Posted by Civilian Aedan Teller (Owner/CEO of OMAP Industries) in CNS Office: Commander Vaughn

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Chandel (Counselor) in CNS Office: Commander Vaughn

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Jessica Vaughn (XO) in CNS Office: Commander Vaughn Jessica sat down taking a long sip of her coffee. While she loved having a baby, she missed her coffee almost to the point that she swore she would adopt all of her next children rather than ride the decaf wagon for another nine months. Opening her comm unit, Jessica looked at the first message in her inbox. “Yay someone to tell me I am crazy besides my mom,” she said with a half grin. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Chandel raised an eyebrow while an amused smile curled her mouth.”Indeed, I too have found that real life can hold more drama and excitement then can be found in a holodeck.” In her dark, expressive eyes were memories that were centuries old. Her people had experienced more things that could be told and being raised on a freighter ship she had seen many. “A party for a vent being fixed…who is your fiance? Does he serve here?” : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Counselor Chandel : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : “Nah he couldn’t handle the uniform or probably any real 9 to 5 job that required him to work set hours,” Jessica took a long sip of her coffee draining it. The counselor hadn’t offered the use of her replicator yet but Jessica did out rank her and this seemed to be more of an informal visit than the ‘are you nuts’ eval. Besides manners typically got you everything you wanted. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : “Chandel would you mind terribly if I got another cup of coffee,” Jessica asked. Waiting for the counselor to give her permission for coffee, Jessica continued answering the question. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : “Absolutely, please help yourself, Commander.” Chandel said as she indicated the replicator on the wall. It was unusual for her to not offer refreshments on her first visits with the crew. But she did so purposely to allow a more focused meeting. On any subsequent appointments she would offer refreshments. She found usually that the refreshments could be a distraction. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : “Aeden is an entrepreneur. His company is OMAP. It is PR based and they mostly deal with entertainment,” Jessica settled back in her chair trying to appear comfortable having this conversation. It was not that she was embarrassed per say but her cheeks did become a bit more red. Mainly it had to do with the glamorized aspect of Aedan’s life. Everything about him prior to meeting Jessica had been playboy this and womanizer. Jessica had heard the name like everyone else but she had not ever met the man until a year ago. Then her life changed so drastically sometimes she felt overwhelmed by all of it. Maybe that is why she tended to try and downplay her relationship with Teller. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Lt. Commander Jessica Vaughn, XO : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Chandel cocked her head curiously at Vaugn’s description and uncomfortable reaction to it.”Is there something wrong with him being a business man in the entertainment business? He must enjoy it very much and it must be fulfilling for him. Did he start out as an entertainer?” : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Counselor Chandel : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : “He seems to enjoy it,” Jessica shrugged and ran a finger around the edge of her mug. “And everyone seems to want to be his friend. When you are with him he takes care of detail…makes you feel like the universe is yours for the taking. When you are not with him,” Jessica shrugged again, “you learn to fend for yourself.” : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Chandel smiled in commiseration with the XO. She seemed like a strong, independent woman regardless. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Taking a large sip of her coffee, Jessica let out a little half laugh and continued. “He started out as weird Batman-Oliver Twist type of person. His parents were killed and he grew up in an orphanage in London. I have heard more than a few stories about Aedan running a few scams as a kid. The joke was that several of the nuns wore the habit not completely for pious reasons but to hide that Aedan had either made them prematurely gray or caused their hair to fall out. I think the polite word to describe him as a child was precocious and imaginative. ,” Jessica laughed : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Lt Commander Jessica Vaughn. XO : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Chandel laughed softly with Vaugn.”He does sound like he was a rascal growing up. That is probably part of what you drew you to him. You said you have a child, is he the father?” She asked curiously. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Counselor Chandel : : : : : :

“Um no. I mean not yet. I mean one day. Can I,” Jessica stopped mid sentence and pointed to the replicator. “I run on the stuff. I think my blood is black and not red,” she let out a half laugh clearly kerfluffled. Her mind raced trying to remember if she had mentioned her impending motherhood or just thought about it. Maybe Chandel was telepathic or maybe she noticed the small baby bump forming at the three month mark. Whatever brought up the topic, Jessica was going to try and deflty avoid it with all the grace of a bull in a china shop.

