Checking In

Posted on Fri May 24th, 2024 @ 6:00am by Lieutenant Commander Annalise Faulkner & Lieutenant Brice Hughes

Mission: S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location: Captain's Quarters
Timeline: Date 2371-11-11 at 2015
3893 words - 7.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Brice Hughes had never liked meetings, but he understood the need for them. The one from this morning in particular was full of purpose, and he had returned to the Kez’Ron with a sense of unease at the changes that were occurring so suddenly in the Fleet. He had been busy in his assignment, as commanding a ship of new slaves was no easy task. He and his XO were outnumbered, and he maintained Terran rule their with fear and trembling with both the slaves and himself. The Terrans on Rynal and Jorran had it easy, since Vidians and Baneans were peaceful people and easy slaves to manage, while Harper Bennett and her XO had it easy on the Lovarr, where the Kazon crew had already been thoroughly broken. His Numiri still had ideas of their own value and purpose, and it was a constant threat.

He took the chance to step away, having liked the feeling earlier in the day, and gave himself a tour of his old stomping grounds aboard Vengeance. He had been a tactical specialist, but had happily taken the chance to join the rank of the officers and to command his own ship. Finally, he arrived at the Captain’s Quarters with a box in hand. He pressed the chime and waited patiently.

Annalise had been very surprised by the speed with which Ivan had cleared out of the Captain’s Quarters, but she supposed she shouldn’t have been really. He had the command of a number of competent slaves that had likely expedited the packing process, and he had moved to one of the guest rooms for the next couple of days as everything was prepared for what would become the colony on the planet and to make sure the power handoff was going smoothly. She would have been lying if she had said she wasn’t worried about Andrei, but in the end what could she do about it? She wasn’t going to rearrange things and cause more upset by putting him off the ship on one of the other commands unless she really had to, so she hoped he would work with her after the initial sting of the loss of his family had passed.

She was unpacking a box while sitting on the large comfortable couch while dressed in a simple flowing blue blouse and a pair of darker blue silk lounge pants. Her blonde hair was down and there was soft piano music playing in the background. At the sound of the chime she looked up, curious, and then stood.

“Come in.” She invited.

The doors parted and Brice stepped into the room. He and Annalise barely knew each other, but he had seen her at their command meetings with Ivan and the others, and he admittedly felt for her situation. He didn’t offer a smile, but simply looked down at the dark blue box in his hands before looking back up at her.

“Good evening, Captain. I wanted to drop by to offer my congratulations; or my condolences.” He said. He looked at her in her eyes, not wanting to embarrass or dishonor her by treating her as anything less than his superior officer. “Whichever is most appropriate.”

“Oh.” Truthfully she wasn’t quite sure how to react to it, so she simply smiled and stepped toward him. “Thank you, Lieutenant Hughes. Come in and sit down if you like. Would you like something to drink?”

“I could always go for a drink, ma’am.” He said with the first hint of a smile. It was mild, though, and soon faded as he moved over to the couch and sat down on the end opposite the one she had been sitting on. “I’ll have whatever you’re havin’. Not too fancy now, and never have been.”

She moved over to the replicator and returned with two Arnold Palmers. She sat one down next to Brice and then took a seat where she had originally been. “What can I do for you today, Lieutenant?”

“Like I said, I just came over to offer some encouragement; let you know you aren’t alone as you transition into your new job.” He said, bringing the drink to his lips and sipping it. With the beverage still on his lips, he continued. “I used to serve on Vengeance in the security department, and I know it won’t start off easy.”

He lifted the glass to her and looked at her with his eyes, their depth indicating a deep sorrow which was never expressed.

“Thanks for this. It’s pretty damn tasty.”

Annalise found herself wondering at the expression in his eyes. Perhaps he had lost a close friend to the virus on the planet; perhaps he was just saddened over the fact they were leaving Terrans behind. She nodded at his thanks for the drink and crossed her long legs while she sat there. She was of course accustomed to people trying to curry favor with a new CO, she’d experienced it before on the Gladius. “How are you finding your command?”

“It’s a bit of an adjustment going from barking at a bunch of rank and files in security to commanding my own ship, but I’m getting pretty comfortable being the big guy over there.” He said with a smooth lick of his lips. He was a simple man, patriotic and uncomplicated in the way he saw the world. “The Numiri are hard headed, so I’ve had to be tough. I don’t want a repeat of what happened on the Lovarr.”

