Posted by Lieutenant Commander Brenna Neenna Atoded (Chief of Pets & 2nd Officer (COP)) in Surprise Attack at the Pet Emporium (Tag XO)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Richard Marsh (Person Who Keeps The CO In Line (XO)) in Surprise Attack at the Pet Emporium (Tag XO)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Brenna Neenna Atoded (Chief of Pets & 2nd Officer (COP)) in Surprise Attack at the Pet Emporium (Tag XO)
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Richard glanced down looking over at Fenris, “That’s a good boy.” He rubbed behind Fenris’ ears and patted his side. The dog hair on his pants and lower shirt was evident, “Look at you shedding your coat. It looks like I am going to have to sweep three times a week if I take you with me to my quarters.” He pet Fenris’ head and then looked at Brenna as she began deactivating all of her intel devices and observed her approaching the couch, “Fenris it is time to get off the couch and make room for mum.”

He wanted to speak freely, off the record. A small device appeared in her hand and the soft click of two buttons could be heard. One locked the doors, the other caused a subtle shift in the room. The air changed, cycling within itself rather than the ship, and a good portion of the electronic humming stopped, no more recordings, visual or audio. The device disappeared back into her pocket, her arms returned to her sides and she stood up straight and moved to the couch. Brenna didn’t waste movement or show off, and it was those qualities that seemed to show off her physical attributes the best, her coordination, flexibility, and the subtle ripple of tone muscle. She contemplated him quietly a moment as she sat, and then relaxing against the back of the couch she asked, “And what about me Cmdr? Do I get to speak freely as well? I’m on duty I don’t have the luxury of rank and position to let me do whatever I want.”
Lt Cmdr Atoded, CoP

Richard was impressed with how well Brenna took care of herself and admired her for that. He was attentive to her questions maintaining a quiet and respectful manner prior to answering, “Take the rest of today and tomorrow off Brenna. You have served well in the Captain’s absence and could use a well-earned break. Go get a pedicure, your hair done, or I don’t know, go do something that makes you feel good. I believe that we will make an outstanding team working together. I do recall our past history, which I treasure for the mostly. However, now we have to press forward progressing through the here and the now in an effort to create an even brighter future.” He tried his best to make her feel comfortable in what might be tough situation for her, “You are now welcome to speak freely. Do not hold back number two. I personally value your honesty.” A devilish grin spread across his face.

• Lieutenant Commander Marsh, XO

“I will admit it’s been a very long month, but long hours does not mean it’s been a bad month.” She contemplated him, listening to his words for a moment, “We were always an outstanding team, no matter what we did.” He valued her honesty, and so he would have it, in the most honest way should could tell him, mind to mind, where lies can’t form. ‘Richard, I loved you. I shared with you parts of myself that most humans can’t comprehend. But I don’t know where that leaves us. I know I told you not to wait for me, but you didn’t even try to…to change my mind. I don’t know what to do with that. I cried for months without you.’
Lt Cmdr Atoded, CoP

Richard was attentive to Brenna’s telepathic feedback and processed her response in regards to their past relationship. He leaned forward slightly and made direct eye contact with her. Brenna’s eyes had an alien uniqueness according to his own personal perspective that he absolutely adored, “Wow, I could hear your voice in my mind. We still have that connection with one another. I thought I lost that ability in the past. This is fascinating Brenna. Wow!” His eyes widened as he smiled at her and sounded like a child when they accomplished a challenging task which without a doubt brought along humor to their serious conversation. An idea abruptly came to his mind, “Okay I am going to speak to you with my thoughts. I know that this method of communication is child’s play to you, but to me it is incredible, and it was always a factor that made you unique adding separation from other partners from my relationships in the past.”

She didn’t have to be telepathic to know that he’d be more focused on the fact he still remembered what she taught him, instead of what she said. She just poured her heart out and he’s bouncing like a child because she used telepathy totally by passing what she said. She waited, patience, being with Richard always meant patience, but he made it worth it. She’d have to remember that moving forward, because working with him was going to be one of the hardest personal things she’d ever done. She nodded and waited. He would feel her delicate touch as she connected with him.

