Flight Preparations

Posted on Thu Jan 27th, 2022 @ 1:39am by Lieutenant JG Kassandra Selin & Lieutenant Johnathan Anderson III

Mission: S1 Episode 1: Caretaker, Part I
Location: Chief Flight Ops office
Timeline: MD5 09h00
1362 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

By the time Kassandra Selin walked into the Flight Chief's office, it had been 28 hours since she had slept and she was operating fueled by Coffee and a bacon and egg burger she had scoffed down in the mess when she came off of the Gamma bridge shift.

She carried a satchel with PADDS and looked around before hitting the chime of Johnathan's office.

Hearing the door chime ring, Johnathan looked up from the administrative work he was currently going over. "Enter!"

The door slid open and Kass entered. "Lieutenant, we have a meeting." She said as she did so. "Course plotting."

At first, seeing Kassandra's beautiful face, Johnathan lit up. Then, seeing the look of complete exhaustion on her face, caused him to jump to his feet and moved around to embrace her. "Kass!" He guides her over to the small couch that was along one side of his office, helping her sit. "What can I get you, and don't even think about saying nothing." The concern he felt for her was clear in his voice and on his face.

"Coffee with three sugars would be nice." She admitted as she sat on the couch. "I have no desire to fall asleep on you, we need to get this course plan done so i can give it to Morrison for his yes and then you and he can take it to the captain and xo." She smothered a yawn with her hand.

Johnathan hurried over to the replicator and ordered the requested beverage. He also ordered a few pastries as well. Carrying them all back to the couch, he placed the tray on the small coffee table in front of it. Then, after he sat down next to her, he reached out and picked up the coffee. He then handed it over. "Here, I added a little something to it to give you a bit more energy. Don't worry, it's something I have used more than once. It won't hurt you, I promise."

"I just need to get through this meeting then i can go to my cabin and sleep before my shift." Kass sipped the beverage "thank you. I am sorry about last night."

Reaching out, he gently laid his left hand on her right knee. "Sweetheart, you have nothing to apologize for." He leaned in and gave her a soft, loving, kiss. "You just sit back and relax. I'll look over the info that you have here." He picked up the first PADD and started to carefully speed read the information.

"Its not perfect but its our latest intelligence. " Kass said as she sat there, even with the caffeine she was struggling to stay awake.

As he read, Johnathan saw that Kassandra was starting to doze a little. Quietly, he took the mug from her, placed it on the table. He then got up and gently lifted her feet up and turned her to be able to lay straight on the couch. Next, he moved over to the replicator and ordered up a soft blanket. Moving back over to her, he lovingly laid it over her. He then leaned down and softly kissed her lips. "Close your eyes. It should take us about fourty-five minutes to go over this. I can do it in thirty. Sleep, sweetheart. I'll wake you in thirty minutes."

Kass was too tired to argue, she just gve a soft smile and closed her eyes and was asleep in moments.

Johnathan quietly cleaned everything up, then moved to his desk. After he sat, he lowered the lighting level, locked his office door and sent a message to Chief Finley that he was not to be disturbed for the next hour.

That done, he got to work. Using the various Intelligence reports that Kassandra had brought, he started to compile several different routes that they could take to get to the Badlands. He added the estimated arrival times using several different factors. Warp speed, gravitational fluctuations, enemy vessel locations, ion storm forecasts, even the paths of stray comets. He would leave nothing to chance. Their mission had to succeed. He would not fail his Captain in his duties.

As he glanced over at Kassandra, he added to that thought.

He would not fail Her.

===Thirty Minutes Later===

"Kass..." he said softly as he knelt by her side. "Sweetheart, it's time to wake up...." he gently kissed her forehead.

Kass shifted slightly and her eyes opened. "oh... thanks" she said softly.

He smiled warmly. "I wish I could let you continue sleeping," he replied with a soft smile. He reached over and gently moved a few errant stands ohair from her beautiful face.

"I.. will head to my cabin soon and get some sleep" She said softly. "How did the course plotting go?"

"It went well," he replied softly. "I was able to plot several different routes, depending on what we encounter along the way to our destination."

"Okay so we need to choose the fastest route with minimal entanglements." She said as she pushed back the blanket and sat up slowly. "Morrison and you can present it to the captain."

Johnathan frowned noticeably at the mention of Morrison. "Kass, I don't trust him. What is it that he has on you that is making him think it's okay to treat you like he is? You haven't done anything wrong!"

She gave him a small smile. "Its ok. The second officer neutered him for a period. I figure he will just run me ragged for the next few weeks trying to get me to quit. I won't quit."

He moved to sit next to her on the couch, putting his right arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. With his other hand, he gently lifted her chin, until their eyes locked on to each other. "You will always be safe here, Kass," he stated softly, his nreathing getting a little ragged. After what seemed like several minutes of them looking at each other, he leaned in and kissed her gently, at first. However, as the kiss continued, it grew deeper and more passionate.


Her brain was slightly sleep fogged but she could not deny the passion they were building up. Gently she broke the kiss and rested her forehead on his. "I need sleep, you need to get back to work."

Holding her to him, Johnathan finally agreed. "Okay, sweetheart. Do you need to bring these back to him, or can I just send the information to him?"

"Send them to him. Oh and make it out that you don't trust me either. It will make it easier on you." Kass told him as she went to stand.

He stood with her, holding her when she seemed to sway a little. "I'm not worried about making things easier for me. He can't do anything to me, other than hurt you. I'm the only one who knows how to fly this beast. Even the XO isn't as fully rated on her." He pulled her in for a warm embrace. "However, if you think that it's a good idea, then I will, my love. I trust your judgment completely."

She smiled and gently pulled away. "I do not know when i will have time to see you... privately. I have the Beta shift currently."

Letting go of her, he smiled and shrugged. "We will figure something out. I doubt he can keep up the energy of trying to make you quit."

"He didn't get to his position through being nice John" Kass said as she straightened her uniform and hair. "He got it by being ruthless." Her hands shook as she fixed her plat.

Reaching out to her shaking hands, the young pilot suddenly looked more experienced in life than his years. "Sweetheart, I've already stared actually death in the face. He released her hands and showed her his scarred right arm. "Lionel has no idea what that feels like."

Kass nodded "Well still, please just play the game with him. the less people he thinks are on my side the better," So saying she kissed him gently and left his office, taking her PADDS with her.