Stepping Out From The Shadows

Posted on Sun Aug 22nd, 2021 @ 7:50am by Commander William Gerhard & Ensign Alexandra 'Lexi' O'Connery

Mission: Mission 4 - Eden
Location: Deck D - Officer's Quarters
Timeline: Day 168 - 08:30
1806 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure

William sat at his desk in his quarters going over his notes on the investigation. The captain had decided that two teams would deploy over to the alien ship and search deck 23. According to several away teams, the AI EDEN had disclosed information about the entire ship except for one area on deck 23. Given what had happened with Aurelius, the captain wanted to search this area and determine if there were any clues as to the potential whereabouts of the mysterious assailant. Beth had given him a list of people she wanted on the away teams, and she wanted each team to have a sizable security contingent with each. He began working on his security team assignments as he heard his door chime sound. "Come in," he said though he had a fairly good idea who it was.

Lexi stepped into the room silently and looked him over. She was already wearing the armor that signaled she was heading over to the ship to investigate as she was the only one with any hint of an idea of the language that was all over the ship. She did not say anything just stood there watching him for a moment before speaking. “Busy morning and it’s barely 8:30?” She commented thinking he had left before she woke up with her alarm.

William looked over and smiled at her as she entered. His own tactical vest was laying across the back of his chair. He nodded before responding, "Indeed. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. You were sound asleep and I felt you needed your rest." William had arisen early and had a quick workout session before returning to Lexi's quarters. She had been fast asleep so he did not wake her as he had dressed for the morning briefing. He looked over her tactical vest and saw she had remembered how he showed her to secure it.

The woman noticed him inspecting her like one of his officers and smiled moving over to where he stood putting her hands on his shoulder squeezing. "Do not look me over like I am one of your officers. I am all suited up correctly." She assured thinking back to her tactical training. It was months ago but she remembered it and since nearly dying with the Vrav she had been practicing just encase that alarm ever sounded again. "You need the rest too." She reminded thinking he had not overly paid attention to her last night. He needed rest as much as she did.

He smiled back at her and looked her over again. "Sorry, it's a force of habit you know," he said as he checked to make sure the vest was tight and secure. "And I know I probably need more rest. I just have a hard time relaxing with the investigation and now this search detail over there," he said as he pulled her close to him. He knew once they had closed the investigation and were far away from the alien ship that he would relax more. He could see in her eyes that she had gotten some well-deserved sleep. "I can see that you look well-rested though. I just had this strange feeling that you would not have been a happy camper if I would've dragged you to the gym with me this morning," he teased her.

Lexi narrowed her eyes when she saw him inspecting her again and turned his face away from her gently. She knew he was doing it cause he cared but it was frustrating when she was fully capable of doing it, especially when she was so fresh from the Academy. It was not like she was the Captain who she had seen looking damn right frustrated at the armour vest when she had left the locker room. "You really needed more sleep." She agreed as she was brought closer and fell into his lap squished between him and the desk. "Really the gym? You barely had five hours of sleep and no I would not have gone to the gym. I draw the line at running with you." She reminded. If they were keeping their thing on the low, the less they were seen together the better.

William let her push him away as he pushed him back a little from his desk to give her more room. He knew that he was going to have to trust that she knew how to keep herself safe and that she would remember her tactical training. He sighed and rubbed his eyes with his free hand while he wrapped his other arm around her. "I know I needed more sleep, I always have trouble sleeping when something doesn't feel right. The gym helps me focus," he said. He then looked at her while arching an eyebrow and said teasingly, " And do you say you don't want to run with me because people would see us together or are you afraid I would be faster than you?"

“You need a lot of things right now but sleep is certainly top of the list of you think you could ever be faster than me. You have worked too much on all that muscle to be fast.” She snorted teasing him back just as much. “I do not mind if people see us together. Yes, we are keeping things on the low but I am pretty sure both sets of our neighbours know already but they have the grace to ignore it or have their own issues going on.” She admitted either a shrug. They had been keeping things on the low due to reasons that did not even matter anymore.

William laughed when she teased him back. "Hey, I go on runs....occasionally," he said as he waggled his eyebrows at her. He leaned back in his chair with her in his lap and looked into her eyes, "And I'm fairly certain Ensign Fackler next door knows about us, but I think he considers it a fair trade since I've heard him snoring through the bulkhead on occasion. Plus I think I've seen Corporal McKenna spending a fair amount of off duty time over there with him." He knew that there had been reasons they had been discrete, but he knew that they weren't going to be able to keep it a secret for too much longer. "Maybe It's time we make it official with us," he asked while running a hand through her blonde hair.

"People are discrete." She shrugged it away. It did not bother her who knew, she was a junior officer and at the time so had he been. It was logical that people would cling together and form relationships and it was not like they had not flirted back on earth when Leah Morgan had been putting the crew together. "Well, I thought we were official. Are you telling me we have not been and I could have been out having fun with all the boys?" She said poking his chest still teasing. It was that easy with them sometimes, it was what made them work for the most part.

He laughed at her response and wrapped her up in his arms. "Well that would mean I haven't been out having fun with all the girls now doesn't it," he teased back as he nuzzled his head into the nape of her neck. He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek before looking back up at her. "What I meant was me being able to call you my girlfriend in front of everyone, then scoop you up and carry you to either your place or mine without people raising eyebrows," he said arching an eyebrow and smiling.

Lexi shook her head at his teasing. “You go caveman on me William and I will leave you out in the cold.” She promised shaking her head at the image she had of him scooping her up in front of Beth. “I know what you meant.” She assured. It was something that she wanted so they were on the same page which was comforting.

William laughed again and relaxed. He was glad that she was comfortable with the thought of not keeping things on the down-low anymore. He took her hand in his and laced his fingers through hers, "As you wish my dear," he said before looking back up at her again, "I promise not to turn into a caveman on you." He winked at her as he said this, "You never said if you enjoyed your sleep last night."

The woman allowed him to soothe her for a second before she giggled at the downright flirting she was getting with the wink. "Well, I do not remember falling asleep or even getting into bed. Either I fell asleep at my desk and you put me to bed or I literally was that tired that I autopiloted to bed." She admitted thinking she had needed the sleep more than she had realized.

He smiled when she giggled at him he continued to hold her close. "While i was in your shower, you fell asleep at your desk after you changed out of your uniform. So i tucked you into bed and followed not long after you," he said. "I could tell you were exhausted because, and correct me if I'm wrong, but i could've sworn i heard you snore alittle." he said while playfully nudging her.

“I am completely correcting you. You are very much wrong there, I do not snore.” She grinned pushing herself to her feet as an announcement went out over the ships communication system for the the away team to assemble. “Saved by the announcement.” She declared leaning over to kiss him hard for a moment before stepping back to give him some more space to finish up.

William returned her kiss and smiled when she pulled away. He then stood and grabbed his tactical vest from the back of his chair. He put it on and secured fasteners and tightened it snug against his body. He then made his way over to the door and stopped short of opening it. He took a moment to look at Lexi before opening the door. "I know you don't like it when I say this, but be careful over there," he said softly conveying his concern for her safety.

The woman levelled him with a look but nodded. She knew he was doing it out of concern but they were both Starfleet Officers though with vastly different skill sets they still both had a job to do. She had to keep trying to translate the language onboard and he needed to secure and find the figure that she and others had seen. "I will as long as you do the same." She prompted quickly.