: : : : : : :
: : : : : : “Please.” Chandel said with a smile.
: : : : : :

After getting a second cup of coffee, Jessica returned to her seat, settled back and continued. “Aedan is a good man,” she nodded her head as she spoke but spun the ring about her finger subconsciously. “He asked me to marry him,” Jessica showed Chadel the ring. “Of course I said yes but…I did not set a date. It is not for any reason mind you but just life keeping us busy.” Taking a long sip on her coffee Jessica quickly changed the subject.

: : : : : : :
: : : : : : Chandel’s smile was brighter this time,”Congratulations, Commander. I would imagine with you being a Commander that it is difficult to set aside time.”
: : : : : :
: : : : : : : “So even though this get together doesn’t have to be all about me. Tell me something about you Chandel,” Jessica said with a smile.
: : : : : : :
: : : : : : : Lt Commander Jessica Vaughn. XO
: : : : : :
: : : : : : “Me?” Chandel’s brows raised.”Well, I am a ship’s brat. My parents were traders and I was born in space on their ship. That was many, many years ago. Once I was old enough I spent some time working on a few other ships but I think I felt the need for something more structured. I eventually joined Starfleet.” She smiled a bit wryly. ” I have not regretted it and must say I quite enjoy Counseling as I like to meet people and learn about them. One of my favorite past times is people watching and I must say I do get the chance here. I like to sit in the promenade and see if I can figure out what everyone does.” She shrugged and laughed. Her laugh was as deep and smoky as her voice. “Not that I get to find out in most cases if I am right or wrong.”
: : : : : :
: : : : : : Counselor Chandel
: : : : :
: : : : : Jessica let out a laugh. “I love people watching. My sister and I used to do that all the time when we were younger. We would give them names and jobs and the such. It is a great past time when you are sitting around bored.” Thinking about Chandel’s comment about her family piqued her interest. “Were your parent’s Federation citizens,” she asked. While the Federation was massive, it was not the entire universe. Non-Federation societies always fascinated Jessica mainly because it just showed how large the universe was.
: : : : :
: : : : : Lt Commander Jessica Vaughn. XO
: : : :
: : : : Chandel shrugged, “As there weren’t many who survived the Borg on our planet, we do not have an organized government. We are refugees in the galaxy. My parents had no affiliations with the Federation though they did have trade contracts on Earth.”
: : : :
: : : : Counselor Chandel
: : :
: : : “The Borg,” Jessica said and felt a chill run down her spine. The very word…Borg…sent a sliver of fear down anyone’s spine. They were the perfect enemy only rivaled by artificial intelligence as a foe. The Borg were heartless and never relied on emotion or could be swayed by emotional pleas for thier lives. THey had no conscious and added women and children to their ranks without regard. Anyone who had an ounce of sense avoided the Borg and those who had encountered them and survived never forgot. Chandel’s story of a scattered population after being ravaged by the Borg was not unique. Jessica felt it was simply the defense mechanism to scatter and always be mobile which caused populations to do this. “I’m sorry,” she said in a sincere tone. It was not meant as anything more Jessica trying to show empathy to an event that even though was long over, still probably felt like a fresh, hemorrhaging wound to the counselor.
: : :
: : : Lt Commander Jessica Vaughn. XO
: :
: : “Fortunately or not so fortunately I was not yet born when the Borg did this so I have never seen our home planet.” Chandel shrugged. “Though my parents were. They were understandably edgy and refused to speak of the Borg when the subject came up. They only told me that if I ever saw them, to run, very fast and very far. I never pushed on the subject as I felt their despair and pain.” She looked off for a moment before seeming to come back from far memories.”It is hard to have a sense of identity with people that you haven’t shared things with. I think I felt more at home among fellow traders and travelers then I have with other El Aurians. How did we get so far off topic?” She asked lightly with a smile. “I must say though that it as been a pleasant surprise for me to feel at home here on the station as I am more use to traveling and being unmoored.”
: :
: : Counselor Chandel
:
: “Well, family doesn’t always doesn’t have to mean a blood relation. Family are the people you chose to surround your self with,” Jessica said. Feeling her personal comm buzz, Jessica held up a finger. “Would you excuse me for a second,” she said taking the call. As the XO it would not be unheard of for her to be interrupted. After several uh huh’s and a quick. Okay see you later, Jessica disconnected the call and placed it back in her pocket. “Sorry about that. Marrying the Federation with a civilian population is not easy sometimes,” she laughed. “I have to go unfortunately and take care of something but would you like to come for lunch,” she asked Chadel. “You could meet Aedan. Not thing formal or on duty but just to hang out and eat something easy like grilled cheese. Adele makes a mean grilled cheese,” Jessica offered standing up and extending her hand.
:
: Lt. Commander Jessica Vaughn, XO

