Unexpected Approval

Posted on Mon May 27th, 2024 @ 6:05am by Lieutenant Commander Annalise Faulkner & Lieutenant Commander Lyra Cassiel & Lieutenant Commander Andrei Petrov

Mission: S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location: After 11
Timeline: Date 2371-10-13 at 1830
3895 words - 7.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

After 11 was more or less back to its usual crowd a month after leaving their people on Gamma Eridine II. People had taken a long while to find the new “normal” after suffering the major and heartbreaking losses so close on the heels of the battle in the nebula. It had been a process, but it seemed the vast majority of the crew had accepted Annalise as their captain - there were of course exceptions, but she wasn’t in constant fear she was going to turn the corner and walk directly into a blade. The fear was still there, though, she wasn’t stupid.

What maybe had been a stupid choice was going out of her comfort zone to try and be a bit more social with the crew. Usually the messhall would have been enough for her, but she had been feeling brave and decided on the lounge. Things had been going well enough when she had been the one to approach small standing groups just to say hellos and have a few polite exchanges, but she had grown tired of standing and had wanted to sit down with her drink. That had been her first mistake. The second mistake was allowing someone to sit down with her.

She was bearing it, but Luca Romano was sloppy drunk and being obnoxious. She didn’t want to be rude to the man though, he was pouring out his concerns to her and she felt it was her duty to listen no matter how ridiculous it was.

Andrei and Lyra stepped off the turbo lift at the rear of deck 11 and turned down the mostly empty hallway which would lead to the very back of the ship. He wore a simple long-sleeve black cotton shirt, light jeans, and white sneakers, and had decided to forgo the patch for the evening.

“I’m surprised she’s here. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in After 11 before.” Lyra walked next to Andrei easily, holding his hand with their fingers loosely woven together. She had opted to wear the pretty yellow dress covered in flowers that Andrei had given her two months ago, it was fun, casual, and disarming with its sweet silhouette and vibrant color. They were on a mission to try and convince their stalwart captain to pursue the lead Andrei had pulled out of one of the Vidiian slaves that might have directed them toward a cure for their people. Though she hadn’t said anything against the plan, Lyra wasn’t optimistic given the intelligence was over four years old. Privately, she wouldn’t blame Annalise for denying the request - she likely would do the same; publicly, she was going to support Andrei, her beloved was still suffering without his family.

The two of them passed through the double doors and into the busy bar and lounge. It was bustling with activity as people started to settle into the new normal of their lives. Andrei and Lyra walked up to the bar.

“Well, if it isn’t the royal couple. What can I get you?” Nat asked, moving to their side of the bar right away and eyeing Lyra and Andrei in that way she always looked at both of them. She wasn’t a woman who kept her interests hidden very often, but she also wasn’t really brave enough to bring them up with these two.

“Hey, Nat.” Lyra greeted with a smile that didn’t reach those cool dark eyes. “What’s on special?”

“Sikarian winter wine. No matter how far away from that planet we get, people won’t shut up about it.” Nat answered, her own cool eyes meeting Lyra’s. “Have you tried it?”

“Can’t say that I have.” Lyra shrugged slightly. “I’ll give it a try.” She turned her head to look up at Andrei and see what he would order. They had both clocked Annalise when they had walked in, poor woman was being harassed by Luca Romano, but Lyra didn’t feel the need to break his fingers over it this time - it was less fun when there was only one hand.

“Three glasses of that then.” Andrei said, making sure there was one for the Captain as well. He watched as Nat produced three tall, slender glasses and poured a pale green, slightly milky liquid into them. When she was done, she slid them toward the pair.

“Your tab, Andrei?”

Andrei nodded and picked up two of the glasses, leaving the last one sitting there for Lyra.

“Thanks, Nat.” Lyra pulled the wine off the counter and turned with Andrei to walk over to the table where Annalise was being accosted.

“Lemme tell you, the woman was alllll over me, women just can’t resist me, I know you’re feeling it too.” Luca slurred and sloppily pointed in Annalise’s direction.

It was clear the captain was uncomfortable already and was just waiting to get a word in so she could escape, but she saw Andrei and Lyra wandering her way and a new level of apprehension and automatic defensiveness came over her. She hadn’t had any run-ins with Lyra herself, but she and Andrei were still butting heads now and then.

Andrei’s mouth gaped in genuine shock when he heard the words out of Luca’s mouth. He was roaring drunk and speaking to his captain like a frat boy. As he and Lyra stopped by the table, Andrei looked down at him in disapproval.