“Yes, I’ve read the reports on that. It was very lucky that Commander Petrov only lost an eye.” Annalise frowned and seemed to genuinely feel for the man’s situation. She took a sip of her drink and let her pretty blue eyes settle on Brice. He was easy on the eyes and had a certain way about him that she found comfortable. “Have you been having trouble with the Numiri?”

He shook his head, bringing the drink to his lips again, regardless of the fact it was an inopportune time to take a drink. He didn’t seem to care. And sipped right before speaking.

“Nothing we can’t handle, ma’am. They’re tough, but I’ve shown them that Terrans are tougher. Commander Petrova’s orientation routine has some pretty potent propaganda, and her system has me flag the troubled ones. Some Kazon from the Lovarr come and get those, and they don’t come back trouble.”

He didn’t seem to feel the need to flex or brag, and things were exactly as he had said. Not all the credit belonged to him and he knew he was part of a competent team.

“I hear Commander Petrov is taking over as Slave Master again.” He said, his face unreadable. “Not too surprised by that one. They like to handle the grunts for some reason.”

“To build loyalty to them, Lieutenant. Slaves see and hear much more than anyone gives them credit for.” It was a keen, but very simple observation. She sat back a bit more on the couch and looked away to a different spot in her quarters.

“That will be the set up for the moment, but I may make Commander Cassiel slave mistress instead.” She looked back at him then, her brows lifting. “You’ve worked with them both in security. What are your impressions of them?”

He leaned back, his sad eyes becoming almost coy. There was no hesitation there, but it didn’t seem like he’d come to spill answers like that.

“Ma’am, nobody knows what Cassiel is about. She’s a wild card.” His answer was refreshingly simple and candid. “If I were you, I’d be pretty hesitant about either of them. They seem like the sort to make use of everybody they can.”

He took a long drag from the glass, taking half of its contents and then placing it on the coffee table again. He reached for the blue box and pushed it toward her. His eyes watched her, observant and silent.

“I got these for you. Call it a housewarming present. They might come in handy when you’re dodging the dagger tips.”

Annalise noted he was willing to speak about Lyra, but offered nothing about Andrei specifically. She reached for the box and opened it, seeing the assorted chocolates inside. She was possibly the only woman on Terra who didn’t crave and enjoy chocolate constantly, but she wasn’t disappointed. She enjoyed it as an occasional indulgence and smiled at the thoughtfulness. “That’s very kind, thank you, Lieutenant.”

She picked one up and inspected it. “They aren’t poison, right?”

Finally, Brice smiled, allowing the corners of his lips to express his amusement at the idea. There was a hint of surprise in his eyes as he watched her, the sadness in his eyes going out for just a moment.

“I imagine that’s the right question to start with, ma’am.” He said, and reached forward boldly, catching the chocolate piece in her hand and not minding the contact of his fingers with hers. He popped it into his mouth and leaned back again, chewing.

“This one’s coffee flavored.” He said, closing his eyes and chewing slowly. It’s clear he was the one who loved the delicious treat the most between them. He exhaled a relaxing breath before looking at her again. “Best damn poison I ever had.”

She gave a soft, feminine laugh when he stole the chocolate and ate it. “Well, perhaps I’ll have mercy and call sickbay for you.”

Picking up another, she bit into it and took about a third off, finding it to be a strawberry cream which made her like it more. She chewed and swallowed before speaking again. “These are good, where did you get them?”

As he finished the chocolate still lingering on his tongue, he sucked at the rest with his mouth closed, then licked what might have been left on his fingers. He looked at her again as she tried her own and watched as she ate it with a quiet interest.

“I spent an almost shameful portion of my monthly salary on Sikarian sweets, ma’am. I’ve got boxes stacked in my quarters.” He said, unashamed in delivery, despite his words. “Always had a bit of a sweet tooth. It’s okay as long as I keep myself in the gym.”

“There aren’t many men I know who would be comfortable admitting they have a sweet tooth.” Annalise pointed out with a smile. “Have you always had one?”

She took another bite of the chocolate and watched him, clearly curious.

“There's a point in pretending. I know what I like and I know what I don’t.” He said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “But I’ll be honest with you, ma’am. I was a big kid. I loved sweets and sweets loved me.”

He smiled again. “Guess this is just my way of staying young. I hope you like them, and if you don’t, just give them to someone you think will. That’s okay.”

Shaking her head, she finished the last bite of chocolate and smiled. “I do like them. I am not a woman who constantly craves chocolate, but from time to time it is nice to have. Thank you.”

