Wanna talk?

Posted on Sun May 8th, 2022 @ 8:44am by Executive Officer Jake Ford & Jeassaho Kea (*)

Mission: Mission 15: Adrift
Location: Temporary Control Room
Timeline: MD02 18:00
2082 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Jeassaho had finally sent her fellow engineer and should be an engineer to get dinner before she went in search of Jake. She found him in the control area checking on the feed from the shuttle obviously checking it all. “Do you even know what you are looking at?” She called teasingly as she held out the bottle she had rescued from Cami. The woman did not need to save it when someone else’s need was more.

"It's a shuttle. Big storm is coming." He shrugged, waving in the vague direction of the screen. Spotting the bottle in her hand he took it. "Thanks."

“Well this week has been eventful hmm?” They had not had time to even catch up and she wanted to check on him. It had just not come about naturally so she had to make it happen especially after what she had wandered into.

"You could say that," he said, leaning against a chair and studying the writing on the bottle momentarily. "Reuben's safe, though. And no doubt if we don't find a way to fix the ship he'll come running with help. So everything will work out in the end."

Jeassaho could not help but agree with his estimation of what her husband would do once he realised something was wrong. He was the white knight turning up on the charger to save the day so she had no doubt he would turn up eventually. “And you have no faith in us Engineers. We will fix it all.” As he was not sitting down Jeassaho decided to stretch out.

"More importantly, I've got to keep the other lady in his life intact too, or he might kill me," Jake noted. "How are you coping? I know you've had your head in the practical stuff, but don't forget to come up for air."

Jeassaho levelled him with a are you kidding me look. “You are trying to butter me up. Jake you do realise that I was the Executive Officer of a Federation starship being an engineer is just easy compared to that stress. I am way more worried about you. You look like you could use sleep and maybe someone to talk to about what is going on?” She prodded gently.

"Oh, you know. Water off a duck's back. Peachy." He snapped the top off the bottle and took a swig. It tasted pretty weird, but he should have expected that from something so old. "I'll grab some rack time in a few hours."

“Jake, are you trying to kid me or yourself here?” She chuckled taking the bottle from his hand pouring out the contents into a mug passing it back to him.

"I wouldn't dare try to pull the wool over your eyes, ma'am," he retorted, saluting her with the tip of the bottle. "I'm just making sure all our bases are covered. Seems like everyone's more worried about me than the rest of the ship, though. I've had lectures and advice from just about everyone." He took another sip. "Can't wait to hear yours."

"Because if you are not healthy none of us will be." The Betazoid countered before she scoffed. "I would never offer you advice like that. You and my husband are so similar in that I do not need to offer it as you will always do the right thing. But I am concerned that you are not okay." She murmured.

"Seriously. I'm as okay as the rest of them. You don't need to-" His hand slipped on the bottle, which cracked against the side of the console and struck his hand as it fell. " Fvadt faelirh ih'wort nnea mogain!" he hissed, shaking out the hand which was now starting to bleed. "Stupid..."

Jeassaho shook her head grabbing up his hand and a cloth to stem the blood. She ignored the Romulan out of his mouth, he had been slipping things out like that for a while but that was down to Reuben to sort out and work out what was going on with his executive Officer unless he came to her. "Waste of booze there." She said gently raising his hand up so that the blood would stop quickly. "Silly human males. So would you like to talk about things?"

He pressed the cloth against his palm, letting her grab some first aid essentials. "I think you know what's wrong," he grumbled. "The universe wont even let me get drunk properly at the moment." He winced as she tightened a bandage around his hand, but bore through it.

Jeassaho stepped back after finishing her first aid. "Okay... I thought you and the passenger, but then walk in and you and Cassie," She wondered forcing the conversation to find answers.

"I figured you saw that," he acknowledged, flexing his fingers gingerly. He waved his hand as a little 'thanks'. "That's...I don't know what that is. It just seemed to happen out of nowhere. One minute things are normal, and then...I can't quite explain it." He finally let himself sit down. "Evelyn and I are friends. She dated my brother years ago, that's how we know each other. Honestly, she's almost like a sister these days. A very snarky one."

"Hard not to see Dear. Even Cami saw it." Jeassaho made a face. "Um... are people aware that she is like your sister? Cause people are there are talking and I lot of people are assuming that she is more than that." Jeassaho said with a shrug and an awkward look around. It would normally not be her place but she had to bring him as Captain exactly what she would tell Reuben.

"You think I can help people talking?" he grumbled. "She doesn't know anyone else on board, and she sticks out a little being in Starfleet. So of course I'm going to talk to her more than most people..." He sighed. Yet another thing for him to deal with.