“What was that, Petty Officer Romano?” He asked in a stern voice, still holding the two wine glasses he had picked up. “I couldn’t quite hear you over the din of the bar.”

“I sssai-“ Romano began, turning toward Andrei with one finger raised as if he were about to tell the monster of a man off. “Oh shit.”

Immediately, Luca blanched and got up, but he knocked his chair over and somehow went toppling down with it. He didn’t even try to pick it up and scrambled on his hands and knees away until he could get his feet under him and then took off out of the door.

Andrei watched the pathetic man scurry off like a rat from a burning building and shook his head, causing his black mane to tussle back and forth. He placed the extra wine glass down in front of Annalise, but his eyes went to Lyra.

“He needs the agonizer for talking to the Captain that way.” He said clearly. “Do you want to handle him, or shall I?”

“I’ll take care of it.” Lyra replied and reached into the pocket of the dress she was wearing to pull out her commbadge. “Cassiel to Simmons, Romano just scurried out of After 11. Find him and put him in the brig to sober up. I’ll come deal with him later.”

“Yes, Commander.” Simmons replied dutifully and she pocketed her commbadge.

Annalise for once didn’t argue against the use of the device; whether it was because she felt it was deserved or she simply didn’t want to go against her officers wasn’t clear. She looked at the wine and then up to Andrei. “Thank you for the wine, Commander.”

“You looked like you could use some fresh company.” Andrei said, and grinned as he pulled out Lyra’s chair with his free hand and waited for her to sit. “Luca has two problems; that’s women and the drink. Still, I would have thought he would control himself around his commanding officer.”

Lyra sat down and crossed her long, shapely legs under the table, her eyes falling on Annalise across from her. “He’s been problematic like that for a long while and doesn’t seem to take the hint, but he’s going to this time.”

“I see.” Annalise frowned, not seeming to like that idea in particular but perhaps accepting that it needed to be done. “What brings you both here tonight? Do you come here often?”

“A few nights a week, normally. Otherwise we prefer our quiet time.” Andrei said, sitting down himself in the seat that gave him the perfect view of the windows and the stars that streamed away from them in straight lines. He looked at Annalise, settling on her beautiful blue eyes. They’re interactions had seldom been overtly pleasant, but tended to be business-like when they weren’t strained. He adopted a charming social expression, though. “I’ve never seen you here before, though. What inspired you to join the party?”

“Poor judgment, apparently.” Annalise admitted with dry humor and picked up the wine to take a small sip. “I’ve come down a few times but never stay for long. This isn’t generally my thing.”

“Why do you bother, then? You wouldn’t be the only captain to avoid the bar scene. Captain’ Petrov barely set food down here.” Andrei asked, bringing the glass of wine to his lips. It was quite sweet; a bit too sweet for him, but he would finish the glass.

“It’s the easiest place to be social with the crew; everyone is down here at some point and people like to see their captain.” Annalise shrugged.

“You get more used to it the more you come down here. I used to not like it very much either, but after a few months I started to enjoy it.” Lyra offered. Of course she left out the part where the reason for that was she had been plotting the gruesome demise of Ivers, but Annalise didn’t need to know that.

“It’s easier when you know you have someone to spend time with down here.” Andrei added. “I always came down with friends from security, so there was never any pressure to roam around or fear of sitting alone.”

These weren’t things Andrei feared in the slightest, but he knew both the women would find it relatable on some level, and he suspected Annalise, in particular, often fell victim to that particular anxiety.

“Definitely cuts down on creepy, desperate men approaching you randomly.” Lyra commiserated with Annalise in a way only another woman could. She took a small sip of the wine and couldn’t decide how she felt about it, she liked its sweetness but there was some underlying taste she didn’t like as much.

“Mm… I could see that.” Annalise nodded and shifted in her chair slightly. Small talk wasn’t her strong suit. “Still, I like to try new things.”

“Nat always finds a way to make that happen.” Andrei said, and then pointed to Annalise’s glass. “How do you like the wine then, since you like to sample?”

“It’s nice. I’m not much of a drinker which probably isn’t really a surprise, but when I do drink I tend to like sweeter ones like this.” She picked up the glass again and took another small sip. “So… how are you both doing?”

“I feel fantastic.” he answered with a grin, convincing, whether it were true or not. He had a magnetic way about him in social situations, and he was aware of that fact. He glanced at Lyra, almost staring at her. “And she is…beautiful. We like to get a break from gazing longingly into each other’s eyes, so we come here, drink, and talk.”

