about that. We share recipies and our days, we stream our movies together and both sit back and watch them at the same time as we video and voice chat. She tells me about her discoveries and I tell her about mine.” Chris said as he smiled slightly, he may avoid the serious topics with Lexi but he still got back pretty much all he loved about her. He wasn’t going to ruin their chances of friendship by pushing his feelings on her again. He cared too deeply for her to ever want to be without her again.

“Plus no Noah this time, so it will just be us three… and I guess this Captain Kelly, you sure she is cool? Kylie was nice and all but she was always just… there. If we are going to let Kelly into our fold I am going to need some promises she is going to be cool. You deserve the best, though… I do have to wonder about your timing. You just left that resort and instead of getting back to your ship your side tracking to Earth. How long can Captains just take off?” Chris asked, wondering if there would be trouble if they were all gone too long. Ian had told him about the whole ordeal of tentacles and Klingon and blind wine drinking. The ending was a lot more risque as Ian went on with the story.

“You can’t tell anyone about that… I told Kelly I have let you and Lexi know we are together but… this is literally the first few days of us even being together. We don’t want all of Atlantis talking about the Captain and Yeoman banging it on vacation.” Ian said sternly to Chris before smiling widely at his friend. They had all been through a lot of in the past for years and now he did feel hopeful to bring people together and have his friends just be friends again.

“Look it’ll be fine, we aren’t gonna be snitches, and I do gotta go the shuttle is gonna be picking me up soon to fly me to Brisbane, I will see you there… and don’t worry I got this.” Chris said with his normal swagger and cock sureness he always had.

“That’s what I am worried about…” Ian said before the screen went black leaving Chris to finish the packing in silence.

Lieutenant Christopher Robins

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

“Will you stop staring at the door,” Ian said in a low tone taking a sip of his lager.

“Is your girlfriend ever going to get off that barstool,” Lexi shot back. She didn’t know this Kelly well but could see why Ian liked her. For a captain she was very laid back. She also apparently had no liver or was not worried about her liver the way she was knocking back drinks with a rather loud pair of Klingons. Staring at her, Lexi saw that on the surface Ian’s boxes were easily checked off. The woman was beautiful with a sharp sense of humor. She and Ian had swapped barbed banter for the past two hours with easy smiles. Ian had said they were trying to play it cool in public situations. Lexi wondered what public situations looked like on the USS Atlantis. From what she could tell Kelly was enamored with Ian and Ian seemed to adore this older blonde. She also had a name that started with a K. All men had a type. For Ian it appeared to be an unwritten rule his significant others had to have a name that started with a K: Kelly, Kelsey, Karen, Karina, Kourtney.

“Science is really not her forte, I think she came in hopes for some more booze and to meet my friends if I am honest. I have talked you and Chris up enough that she had to see if the stories stood up the their fabled status.” Ian answered as he looked over at Kelly at the bar. He couldn’t deny this was all a bit sudden, and publicly they were worried but here they could lossen up and be themselves.

“So what’s the story with you both. Is it serious or Kylie serious,” Lexi asked sipping her white wine spritzer. Regardless of his answer, Lexi would be eternally grateful for Kelly teaching her how to order a palatable wine for public functions. Seeing a tall blonde walk in the front door, Lexi reached out and grabbed Ian’s arm so that when she rose on her tiptoes she didn’t have to work to keep her balance. She was trying to keep it cool but after six years of not being in the same room, Lexi was like a kid at Christmas waiting for Chris to walk through the door. Video calls were okay but they were not like flesh and blood. Just to hold him once in a hug so that she could inhale his cologne would make their reconciliation real.

Ensign Lexi Garfield

“I don’t know… she… it was all very sudden. I must admit though…” Ian said as he looked over at Kelly longingly for before coming back to put his glanced on Lexi with that smile of a man who was beyond in love. It was the one every person knew well, the look that said they felt content and peace and joy. Anytime someone saw that in someone else when talking about the one they were with, they knew it was love. “She is someone I never want to have another day without.”

