Quarters Breakdown

Posted on Mon Feb 20th, 2023 @ 8:43am by Ensign Alexandra 'Lexi' O'Connery & Commander William Gerhard
Edited on on Mon Feb 20th, 2023 @ 8:44am

Mission: Sojurn
Location: XOs Quarters
Timeline: Day 331
1664 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Whilst it was not an unusual sight to find Lexi wrapped in a towel, it was an unusual sight to her her wrapped in a towel, surrounded by parts of an open conduit, and the quarters pitch black apart from the torch the woman held in her teeth aimed at the conduit. She looked frustrated, and slightly confused by the situation that she had been faced with halfway through a shower. But it was just part of the ongoing issue on the ships where compartments were plunged into darkness. She knew that and that she knew she would have to fix it herself with engineering fixing the bigger issue. It was either that or live in a pitch black quarters.

William had decided to stop by his quarters after finishing his work in the armory before heading down to engineering to get a status report for the captain. He had been debating on getting a clean uniform, but he knew he would inevitably get it dirty again. He pressed the button to open the hatch and paused as he looked into the darkness of the room. He stepped over the seal gingerly as he looked around. His eyes began to adjust, and he spotted a small beam of light coming from one of the access panels. He smiled slightly as he saw the love of his life standing wrapped in a towel poking around a power conduit.

"Well, i must say this is a pleasant surprise," he said as he approached her.

“Something blew whilst I was in the shower.” She said by way of greeting as she took the torch out of her mouth and turned to look at William as he came in the compartment and closed the door behind him.

"And you didn't think about finishing the shower first," he asked noticing the slight suds that were still in her blonde hair. He extended a hand and took the torch from her as she stuck her hands back in after giving him the look.

“It was a cold shower in the dark. I already knocked my side trying to escape the cubicle.” She explained as she returned her attention back to the power conduit. “Plus cold showers are your thing.” She teased showing that her humour was still intact despite everything.

"I thought my water temperature preference was pretty hot personally," he said giving her an exaggerated puzzled look. He recalled the first time she had ever used his shower and how she had balked at the temperature settings he used. His mind replayed the moment, the sound of the tap turning on followed by a high-pitched shriek before she had stuck her head out the door.

“Well it is when it’s working. This panel controls everything so your water temperature control, lighting ect so your shower will be cold until it’s fixed.” She commented twisting free a part to look at it in the light of the torch. It wasn’t damaged so maybe the issue was further up the power line.

William walked over to his locker and opened it before pulling out another torch. He turned it on and walked back over to where Lexi was standing. "Here, let me work on this while you go dry off," he said indicating she could take her torch with him. "Besides, your dripping all over the deck," he said with a snicker.

Lexi looked down at the pool of water on the floor and sighed softly. He had a point even if she did not like it in the slightest. She stepped back and quickly set about drying herself off enough to pull on some shorts and a tee and piled her long hair up into a ponytail. The conditioner left in her hair would do her hair some good as she washed it far too much thanks to PT sessions and the brutal exercises she was putting herself through.

After wiping up the water that had dripped from Lexi, William knelt down next to the panel and held the torch with one hand while he tried to get a look at the junction box. "I take it you've already had your fill rebuilding the subspace transceiver assembly," he asked as he heard her make her way to the bathroom.

Lexi glanced out of the darken compartment and nodded trying to dry off before she realised that he could not see her and spoke up loudly. “Yeah, very much why I needed to have a shower. I had some type of lubricant covering me. I wouldn’t touch any of my dirty uniform if you don’t wanna end up in the same state.”

William smiled slightly before reaching in and grabbing a relay with one hand. As he grazed it with his fingers, he felt the sensation that it was still live and quickly pulled his hand back while uttering a swear. He shined the light into the panel while shaking his hand to get rid of the tingle from the jolt. "Well, good news is that power is still coming to this panel," he said.

“Well that is positive. Don’t get me wrong I do not mind the dark but I would like to see what I am doing just a little more.” Lexi said taking in his shadows and the way he was shaking his hand. He had obviously found out the tough way. “You okay?”

He nodded before looking back towards her with a wink. "Yeah, though won't be the last time I get zapped from a hot line," he said before looking back towards the panel. "Luckily for you, I happen to just have a spare relay here," he said beffore unzipping on of the pockets on his uniform. He pulled it out and held the circuit breaker between his thumb and forefinger for her to see.

Lexi did not miss the wink. “I am not going to ask why you are carrying around spare relays in your pocket.” She teased him just a little as he return to the conduit.

All of the sudden, the lights in the room came on to their previous setting, allowing them to get a look at each other in the light. William smiled at her before puffing out his chest, "Come on, admit it, I'm the best fiancé/future husband."

“Well someone is fishing for compliments tonight,” Lexi said stepping over to him running her hands over his shoulders and down his arms. “You are an amazing fiancé.” She assured without hesitation despite her teasing tone. “And will make a fantastic husband eventually.” Lexi had to admit he had come in at the right time she would have gotten more than just a zap being a bit damp.

He smiled back at her. Her teasing tone was not lost on him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer to him. "Wasn't really fishing for compliments, just stating a fact," he offered before leaning forward and giving her a quick kiss. "Now, why don't you tell me about your day while I get out of this dirty uniform," he said when they pulled apart.

Lexi smiled up at him and just snuggled closer for a few moments enjoying the moment. “It is a good fact that I know is the truth.” She assured him before she started to explain about her day and how she spent hours trying to find a communication chokepoint in a lubricated relay point in engineering. It had not been her finest point at all.

William had walked over to his locker and opened it up. he listened to Lexi talk as he unzipped his uniform before kicking off his boots. He shrugged the top off his shoulders. At her mentioning being covered in lubricant, he stopped what he was doing and gave her an upraised eyebrow. "And here I was thinking my day was bad, but that takes the cake," he said before he noticed her eyeing him with a grin. His uniform was bunched around his waist leaving him wearing his undershirt and his shoulders exposed.

"Mmmhmm then the lights went out so yeah pretty much a rough day." She said smiling at him as she watched him. It had been days since they had just gotten time together without some interruption or being too exhausted to say much other than hello. "Do not grin at me like that." She knew exactly what he was grinning at and she did not care to hide it.

"Like what," he said as his eyes looked her over again before he pulled his undershirt off to grab a fresh one from his locker. Since he had proposed to her, their interactions together had seemed to come more naturally. While most of her memories had returned since the incident in the tower, they had managed to get past their rough patch. Even with the current state of the ship, things between them seemed to be moving along nicely. With their relationship out in the open fully, William felt happier in his daily goings on knowing that she would be waiting for him when he would come off watch.

"Seems to me like your the one doing the staring," he said as he looked back at her with a wink.

“Course I am.” The woman said moving over wrapping her arms around his neck not at all distracted. “You are amazing.” She told him pressing her forehead to his shoulder and pressing a kiss there. “And all mine despite everything that has happened to push us apart.” She added enjoying the moment of just them at the end of the day.

William smiled as wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer. "Indeed, lucky for you I'm quite stubborn and hard to get rid off," he said before kissing the top of her head.

Stubborn suited her just as well. It was what you needed to serve out there.