“And inevitably gaze at each other a bit more.” Lyra quipped easily, giving her lover a playful grin then looking back at Annalise. “I just can’t help myself.”

“If you like sweet drinks, you must like that club favorite from Sikkaris then.” Andrei said, turning his attention back to Annalise. “The purple one with the electric polarization was quite sweet. Have you tried that?”

“No, I only went down to Sikaris for about a half a day so I didn’t get to sample much.” The beautiful blonde replied with a slight shake of her head. She had really only gone down to check on Stagg, and that hadn’t gone especially well to begin with, but it had ended alright.

“Why the hell not?” Andrei asked, frowning at Annalise but clearly just being funny more than expressing actual frustration. “What do you mean you only went down for half a day? What were you doing the rest of the time?”

“Working.” Her brows raised slightly as she looked at him. “My XO was out of commission for a while.”

Lyra took another sip of the wine and successfully kept her expression neutral at the mention of Stagg. Her hand found Andrei’s leg under the table, a simple touch that was looking for nothing in return.

Andrei paused at her answer for a moment, a clear indication that the thought hadn’t occurred to him. Then he smiled and nodded. His hand found Lyra’s under the table.

“Well, yes, I suppose that would make some sense. Still, old Asher could have sat in the chair and given you a break. Broken arms and noses aside, that doesn’t quite add up to me.”

He took another sip of his wine and looked at her with curious expectation as if she had the answers to rid him of his uncertainty.

“I felt given the circumstances it would be more beneficial for him to take the time off.” She shrugged and sat back in her chair, signaling she was done speaking politely on the topic. “I’m used to long hours and working hard, it wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“Well, you certainly sound like a Starfleet Captain.” Andrei answered, and took the cue to move off of the topic. He harbored no tension and no sense of awkwardness about the previous discussion or their time together. In fact, he seemed genuinely amused. “Am I going to have to fight you on this sort of thing on our next shoreleave? I have a sneaking suspicion you’re the kind who always has an excuse to stay in uniform.”

“I’m not going to say you are wrong given I really just can’t.” She gestured to herself sitting there still indeed in her uniform. “I’m sure I’ll find some time next shoreleave if the schedule allows, but as you’ve noticed the paperwork never really gets finished at all.”

“We have more infrastructure for completing paperwork on Vengeance than you did on Gladius.” Andrei said. “You have an XO who doesn’t double as a department head, a 2XO, two Command Yeomen and two slaves. We’re used to sharing the burden around here. If you won’t take a break, I’ll bug you half to death.”

“Alright, alright, I get the point.” Annalise lifted both hands in surrender while she smiled and chuckled.

“We have a good system here.” Lyra offered her own charming smile to Annalise, hers was different than Andrei’s of course but projected a genuine friendliness she didn’t feel at all. “Trust us to do our jobs.”

“See, you have two bullies to make you put on a nice dress and enjoy yourself from time to time.” Andrei said, looking over at Lyra with a smile. “How are you adjusting to fleet command so far? I’ve heard the reports, and we’ve had meetings but..really.” He turned to Annalise with an expression of concern. “How do you feel about it after a month?”

“I’ve settled in. I know it was very hard for everyone to adjust and I understand that perfectly.” She frowned and let out a slight sigh. She hadn’t wanted to leave their people behind anymore than anyone else had, but she had been much more willing to accept the necessity. She supposed that had stemmed from her own command of the Gladius for the past months. “I’m very proud of how everyone has come together though.”

“People have been dutiful and have shown themselves to be strong Terran warriors. We’re unstoppable when we set ourselves a task, and getting home is the task.” He said, and picked up his wine glass to finish it. Swallowing the sweet liquid, he waved the Vulcan slave, Lonell over.

The slave walked over quickly when summoned and gave a bow of her head, waiting on Andrei to state what he wanted.

“Yes, that is the task.” Annalise agreed but she was starting to get this nagging feeling that somehow this was going to take a turn that she wasn’t going to like.

“Three Electric Elixirs.” Andrei ordered the slave, then turned back to the captain. “It’s a shame we cannot all be there to see the task completed.”

There it was. Annalise took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She shifted in her chair so she was sitting up a bit straighter. “Yes, it is a shame. We have lost many people along the way from both crews.”

“Fortunately, I found a lead. A scientist who, according to our sources, discovered the cure for the disease our crew members have. Her name is Danara Pel.” Andrei said, and let them information linger in the air.