Lieutenant Ian Bordeaux

“That wasn’t him,” Lexi said lowering herself down to her heels. The disappointment on her face was evident. Raising the sprizter to her lips she took a swallow and looked back at Ian. “I’m sorry what did you say?” She wanted to hear about Kelly and did ask the question but her focus was not on Bordeaux’s latest love interest but her own.

“Do you think he missed the shuttle? It was supposed to land an hour ago. That means he had fifteen minutes to catch a ride to the hotel. Thirty to check in and change his clothes and ten to walk the two blocks to get here. According to my calculations he should have been here eight minutes ago. Do you think he changed his mind? Did you get a message saying he changed his mind? I didn’t get a message. Check your messages,” Lexi demanded pulling the lager from Ian’s lips in mid swallow while she pushed a mini-PaDD from her pocket..

“Hey Alex,” a voice said from behind her as they tapped her shoulder.

“Chris,” Lexi squealed shoving her drink and Ian’s back in his general area. Whether or not Ian was ready to take them was not her concern. As she spun around to face the man, Lexi forced the smile to remain on her face not seeing who she expected.

“George,” he supplied his name and pointed to his identification badge.

“Sam,” the man next to him extended his hand.

“Well now that we have all the names straight,” Lexi tried to make light of the faux paux. There was no way she should not have recognized George. They had worked side by side on the USS Discovery for two years before she transferred to the USS Aquarius. “What are you doing here,” she asked rising on her toes to try and peek over his shoulder at the door as she started a random conversation.

“I am an exo-biologist,” George leaned in slightly as he spoke. The gesture was the universal non verbal action for someone trying to help another catch on to an obvious point.

“So am I,” Lexi replied on auto-pilot not really listening to him. Chris had to be coming was the only thought in her mind. If he bailed on this conference, Lexi would just leave. She had little interest in attending several symposiums on the tetrahydral components of organic life. The only reason she was here was for Chris.

George looked at Sam with a small shrug. Lexi had been flighty at times but this version of her was ten times worse. Clearly she was either distracted or on drugs.

It was then at this moment that the chaotic lounge seemed to grow quiet as everyone seemed to be looking at all corners as the galaxies largest mariachi band entered and seemed to surround the team as if they were going to be assaulted by guitars and Spanish ballads. “Is a Lexi Garfield here?” said one of the closest gutiar players asked as he scanned the crowd.

George began to look around much like everyone else until it dawned on him the last name was the same as Alex’s. Maybe the joke about getting the names straight was funnier the second time around.

Ian couldn’t help but feel like he knew exactly where this was going, and he was kind of curious to see how it ended as he stood up pointing directly down across Lexi’s head. “She’s right here boys…” he said as he quickly slinked away back to the bar where he sat next to Kelly.

“Ian. Ian,” where are you going,” Lexi reached out trying to grab him as he slipped away but the two men that approached Lexi had linked one of her arms in his as they moved her to a more central location a few steps away. Her fingers only clawed the air instead of grabbing onto his arm. She had no idea what was happening but if Ian was slinking away Lexi wasn’t sure how eager she was to go it alone.

Kelly watched her boyfriend deftly slide through the crowd. He seemed rather pleased about the turn of events. She was just a bit surprised not to have been let in on the secret. Waiting until he was seated at the bar next to her, Kelly then posed her question using her drink to gesture in front of her, “So whats going on?”

“I have no idea but this should be good all the same, scotch please.” he said as he turned to look at the bartender before putting his eyes back at the scene unfolding.

The men moving Lexi into position did it so fast, Garfield wasnt’ sure how far they actually went before the chaos erupted.

As if on que the band began to start playing, a happy tune as they all seemed to come in and surround Lexi. As they did others began to weave between the band as there was people throwing doves in the air and fire dancers began to perform as everyone seemed to find this as some bizarre carnival that had been unleashed upon them all.