She ran her fingers through her long blonde hair and shifted slightly, feeling she was running out of things to engage him on; small talk had always been more of her sister’s strength. “You’ll let me know right away if you have any troubles on your ship with the slaves?”

“Of course, Captain.” He said, the smile fading naturally from his eyes again, replaced by the same subtle sorrow from before. He watched her hands move through her hair and noted how beautiful she really was. Of course he said nothing. That wasn’t why he was here. “But it’s nothing to worry about. We can turn proud aliens into subservient ones like it’s scripted.”

He picked up the drink and took another drag.

“Oh, and you’re welcome. It’s nothing, really. I just thought it might lighten your load a bit.”

“Lieutenant… is something wrong?” Annalise asked finally, a slight frown crossing her face as she noticed that sadness returned to his eyes. “You seem troubled by something.”

He shook his head immediately.

“No, everything’s alright. I just want to keep it that way for you.” He said plainly, though he understood that his words were naturally cryptic. “I know you’re up against a wall on Vengeance considering who You're surrounded by. What can I do for you?”

To his credit, he seemed genuinely interested in hearing the answer, and the sadness that remained persistent in his eyes projected a powerful sense that he really did care.

For a moment, she looked at him and it was very clear she didn’t believe his claim of nothing being wrong. She knew she wouldn’t get anywhere with continued probing though given they didn’t know each other at all. “Is there someone you might recommend as a bodyguard? I may bring over someone from the Gladius, but I am curious.”

This time, he paused and thought carefully. It wasn’t an action he had engaged in much so far, but his mind worked and he didn’t rush the process.

“No one from security. There’s no way to tell who’s a slave of Cassiel’s or one of Andrei’s drooling henchmen.” He answered. “Maybe Novak, the current guy? He was loyal to Ivan, so it stands to reason that might extend to you.”

He looked at her, his sad eyes looking for her reaction, not out of manipulation, but to gauge if any of those answers might suffice.

“No women, also. Too risky.”

“Risky?” She questioned, her brows raising slightly. Any other reaction to what he had said was for the moment waylaid by that statement.

“Andrei sticks his dick in any useful woman he can find.” He started, but then he hesitated and blinked quickly. “Sorry, ma’am. That was crude.”

“It was, but don’t worry, my sensibilities are a bit harder to offend.” She smiled and waved her hand slightly. “I thought he was with Cassiel? They seem quite close.”

“Oh, yeah. But come on.” He said, shaking his head. “That guy isn’t exactly a one woman man. And even if he was, by some miracle from the gods, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t still have some sort of hold on them.”

“That does seem to be another common theme I hear whenever the topic comes up.” She wondered then if Andrei had been offended he hadn’t charmed her pants off with a bottle of wine and a bit of flirting. She didn’t care of course, but she wondered all the same. “I wonder what Cassiel gets out of the arrangement if he’s like that.”

“Well, we’re in the realms of gossip, which typically isn’t my strongest area,” Brice began with a lift of his brow, “but a man doesn’t cast his rod out into the water that many times without becoming a good fisherman. I think that’s just a plus though. My personal theory is that the two of them have the same interests. Like I said, when my problem slaves come back from Lovarr, they aren’t a problem anymore. If they come back at all.”

“Mm… the records do indicate that Commander Cassiel’s… methods… along with Commander Petrova’s routine proved rather effective against the Kazon on both the Lovarr and Klandell.” Annalise took another sip of her drink while continuing to wonder about Andrei and Lyra. She didn’t admit it, but she enjoyed hearing gossip - she just usually didn’t have anyone willing to talk to her about it. From what she knew about Lyra, the woman didn’t seem the type to accept being second to a string of other women, so unlike the vast majority of people it seemed, she actually believed Andrei was being faithful. It wasn’t entirely unusual for a boy to grow up and become a man and his priorities shift away from falling into a new bed every night. Of course sometimes that didn’t happen and they either continued that life while single or worse, trapped a woman in a loveless, faithless marriage that she had no choice but to remain in more often than not.

“If the Numiri continue to be too headstrong, I will send Cassiel over to you to assist in the issue.”

Brice bit his lower lip at the Captain’s words and let her assertion rest in the air for a brief moment. He pulled the last bits of liquid from the glass and seeked to linger there, waiting for the final drops to come out. Despite his mild manner, he seemed to be a man who enjoyed his simple pleasures. Placing the glass on the table again, he folded his arms over his washboard stomach.