“I see, and where did you find this lead exactly? From the slaves on the Rynall?” She asked, giving him the benefit of the doubt that he wasn’t reaching out over subspace and possibly putting the crew in danger on his quest.

“Yes, from the slaves in the Rynall. I gathered all the information they had in their database.” Andrei said. He had been following her rules up until that point, but he wasn’t beyond using subspace to get the information he needed. “Dr. Pel was assigned as a researcher at this starbase.”

He pulled out a PADD, activated it, and slid it across the table just as Lonell approached with their sparking, electrified drinks.

Annalise picked up the PADD and brought it closer - at the very least she wasn’t dismissing Andrei’s offering out of hand. She paused to glance at the drink and lifted a brow. “What is this, exactly?”

“They have a device that causes this effect with the juice of citrus fruits. I think Nat uses pineapple juice and a blue liquor in this version. The taste is pretty much the same.” Andrei answered and sipped his own. Truth be told, he didn’t give a damn about the drink.

“It’s good.” Lyra offered in an encouraging way. “It tastes tropical.”

She had been content to be quiet and allow the two to talk, simply allowing her presence at the table while dressed in the bright dress and seeming completely at ease to soften the entire moment with her beloved. She could of course adjust if the moment called for it, but right now she was doing what she needed to do to help the process. She picked up her drink and took a sip, watching Annalise do the same. It was definitely different than the one served on the planet, but it was passable enough and obviously Annalise wasn’t going to notice the difference.

“You're right, it is.” Annalise agreed and let her eyes go back down to the information on the PADD, she read it and then slowly put it down. “This information is four years old and has her in the heart of Vidiian territory.”

“Yes, but, as you say, it’s out of date.” Andrei said. “It’s more than a small start when it comes to negotiating with the Vidians. All we have to do is narrow down our investigation to where she is now. With some well-placed questions, it shouldn’t be hard to figure out.”

“Well, I’m certainly not taking the fleet into the heart of their territory without a much better lead than this.” She put the PADD down in front of her. “You’re sure she knows what the cure is for the disease?”

Andrei blinked and, to his credit, only showed a fraction of the anger he had felt.

“She developed the cure, so yes, I’m sure,” he answered. His tone indicated just what he thought of the question, but he moved on fast enough that it might have gone unnoticed. “And, no, I”m not suggesting we take the Fleet deep into Vidian space. I’m saying we will get somewhere faster if we can find a less well-defended outpost and ask some pointed questions.”

Annalise drummed her nails on the side of the glass and considered Andrei for a moment. This wasn’t going to be something he would likely ever let go of. “Do some digging, reach out to any vessels in range and see if they have information on where such an outpost might be.”

Andrei seemed almost surprised at first, so much so that he didn’t say anything. But, as the realization of what she had just said dawned on him, he smiled.

“Oh good. Right, yes.” he said, uncharacteristically lost for words. Then he seemed to find himself again. “I will. Thank you, Captain.”

Annalise’s brows lifted at his reaction and she felt almost pleased that she had obviously surprised him. She finished about half of the drink in front of her and then stood with a polite smile. “Keep me updated with anything you find, Commander. I’ll leave you both to your evening.”

“Yes, sir.” Andrei said, for once not tense and irritated in her presence. Even though they didn’t have a cure and there was no guarantee his search would lead anywhere, this was a light in the darkness. He stood with her. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Captain.” Lyra bid with a smile and watched as Annalise nodded and left them. Once she was away and they were alone again, she gently squeezed Andrei’s leg. “Well, that went well.”

“It did. And that’s a surprise to me.” Andrei said, picking up his drink and downing it right there. Every sign pointed to him feeling great. “I’m trying to decide if we should celebrate or if I should spend the next few hours getting some research in.”

“Why don’t you have a look for an hour or two and I’ll figure out dinner for when you come back.” She offered; it was terribly domestic, but she found herself not minding that so much.

“Or..”Andrei said, leaning over and kissing her, not caring how visible they were. “We can skip straight to dessert.”

Lyra was surprised by Andrei’s kiss, of course they’d shown physical signs of affection to each other before in public, but the kiss was certainly different. She returned it and touched his cheek as she did so, then pulled back with a soft chuckle. “Well, you know I do have a sweet tooth.”

Her tone was suggestive and it was clear she was talking about something much different than sweets.

“Oh, I know.” he said, practically growling before popping up out of his seat. “See you in a few. Thanks for being here, by the way.”

“Always, darling.” She promised and gave his hand a squeeze as he stood next to her. “Happy hunting. If you need any help you know where to find me.”

END