“Is this typical for a conference on Earth,” Sam asked George. He had been to numerous science conventions over the years but never did they come with what seemed like a ten piece marching band and gypsies. This had to be an Earth thing Sam thought watching the spectacle unfold.

“Nothing about Garfield is typical,” George said slowly.

The music kept going as the singer sang a soulful tune in Ferengi, and odd mix indeed but the translators would pick it up as the following words.

Don’t know much about history
Don’t know much biology
Don’t know much about a science book,
Don’t know much about the french I took
But I do know that I love you,
And I know that if you love me, too,
What a wonderful world this would be
Don’t know much about geography,
Don’t know much trigonometry
Don’t know much about algebra,
Don’t know what a slide rule is for
But I do know that one and one is two,
And if this one could be with you,
What a wonderful world this would be
Now, I don’t claim to be an “A” student,
But I’m tryin’ to be
For maybe by being an “A” student, baby,
I can win your love for me
Don’t know much about history,
Don’t know much biology
Don’t know much about a science book,
Don’t know much about the french I took
But I do know that I love you,
And I know that if you love me, too,
What a wonderful world this would be
History
Biology
Science book
French I took
But I do know that I love you,
And I know that if you love me, too,
What a wonderful world this would be

Lexi could not stop smiling however this did not stop her from glancing down at her shoes. Whatever was going on Chris had to be a part of it. A tiny part of her was nervous. She wasn’t sure how this entrance would play out except that Chris had to be here somewhere among the crowd. The spectacle was almost dizzying to watch. Fire was shooting out of people like they were human torches and the birds seemed just as confused at they were released in the hall. Feathers were floating about and several had caught fire as they drifted down eliciting a series of squeals from the observing scientists. Lexi swore she heard someone say, “your on fire” to another person. Since the recipient of that warning was not stumbling to the center of the room, Lexi could only assume it was a drama llama caught up in the chaos.

“Ian,” Kelly reclined back on the bar resting using the tips of her elbows for support. “Are you sure these two haven’t seen each other in a while. They seem to be going all out for a friends rende-vous?”

As the song played a split could be seen in the band once more as a giant crate seemed to be wheeled in as it was left in front of Lexi as men began to open and crack it open. Following behind them more performers came releasing balloons and popping streamers and fireworks, whatever was coming next was going to be something fantastic everyone could feel it.

Lexi held her breath as the snapping sound of the crate being opened mixed with the caws of the anxious birds, Spanish rhymed band, and pop of the small firework show. Birds flew about scared of the popping sound. The stress of the situation caused them to molt some which led to small fire feathers as they would be remembered by the patrons of the conference. Lexi didn’t care if the birds lived or died. She only needed to find Chris.

“Ian,” Kelly drew his name out slowly. “I am not sure the birds plus fire are a good combination,” she took a long slow draw of her drink. Being security, she had never attended a science conference before. This one certainly had set the bar to a height Shultz was damn sure one would need a ladder and crane to top. “I mean this is one helluva entrance for a keynote speaker but if those fire eaters aim any higher we are gonna be at a tailgating event instead of a scientific one.” For the first time in a long time, Kelly wished she hadn’t been drinking. No one was going to believe this was happening.

As the pallets were cleared all that was left was a giant teddy bear with a big aquamarine necktie with a note on it that said squeeze my paw.

Lexi stopped and got a sappy love sick look on her face

The second Lexi squeezed, she would feel a startling sensation as the paw grabbed back before laughter became to emit from the bear as two people came behind the bear as sounds of unzipping could be unheard, and from the cocoon of the bear skin Christopher Robins appeared.

“And that’s how you embarrass someone at work!” Chris said with a smirk and crap eating grin as he smiled at the stunned look on Lexi’s face as he pulled her close and gave her the biggest hug the two had ever shared in that moment. He didn’t care who saw, he knew he needed to embrace his best friend for the first time in six years.