“To be frank, ma’am, I would hate that. Status and pride aside, I take what I do seriously, and I don’t want my slaves thinking I need to call for help to get a few stray hairs in order. I don’t want her coming in there and making them cut parts off of each other. It’s disgusting and, to be perfectly honest with you, and I don’t want to sound too soft when I say this, but its evil.” he spoke with respectful strength, his eyes locked on hers comfortably. “The thing is, ma’am, when managing new slaves, you never know which ones will surprise you and turn out more loyal to the Empire than you or me. You have to be patient sometimes; give them time for the conditioning and the training to set in. But, of course, that’s what Commander Petrova taught me. She always preferred the carrot to the stick, and the slaves knew that. She didn’t hesitate to send the rotten eggs though, or to scare someone straight if they needed it.”

He licked the last remains of taste from his lips and looked at her with curious eyes.

“Captain Petrov didn’t trouble himself with this stuff and let his wife manage the slaves, for the most part. If you stuck your hand in my pie, your new Slave Master would probably take it personally. That your goal?”

Annalise’s brows raised slightly and she wondered if Petrova had spread different facts through the rumor mill than were on the reports. “Lieutenant, you do know that locking the Kazon in small rooms together and making the leaders kill their own men was Commander Petrova’s idea, not Cassiel’s, right?”

His face managed to be surprised, and yet somehow managed to remain indifferent. He shook his head quietly, as if it was a small thing not to know.

“They’re both butchers then. No big surprise there, ma’am.” He said, and licked his lips again. Then he settled his gaze on her once again and paused, watching the expression on her face, noting her flowing blonde hair, and finally resting on her blue eyes. She was the prettiest boss he’d ever had. His next question had nothing to do with any of that, though. “Of the top five officers in our Fleet, four of them were butchers. Now three of those five remain, you, Petrov, and Cassiel. You’re a wildcard.”

He leaned back like he was asking something simple and light, but his brows were heavy and lined.

“You a butcher too?”

Well that had been interesting and she wondered how Lyra would react to knowing she had been the one set forth as the source of everything that happened in the aftermath on the Lovarr - not just to the slaves but to the crew. She was so distracted by the thought she nearly missed his question, but returned to her senses just in time.

“I suppose that depends on your definition of one, Lieutenant.”

“When is the violence and ugliness of an act worse than failure to obtain a goal.” He clarified, though his answer was painfully abstract. “How many teeth can you personally pull from a mouthy Kazon’s gums before the pullin’ isn’t worth the obedience?”

“I, personally, wouldn’t pull any. I don’t care for such violence.” Annalise replied honestly and shrugged. “That said, I would apply its use in certain scenarios when necessary.”

He nodded, seeming satisfied by the answer. Those sad eyes settled on her again, lingering on her face.

“That’s good to know.” He said, and crossed one leg over the other in a masculine pose. “Well this job gets lonesome, I know. Enjoy your chocolate and call me if you need a friend. And don’t do that hero crap where you pretend to be superhuman all the time and cry in your pillow when you’re alone, okay?”

Annalise was well aware of how difficult and lonesome the job was already, but she also knew it would be even more so on the Vengeance. At least on the Gladius, she had been around people who knew her and liked her. Here on the Vengeance, she was walking into a situation where very few people knew her and the reason for her taking over had soured the majority of people. She was fortunate to have some friendly faces among the senior staff and a few of the other positions on the ship but they too were still settling into their departments and likely didn’t have much sway and influence yet. Still, she smiled at Brice and nodded.

“I promise I won’t cry into my pillow, Lieutenant.”

“That wasn’t convincing at all. I know when I’m being brushed off.”

He stood then, grinning and standing there for a moment as he observed her.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it. I’ve got to get back to my ship.”

Annalise moved to stand herself and gave him another pleasant smile. She wasn’t sure if he was a spy or simply trying to curry favor, but it had been nice to have someone to talk to that she wasn’t immediately wary that they were going to whip out a dagger and try to kill her. “It was good speaking with you, Lieutenant. Please keep me apprised of your situation on the Kez’Ron.”

It wasn’t a request, but it had been given politely.

“Your wish is my command.” He said with a respectful nod. He didn’t share her smile, but there was obvious friendliness in his eyes. She was his commanding officer now, after all. If he’s wanted to get friendly, he should have done it before they got to this system, apparently.

He turned for the door and exited without much more than a wave of his hand.

END