Packing Up - Pt 2

Posted on Tue Jun 8th, 2021 @ 3:44am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Remal Kajun

Mission: Gamma Quadrant
Location: Captains Quarters - USS Liberty
Timeline: before the swap

He gave a glance back at the boxes, unwilling to concede his position. “What’s left to pack?” Then his shoulders slumped slightly as he realized the things he would leave behind. “Does that boat have an arboretum? I’ve started loads of plants and herbs here. And of course there’s my coffee.”

“That minor detail would be in the blueprints I haven’t fully gone over yet” She admitted sagely, realising there was a lot she didn’t know in the detail department about this ship they were transferring to. “But I can assure you, take the plants and the coffee and we’ll find somewhere for them”

He resolved to kiss her on her nose ridges, then rolled off to let her up. The fun time was over. “If that’s the case I better get started.” He stood up and crossed to the kitchenette before pulling out a handful of spices. Raising an eye he asked, “Think the new owner would mind if left something spicy behind?”

She reached around him to grab another storage box and placed it on the bench - letting him lead when it came to packing up their kitchenette. “Depends, I have no idea if Captain Shannon cooks, when in doubt, take it with us. We will definitely use them”

As he packed item after item into boxes he thought about Bajor and their future home. “I don’t suppose that boat has one of those fancy Captain’s yachts on her, does she?” It was a lead up to another question still burning in the back of his mind.

“ Sadly no, I will miss that particular feature of this ship” Rhenora lamented, pausing as she packed their lives back into storage containers for the move to the next phase of their lives. “You had quite a thing for it didn’t you?”

Nodding, “It was rather nice. To be able to get away, whenever you wanted. Go wherever you wanted. When not on a mission, of course. I was just thinking about how I could travel to the cabin and get some work done since we are in the area, I mean if there’s time.”

She mused over the details she knew about the Akira class ship “ There’s a whole squadron of fighters, surely there’s gotta be a disused shuttle somewhere we can borrow for excursions”

"I suppose with your bulkhead moving powers we would have the pick of the lot. Or do you suppose she's capable of atmospheric landing like the previous boats by that name? Although I seem to recall crashing more often than landing." He picked.

She shot him a look that was half wounded half not. True the previous Sunfires had encountered the dirt a few more times than she would have liked. The crash landing on Canis Major, the worst of the crash landings.

"You wound me my dear" she retorted in mock emotion.

Like he had done with Bonnie, he sensed a nervous uneasiness in her tone. It was time to turn on his counselor's side. “So, anything I should know, any worries, concerns you may be harboring?” He placed the last of his cookware into the tote with a metallic clank. A tone that set the finality of their departure pretty well.

"Concerns, a few to be honest. I have questioned taking this assignment and uprooting the entire crew just so I can feel like I'm coming home to my old stomping ground. It's a bit selfish if I'm completely honest. An Akira class isn't exactly the spacious brand new Liberty that these people are used to" she admitted, looking a little downcast. "I question if I've made the right decision."

He stopped moving and looked hard into her eyes for a moment. “Well, there is a lot to unpack there.” He moved around the counter, took her by the hand and lead her to the couch. “So, first of all, this nostalgic trip you are on for what you’re calling your old stomping grounds, is a bit much.” He gestured out the window at the Sunfire docked across the way.

“That ship out there, is not your Intrepid class, nor is it the Defiant Class. The only thing she has in common with those ships, is her name and 'maybe' her spirit. Now, If you have an affinity for that name, I can understand the pull upon your heartstrings. We have shared a number of experiences on a boat with that name.”

He then shifted in an effort to address her other concerns, “As far as you being selfish? There is no changing what the heart wants. From what I understand, the crew has been given the choice, right, of whether or not they want to transfer. I’m sure this crew will follow you wherever you choose to go. Besides, this was not only something you wanted, but something ordered by command as a way to make up for a mistake they made in dishing out assignments. So why concern yourself with the trivial bits?”

“Because… I don’t know, it just seems selfish” She shrugged her shoulders even though she had heard his words.

He took her face in the palm of his hand, “Then be selfish. Everyone is entitled to be every now and then. Good for the soul.”

“ You my dear, are good for the soul” She replied with a smile. He had the knack of getting to the heart of whatever it was she was beating herself up about, or rolling around in her mind and managed to put it into perspective and make it relatable and tangible.

All he could do was raise a knowing eyebrow, peck her on her nose bridge and change tact. “So, what time do we ship out? Not in a hurry mind you, I just have appointments to tend to in the morning and I’m not sure now which ship we will be on.” He was thinking outside the box, but mainly about Bonnie and what had driven her to the drink.

“ Tomorrow evening, turn around times are going to be time consuming and Command still wants to keep the schedule of the Gamma Quadrant mission. It’s not going to leave a lot of time to get to know things on the new ship before we ship out. Hopefully that doesn’t cause too much concern for everyone. Heck, I’m gonna need a map to get around” She snorted at her own lame joke.

He lifted several heavy totes from the back of the room and effortlessly moved them closer to the front door with an ‘oomph’. “Good to know. I will schedule my appointments for the morning and reschedule tomorrow evenings to be on the Sunfire the next day.” He eyed the bed. “Where are we sleeping tonight?”

“ Here I think, I don’t want to put pressure on Sandy to move out of her home tonight just so we can move in.” She eyed the boxes and items now stacked neatly in the centre of the living area. Their life in boxes so to speak.

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “What about a night under the stars? We can check in on the cabin, pitch a tent and be back before breakfast.”

She melted against him, allowing her body to relax next to his larger frame.
“I’d like that - very much”

"Good. If you had said no I may have pulled your selfish card and used it against you. Afterall, we all get one." He kissed her ear and then her neck and fought the temptation to continue as she let out an abrupt sneezing fit.

" Sorry" She apologised as she stepped backwards and blushed. She never could get used to the sneezing. With that they caught a transport down to Bajor and spent the evening under the stars. Just this one, the universe could wait a few hours.