Lieutenant Christopher Robins

After the conference

The day had went slowly. Too slowly for Lexi. They were not cadets in school anymore so they had to have a smudge of decorum. This though did not mean they had to be one hundred percent professional. It only meant they had to be more creative to carry out their antics. Since they were different fields, the seminars they were slated to attend kept them on opposite ends of the convention hall for large periods of the day. Well Lieutenants Robins and Garfield were registered for differing classes. Ensign Ursula Sond and Ensign Brian McCafferty happened to have been registered for all the same classes. For half the day, Chris and Lexi zig zagged across the convention center signing in where they needed to prove their attendance, switching name tags, and always choosing the seat farthest from others so that they could just hang out. Six years ago, Lexi would never have done something so bold but she only had forty eight hours with Chris and wanted to make the most of every second. The day went by in a blur feeling more dream like that real. One moment it as 0800 hours at the convention center with her waiting with baited breath for Chris to arrive. The next she was sitting at an elegant restaurant with Ian, Chris, and Kelly having dinner.

Lexi thought about the day’s events as she toyed with the food still on her plate. Coffee and dessert was about to be served and the evening would end soon after. Lexi wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She would see Chris in the morning but right now the twelve hours between saying good night and good morning felt vast. Looking around the table, she was sure no one would ever think that the four people at the table were all just friends. Ian and Kelly acted as if they were newlyweds stealing small smiles or other flirtatious actions every few minutes. She and Chris had the easy feel of a couple married for years. They were not touching or holding hands like Ian and Kelly yet the vibes emanating from Lexi and Chris spoke of a slow smolder that would ignite when they were away from prying eyes. Lexi had never noticed has easily Chris slipped into the partner role when she was around him until today. The subtle things like helping her get her coat on while he was in mid sentence to Ian or ordering her another drink before she asked told the world they were an old couple past the awkward stage of dating. A while back, Lexi tuned out the conversation between Chris and Ian choosing to focus on the way his thumb was gently rubbing the area between her shoulder blades as he relaxed back in his seat with his arm over the back of her chair. The contact against her skin by him should not feel so good. It should not make her mind fuzzy causing her to daydream a different ending than the one she knew was already written for tonight. Taking a deep breath, Lexi shifted slightly so that more of her body came into contact with his hand. She would remember this moment for a long time desperately missing the old days where she plopped on his lap at the bar because there was no seat or made him give her a piggy back across campus when her feet hurt.

Kelly had spent half the night flirting with Ian and the other half watching Chris and Lexi. If any two people needed a nudge in the right direction it was them. She had heard the stories at nausum of the break up. She was not going to sit for the next six years and listen to Lexi or Chris complain about missing out again. “Enough politics. I can only take so much about treatises, cultural appropriation, and trade violations when I am on duty. I am not interested in listening to that now,” she said leaning over and letting her lips brush Ian’s to stop the conversation about Binar’s unique communication needs . Dance with me,” Kelly stood extending a hand to Chris. After her divorce from Rick, she had learned a thing or two about waiting and missed opportunities.

“I’ll bring him back before you finish your coffee,” Kelly promised Lexi as she led Chris to the dance floor.

Lexi and Ian

Lexi watched as Kelly wrapped her arms around Chris and gently began to follow his lead on the dance floor. Kelly was so confident and laid back around him much likfe she had been years before. Hopefully this trip would help to create that bond again. “So what is up with you and the cougar? Are you thinking marriage,” Lexi asked with a half laugh to Ian. From what she could tell Ian was head over heels for this woman. Kelly acted as if no other man existed in the room when Ian was around. She had seen Ian with several women over the years but this was the first time Ian seemed content with anyone since Kylie.

Kelly and Chris

“So how are you handling tonight. Need any advice,” Kelly asked playfully even though her tone was semi-serious.

“The only reason I am asking is Ian and I are trying to figure out how much longer you are going to need a wingman,” she gave him a knowing smile. “It’s not that we won’t stay all night with you but,” she let the words linger. Chris was a big boy. He could figure out why she was asking.

Captain Kelly Shutlz