Chandel smiled, truly charmed by the invitation.”I would be honored for the opportunity, Commander. Thank you.”Chandel said as she rose to walk the Commander to the door.

Counselor Chandel

As the doors opened, Aedan would be open as he looked in, seeing Jessica and Chandel at the entrance. “There you are, I was hoping to find you two here.” Aedan said, who was clearly wearing a fully tailored suit, his five o’clock shadow and short hair giving him a rugged good looks mixed with a sense of roguish boyish charm as he put his arms around the two as he lead them back into the office.

Jessica got a blank expression seeing Aedan at the door. Yes, she wanted Chandel to meet Aedan but with prep before hand. Aedan’s spontaneity could be problematic at times. His charm, which was intoxicatingly alluring to most people who met him, also presented as a tsunami to the unprepared leaving them to cling to a piece of wood saying “what the heck just happened” when they initially were not onboard with his plan. Jessica right now felt like she was hanging on such a tree branch. “Love,” she said falling into step with Aedan’s stride re-entering the room she was just planning on leaving. “Why…why…why are you here,” Jessica stammered some still wearing her smile. It was not that she cared if he showed up but there were so many things they had not talked about as a couple. Aedan never seemed to care about the outpouring of information as long as he wanted it out. Part of her also was on edge worrying about Chandel asking something about Aedan Jessica could not answer. In reality, there was next to nothing Jessica knew about Aedan except that when she was with, Jessica felt safe, protected, and loved. Aedan was caring, attentive, and tender in the privacy of their quarters. He ate pizza, wore sweatpants or jeans and t-shirts, rubbed her feet, and left half-consumed drink lying about their quarters. This did not fit with the posh image he conveyed anywhere but their home. For her this was enough to start a life with him but others might find it crazy and Chandel’s job was to pick out crazy.

“I am sorry for being late blue I was trapped in a meeting” he said, his English accent almost oozing from him as he looked over at Jessica as he moved his arms and turned to walk backwards as he looked at them. “I know you wanted me here and well… I had better things to do but I am both of yours now.” he said as he gave a wink at Chandel.

“Shall we sit? Or do we stand? I don’t do this often, or ever, unless court-mandated obviously… and I certainly have never had that.” he said as he bit his lower lip before breaking out into a large smile that seemed to brighten the room.

~Aedan Teller, CEO OMAP

Jessica could not control her mouth dropping open at the court-mandated commented. He did have a past but nothing stuck to the Teflon Tycoon as law enforcement refered to him as. All they ever had was suspicions of things but never were charges filed or even allegations made. Heck for allegations to be made there had to be proof of wrongdoing and even whispers of such things seemed to not linger. It was what brought them together in the first place but her threatening to boot him from the Outpost was not exactly the best start to the love story, Jessica had been telling the counselor.

Lt. Commander Jessica Vaughn, XO

OCC: Okay so Steven and I are backing up our story a bit. It should not make any difference but we are saying Jessica is pregnant NOW and due in December. I altered the start of this thread to show that. ~ Kate.