He took slow deep breaths in a valiant effort to relax himself and this allowed him to shift his mind into focus on the task at hand. He unintentionally exaggerated the telepathic communication by closing his eyes with the thought that it provided him with the added ability to focus more on the telepathic process strengthening his signal so to speak. ‘Can you hear me now?’ He sounded like a 20th century cell phone commercial. If Brenna created bridge between them she would hear his response ‘At the time you broke my heart, I was young, and did not fully appreciate your value as a partner. I was stubborn and blamed you for walking away from our relationship. I think we could have approached the situation better and avoided the entire event from ever happening. As I matured over the years, I realized that you were just being practical at the time with the two of us beginning our careers with a high likelihood of us not being on the same ship after the academy. If you read into my emotions now, I still do have feelings for you. I would be open to beginning a new chapter with you, but you will have to initiate that on your end. Sort of like first contact procedure, when we detect a new civilization’s warp signature we typically introduce ourselves to the said species. As your superior officer here, I would need you to provide me with your own signature and indications that you want to start a new chapter with me.’ Richard opened his eyes and peered at her in curiosity, “Did you hear me?” His heart beat increased a little bit as he was nervous about how she would respond to him. She would definitely be able to sense that his feelings were genuine and true to the letter.

• Lieutenant Commander Marsh, XO

Did she hear him? Really? Of course she did, he wasn’t using any techniques to block her, in fact his ‘voice’ was very clear. Even without her making a direct connection she would hear him…any telepath would he was thinking so loud. And that voice…even his thoughts carried his accent and she loved it. She could listen to it for eternity.
But his words only reiterated why she’d loved him so fiercely before. It was her decision and he was aware that his new position was a problem. If she decided no (and she wasn’t going to go into how she or he would feel about that) he’d respect that. How did she feel though? She’d missed him, and there had been a couple times, far away, pretending to be a different person, she’d been thankful she’d pushed him away. Not sure if she’d make it out of the situation she was in and thankful he wasn’t waiting for her. And then there were other times where her skills were put to personal use and she’d do an intel search on him just to see where he was and what he was doing. But right or wrong, she’d never reached out to him. She was the one who’d pushed him away after all. It wouldn’t have been fair to him if she had. Her people had a word that described their relationship, but she wasn’t quite ready to go down that path yet.

She leaned forward slightly, she loved his eyes. Darker eyes were too similar to Betazoid eyes and she never really noticed them, but his blue ones were like the opal sea and she fell easily into them. ‘I never stopped loving you, and there is a part of me that always will.’ So he wanted her to initiate it, to make her feeling clear. He wanted to respect her choice. Then she kissed him gently. It wasn’t going to make any stars go supernova, not this one, but into it she shared her love and affection, her laughter and frustration at him, her loneliness that matched his, but mostly a clear ‘yes’ that she was willing and wanting to see where it would go.
Lt Cmdr Atoded, CoP

Richard’s majestic blue eyes widened for a split second in clear surprise as Brenna’s soft lips headed on a collision course towards his own and he immediately returned her kiss softly. He definitely felt a slight jolt of electricity ignite within himself and from that point he knew that Brenna definitely had a future with him. He provided her with an assuring bright smile and made a few animated hand gestures as he responded, “Well, that gesture resolved all of my questions. Thank you for the lovely answer.”
His eyes darted up at the clock and realized that he had been so distracted by Brenna that he was now running late for his appointment with the Counselor.

He patted Brenna’s thigh softly, “Well Brenna, I must be going now. I am running behind on my schedule for the day. I still have to meet with the Counselor and the Chief Medical Officer. I think I will send the Captain an e-mail first, since he is on a leave of absence. I am sure he does not want to be bothered while on vacation.” He did not want to appear incompetent in his new role as the Executive Officer of the Constellation and figured he could just wait until the Captain returned from leave for a get together. He slowly stood up and pivoted off of his back heel to turn facing her direction, “Who would have thought? The two of us running an entire starship together one day. It is funny how things work out number two.” He winked at her subtly and offered her his attention for a moment in case she had anything else to say before he took off.

