Posted by Lieutenant Christopher Robins (Stellar Cartographer) in Brisbane Science Conference 2393 — Two Years Ago —

Posted by Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in Brisbane Science Conference 2393 — Two Years Ago —

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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.

Chris eyed the woman briefly before looking back to Ian and then to Lexi. He wasn’t opposed outright, but part of him really enjoyed just spending time with Lexi, at least for whatever amount of time he could get. Still she was Ian’s girl so nothing was meant by it, and she was a Captain he felt perhaps just being nice.

“Sure… I guess… why not.” Chris replied as he took her, somewhat nervously.

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.

“Maybe… too soon to really say. She isn’t a cougar by the way, she is only six years older than us. You think anyone in their thirties has become a cougar.” Ian said shaking his head at the notion. Yes she was older but it didn’t feel weird, nothing ever did with Kelly. “Besides, what are you doing… you two have been close today but the topic we all know you want still doesn’t seem to be coming up.” Ian asked Lexi as he cocked an eyebrow at her, pouring a drink between them.

“Because I am a good girl,” Lexi winked at Ian. Picking up her glass of wine she signaled the waiter for another instead of touching her coffee. “And Chris has never had an issue laying on the charm. He just,” Lexi took a deep breath as she searched for the words she needed, “he just…I don’t know. Maybe he doesn’t see us that way anymore? I see us that way but don’t you tell him,” Lexi stabbed a finger at Ian. “He and I have talked about my family, his family, and the current state of the beef market in Sydney. We discussed our current job assignments and how Pizza Planet really took a bad left turn with their knew thin crust fold over pizza. Chris told me about not liking the stationary aspect of Memory Alpha and I shared how away missions in the desert are not something I relish. We talked about our new friends and the places we’ve been. I don’t know,” Lexi swapped out her empty glass for the one the waiter brought and took a large gulp. “Should we talk about that night,” she asked Ian. The tone suggested it was rhetorical but Lexi paused long enough to instill a sense that Ian should give her a reply.

“Couldn’t hurt… I mean have you ever really fully told him about that night? I mean Noah is coming here soon right? I heard he is at this conference as well. I know you aren’t with him doll you made that clearer than crystal last time I asked but.... I don’t telling him about everything might do some good.” Ian suggested, feeling like the approach of getting the horse before the cart was always the best to go in situations like this. Granted he did just sleep with his boss confess his love to her and spend a romantic getaway that was meant to be for team building so who is to say who is right or wrong in these things.

“Its not like it would change anything or would it,” she held the glass out slightly from herr body swirling the contents as she looked off in space for a second. “What if I am reading him or my feelings wrong? It’s not like I got it right last time? He hasn’t brought up anyone he has been seeing but we both know Chris is not the type to go without company for any length of time. So what happens if I lean in a little closer and give him a few signals to proceed and he follows it up with yo Lexi this is great but I am seeing blank; however, if I don’t ask him and miss my chance to,” Lexi stopped speaking immediate and got a deer in the headlights look. “toooooooooooo,” she drew out the last word desperate to bridge it anywhere than where he mind was at. “Oooooooooo get us back to the best buddies we were.” Snapping her gaze off Ian, Lexi polished off her drink and immediately signaled for a third. Giving Chris a side glance, Lexi got stiff like she was trying to hide from something and said in a low tone. “You and Kelly can’t leave. Lets order another appetizer until we figure out what the four of us are doing after dinner. The song is gonna be ending soon so we need to get on this problem ASAP,” she said hastily.

“Here is the thing doll, you never read him wrong. Be honest with me, you always knew he wanted you. Just like I know he always let himself stop himself from letting himself show it. He was hurt, scared and didn’t want to loose your friendship, but he never once didn’t give you signs of utter devotion and affection. You just… didn’t think he would look your way I think. Trust me he was looking, and ironically maybe respected you too much.” Ian suggested, knowing the two of them didn’t give the best verbal clues but no one who could see them together ever thought they were anything but a couple. Whatever they wanted to claim they were, the world knew better.

“So now I should let him disrespect me,” Lexi gave Ian a quizzical look. “Let him make me one of the hordes with their breathy twitter laugh, eye batting, or hair stroking?” Lexi demonstrated the actions as she talked catching a piece of hair between her thumb and index finger which she twirled down the side of her face. Once she ran down the length of the strand of hair, Lexi propped her chin up at Ian and looked at him longingly. “If I am going to do this right I am going to need a bit of water spritzed on me. Chris’ chick always looked dewy,” she sighed deeply. “I was never his type and if I was that type just shoot me okay?”

Kelly and Chris

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

“Advice?” Chris replied with a questioning tone as he prepared to dip Kelly.

“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

“You guys can take off any time you want, we are just friends… we were never anything else in fact. I was hurt but, I got over it. While spoil what you know you love.” he said as he glanced over at Lexi as he began to spin Kelly.

“Oh my god are you thirteen and in middle school,” Kelly leaned back looking Chris in the eyes. “You are just friends? The only reason you’re just friends is because you see a come back during business hours on the HR department door and you think you can’t sign up for benefits. What I can tell you is the HR department is always open.”

“Besides, you and him seem to need that sticky hot passion as much as the next person here. Divorcee rebounding on a younger man, you go girl.” Chris said as he smirked slightly as he teased Kelly. He wasn’t sure what truly held for the evening but he knew it wasn’t anything these two had in mind.

Lieutenant Christopher Robins

“I’m chasing in on all my IOU’s from my twenties” Kelly tried to sound flippant yet something about the expression on her face told Chris, Ian was far more than a rebound. She knew Chris was just teasing and deflecting the topic so she did what every captain did when the balls were to the walls in battle. She steered her ship right back into the thick of it.

“You could claim your plumbing broke and they have no other rooms available so she lets you shack up with her for the night or you on on the street. If you come in your jammies with a pillow to her door it kinda has a sexy feel. I’d let you in,” Kelly shrugged it off and looked over at their table.

Captain Kelly Shultz

“Or… we could talk about sleeping with your yeoman, scandalous… did his plumbing break? Come on here it’s not like either of us is playing this the way it should… so what if I am unwilling to jump the gun, she’s wonderful. You broke the gun and that’s good for you. I just… I can’t lose her, so I have to find a happy middle. Everyone always assumes she wants me but, she never has said that and I have. So who’s crazy now?” Chris said with a deep sigh, he knew deep down some part of Lexi loved him, and if he was truly honest he would know it was a large part of her. The truth was Chris was scared of being hurt, that fear seemed to stop all logic and reasoning.

Lieutenant Christopher Robins

“You,” Kelly said immediately. “Lexi is not me. She went through sciences,” Kelly shuddered a bit. “Science majors take forever to do anything. Why? Because they analyze everything with a fine-tooth comb for a living. Take a chance and see what happens. We security folk,” Kelly’s voice took on a silly redneck quality, “just go in guns a-blazing. Sure we may die young, screaming about the injustice of it all but we act.” Kelly was far tipsier than she realized as she danced with Chris and gave him her version of a pep talk. “Don’t be science. Be security. Takedown your target and in this case I am going to suggest you start on the six hundred thread count.”

Captain Kelly Shultz