"Okay well that is all for you to deal with but this whole Cassie thing... that you cannot quite explain - well just be careful with all the gossip going around," Jeassaho warned.

"Gossip. Bloody hell, how does Reuben cope?" he leaned back and rubbed his eyes with his good hand. "Wait, I guess he's got you for that. I don't expect people will gossip about him while his wife's about..."

Jeassaho offered him a sympathetic smile. “Finally made an honest woman out of me but gossip is rife.” It would be hard to tend that tide as people had not much else to do.

"I can't control what people will say about me and Cassie. If we get through all of this...I don't know. I feel like we're both a bit confused at the moment. Maybe it's something - but that's not necessarily for me to decide." he explained.

“I am not on about you and Cassie I am on about you Evelyn. You do not want Cassie to get the wrong idea and think she is being played or something. And of course it’s not for you to just decide but m… maybe it is what you both need. But who am I to comment on it all. I am just trying to save you from getting killed in your sleep by a vulcanoid.”

"Which one? I can think of a couple that might..." he replied dryly. He took another breath, wishing he still had that drink. A couple of sips weren't enough. "Eh. I'll talk to her. Or at least, I'll try. It's hard to know where we stand at the moment. Besides, I've got a few things on my plate at the minute!" he gestured to the rest of the room.

Jeassaho held out the mug she had rescued before the bottle had smashed. “Never to much to not look after yourself. All those plates are tiny compared to yourself.” She said.

"You know, you managed to change the subject before letting me know how you are. I've barely seen any of the engineers the last twenty-four hours. What's the word?" he asked.

“We are fine. Resting up why we are off so early causing trouble and interrupting moments.” Jeassaho explained wishing she had given them just a few more moments to get things figured out. “It’s frustrating when I turn it around imagine how much I do that to my dear husband.” Jeassaho grinned.

"It's a wonder he's sane. You know, my respect for him is going to go way up once we get out of this. I can just about cope as his XO, but being the leader in a time of crisis? Not sure it's for me," he said. It was good to hear the engineers were resting, though he suspected she was supposed to be among their number. He didn't comment on that, though.

“Jake you are doing just fine as Captain but you do not have an XO. Reu does so well as he has you backing him up. And you are operating under the illusion that he is sane. I am pretty sure he lives life on the edge of sanity and has for many years.” Jeassaho laughed. “So how can I help? What do you need right now to balance the plates?” She had no idea what the obsession was with humans and plates but it worked.

He had to admit she was right. He didn't really have a 'number one' to call on most of the time. Nollel was doing a great job at organising the logistics, and Burnie was pretty much being left to figure out the technical stuff, but Jake felt like he was having to cover a lot of bases himself. "Apart from sleep," he replied, "Just someone checking in on morale. I've tried to do the rounds but it's hard to get to everyone and make that time for them. Having a friendly face that can handle the little things is the most important thing, I guess." He looked at her. "Are you offering to be the 'me' to my 'Reuben'?"

“Oh deities no. I could never assume to be you to Reuben but you need someone holding the fort whilst you get some sleep and deal with stuff. I will stay here and monitor this for the next two hours and then I will get Kendra to do so for four hours. Need to get a routine of sorts so I will draw up a control room monitor for this place.” Jeassaho said. “Where are you currently sleeping? Recommend moving to a damage control locker or something.” Now that was an idea somewhere locked away with no one passing through or anything.

"I was sleeping with the rest of the crew; I figured it was healthy to be sharing with them so it didn't look like I was any different. Plus I did sort-of offer to watch Kalatheia's back while she was asleep..." he admitted that sounded strange. "Just knowing that there's someone else people can look to while I get a few hours rest would be enough."

Jeassaho raised an eyebrow at the fact Kalahaeia said that and shook her head. That was not a today problem or even a her problem. “Well it’s not working you need decent sleep. No one would begrudge you finding somewhere solitary to catch up..” Humans could only run on so much before they flaked out.

He crossed his arms, his own eyebrow going up. "Is that an order, ma'am?" he asked with a little smirk. If anyone on board was going to be able to order him around it was the Captain's wife.

“Yes. Both Starfleet and as Reuben’s wife. I’m pretty sure my Starfleet retired rank is higher than yours.” Jeassaho said simply with a wave of her hand. She’d forgotten how forceful she could be. “Go sleep somewhere out of way and then deal with one of your plates.”

Achingly, he stood back up to his feet. "He's a lucky man, you know. The Captain." He nodded, defeated. "And I wondered why he needed the vacation..."

“Ah huh no more excuses dear.” Jeassaho smiled until Jake left the room she wished the man was having a vacation. The sick feeling in her stomach world not be there at all if he was just resting but he was doing much more than that she just hoped it was successful.