• Lieutenant Commander Marsh, XO

She’d forgotten how much his sense of humor ruled his conversation. “Cmdr.” Her voice was clipped and assertive, back to business. “You’re forgetting something very important.” She stepped behind the half wall to her desk and then with quick movements tossed something right at him. “A lint roller.” She waved at his uniform. “For the dog hair.” She turned to look at Fenris, who was sitting patiently and obediently at Richard’s side. “Fenris, Pass Auf.” Or ‘Fenris, Guard’ and she pointed at Richard. “He’ll go with you, now.” She’d have to have a long talk with him about how to work and care for him, but it was what Fenris wanted. At the command Fenri’s tail began wag and his whole body shook with excitement. I’m going with him! Geri huffed and Fekri ignored him. A small rabbit, until now unnoticed sat up on her hind legs sniffing Fenris’ nose and then twitched her ears and hoped over to Brenna.

Richard stood in a wide stance and gazed at Brenna as smile came across his lips. Just like she loved his eyes, he had a fond appreciation for her own eyes. He loved her enthusiasm in regards to the lint roller being a pivotal tool to remove dog hair from his uniform. May the Betazoid gods forbid the man to have some flaws on his first day. She always had seemed to catch the little things that he overlooked whenever he was in her company. She definitely had that uncanny ability to provide him with wonderful direction and positive support in across every situation. She definitely had future wife potential written all over her, perhaps he would not let her go this time? Time will definitely tell. He extended his hand outward and took the lint roller from Brenna casually, “Wow, so you are going to kiss me, call me out on my hairy clothes, and not at least help lint roll my clothes yourself? Is this how you treat all of your guests? You were the one who got me into this mess in the first place.” He was flirting with her, he even chuckled for a moment as he used the lint roller to remove the dog hair from his uniform.

“Oh and you are forgetting something only slightly less important.” Her grin was wicked, “If you want me to be your ‘number 2’ as you put it, you have to be number 1 first.” She walked back to her desk, waiving him over and placed her palm against the scanner. “Computer Recognize Atoded, Brenna Neenna Lt Cmdr, second officer.”

As he finished up with the lint roller, Richard glanced back over at Brenna listening to her comment about the next issue that she had to resolve for him. He stood up straight, walked towards her, and stood at her side as she began the procedure that would place him in the command system. He gave her a thumbs up, “Good call number two. What would I do with out you?”

LT CMDR ATODED RECOGNIZED

“Computer recognize and activiate command authorizations and control for,” Brenna looked up at him, she didn’t have a choice, there was no reason to deny him this executive position, they were going to work together, “Marsh, Richard Quinn, Lt. Cmdr, Executive officer.”

“PLEASE STATE COMMAND AUTHORIZATION CODE FOR LT CMDR ATODED.

“Atoded, zulu 5908”

AUTHORIZATION ACCEPTED PLEASE PROVIDE BIO RECOGNITION AND VOICE MATCHING FOR LT CMDR MARSH.

Lt Cmdr Atoded, 2O

Richard planted the palm of his right hand on the scanner, “Computer recognize, Marsh, Richard Quinn, Lt. Cmdr, Executive Officer.”

BIO RECOGNITION AND VOICE MATCHING PROFILE ACCEPTED. LT CMDR MARSH, YOUR COMMAND CODES HAVE BEEN SENT TO YOUR PADD. PLEASE REVIEW AND MEMORIZE THEM.

He removed his hand from the scanner and set it along his right side, “Thank you Brenna, am I missing anything else?” He smiled and pointed at his teeth with his left index finger, “Is there something in my teeth?” There would be nothing in his teeth as he was just joking with Brenna once again. He then placed both hands on his hips and stood with confidence in his tall stature glancing down at Brenna, “Well, what else do you have for me?” She would be able to read all of his current thoughts and emotions as his emotional guard went down. She definitely had the uncanny ability to lower his mental force field just about whenever she so desired.

• Lieutenant Commander Marsh, XO