Captain-to-Captain

Posted on Mon Dec 4th, 2023 @ 8:40pm by Executive Officer Jake Ford & Captain Rueben Gregnol & Captain Sebastian Deauvuex (*)

Mission: Fractures
Location: Fracture: USS Ishimura
Timeline: 2246...?
1552 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Sebastian had changed his mind about joining the last two people in the turbo lift. He needed answers and the pair seemed the ones in charge of the group and the only two who had the insisted in going to sickbay with their fallen crewman but the atmosphere in the lift was thick. Neither man said anything apart from glance at him often as they made their way from the bridge to his quarters. It would be much easier to discuss things without his crew around.

Gregnol had only ever seen pictures of Sebastian Deavuuex. He had a strong, chiseled jawline that framed his face, and his dark, expressive eyebrows draw attention to his piercing hazel eyes which Cassie had always said when describing him looked kind and Gregnol could see it even in his worry and confusion. His short, well-groomed dark hair complemented his rugged yet refined look that Captain seemed to ooze in the 2240’s.

Jake coughed lightly, also trying to check the Captain out. Deauvuex was Starfleet, though-and-through. He had that vibe. In a weird sort of way he wondered precisely what had attracted Eden to the the man. Perhaps it was out of jealousy that he scrutinised.

"How long have you been Captain of the ship?" he asked, breaking the silence with a polite ask. Something simple, unlikely to affect timelines or realities.

Sebastian glanced to the man who was looking at him like he wanted to throttle him. “Six months. We were commissioned as the USS Ishimura in April, the ship is one of the first Constitution Class vessels ever minted.” The man was proud of the ship and the crew. “Before this I was the Captain of the USS Nyx.” He said.

“Nyx?” Gregnol asked not having known that but it was the third time over the last year Nyx had come up in conversation.

“Yes. She was a… here we are.” The man said indicating the lift stopping and stepped out to a brightly lit corridor.

It was strange to be walking the halls of a ship that they knew so well, but at the same time didn't. It felt - and smelled - much newer. And the layout in certain places felt a little off. "The Constitution is still a classic," Jake commented, seeing Sebastian's pride at his ship. "I don't think they ever managed to do better."

Sebastian glanced back and grinned at the man's tone and the fact his barely-year-old ship was known as a classic. It was the complete opposite of how he felt about her. He pressed open his quarters door and indicated for them to come into the rather large space. "Lot more space than we have," Gregnol commented looking around amazed.

"Maybe we should consider a lick of paint," Jake agreed, trying not to give too much away about the potential future of the ship. "So, did you want to speak to us, Captain?" he asked, looking at Sebastian.

Sebastian sat down on the nearest sofa and indicated for them both to sit down. He waited for them to both sit before he spoke up finally. "Normally I would attempt to keep the future from my door but I do need some answers. What year are you from?" He demanded.

Jake looked at Reuben uncomfortably. "Uh...let's just say...a few decades from now...2390s..."

"Well, that...is not a few decades." Sebastian rose and moved to where there was a drink cabinet and slowly poured three rather large glasses. The slowness of the way he moved was his attempts to gather him self before he brought them back. "That is a long time in the future and you know McAvoy." He mused on what that could mean.

"She's known to us," Jake nodded, again looking at Gregnol and hoping for some help. "I don't think we should say much more about the circumstances behind that. We don't know if being here will affect the timeline, after all."

Gregnol took a sip of drink that was offered to him and finally decided to speak up as he could see Jake looking at him for some type of help. “But she is happy.” Gregnol hoped that was the truth but he knew that a Captain like Daeuvuex would want to know that. No matter what happened as long as he knew that someone would be happy if role were reversed.

A little voice in Jake's head wouldn't shut up for some reason, and not the resident Kilhra. He flicked an uncomfortable look at the Captain again. "What about...Eden Bowers?" he asked softly.

Gregnol’s eyes opened wide as the other man said a name he had not heard in a long time. Was this sudden shift bringing up old wounds? He knew Jake had stayed when Eden had left but he had thought that it was over and done with. “Ensign Bowers?” Sebastian asked raising an eyebrow at the man’s words. What could they possible know about Eden?

Jake deliberately avoided Gregnol's eyes and tried to consciously keep a poker face. "Just another name that cropped up."

“Her too hmm?” Sebastian asked shifting between the two people who had turned up from the future with a lot of questions and answers for things that he had not realised were questions.

Jake bit his tongue. Eden had told him about her relationship with her old Captain, but he'd never expected to be sat opposite the man, in his prime. That she might even be roaming around the place somewhere...that made him feel unsettled. "Forget I asked," he said softly.

“Slightly impossible too now.” The slightly older man said quietly as he narrowed his eyes a little. The moment was broken by a communicator chirp further in the room. “Excuse me.” Sebastian said rising to get it.

Gregnol turned to look at his right hand man and gave him a what was that look. “Jake? What is going on? I thought you were over Eden and all of that?” He whispered hearing the communicator being answered in what he assumed was the bedroom.

"Sure, I'm over it, but..." Jake glanced to see if they could be heard. "Eden told me that she and Sebastian...were involved before the whole time-jump thing. I guess I'm just...curious."

"They were married," Gregnol hissed softly not at all knowing if Jake knew that but he needed to know that. It was not just as simple as involved and whatever that meant to the man. "Curious about what exactly? You better not be comparing." He added quickly.

Jake made a noncommittal shrug. "Why can't I? Surely that's a normal thing to do, right?"

“Not right now no.” Gregnol said downing the rest of the drink quickly. “He will never be you. And you will never be him. The only thing you have in common is Eden and she isn’t important to either of you in your current stages of life.”

"I...I guess..." Jake murmured. Reuben was probably right, that really was the only thing they had in common. Sebastian was much more Starfleet than Jake was, and obviously they were men of two different eras. As much as he thought about comparing notes, he knew that that part of his life was over; he had Cassie now, and that felt a lot healthier than what he'd had with Eden. "We still have to figure out how we got here...and whether we can get back," he noted.

“You know.” The older man said firmly and rose to pour himself another drink “we better be able to get back I have a wife who will skin me alive.” Reuben pointed out smiling as he downed another glass before sitting back down.

"Makes two of us; Cassie is probably going out of her mind too." Jake kept his voice low, not wanting to let on that relationship to this time period's Captain.

Reuben was sure Cassie could handle herself and her he situation but he did hope she was not alone. “What do we know about it all? Burnie is out cold? Something time travelling has happened?…” Reuben started as Sebastian came back.

“And one of your crew has disappeared. My chief medical officer saw her fade in front of her eyes.” The Captain explained.

"For the moment it sounds like we're the only ones shifting," Jake said. "It may be for the best if that's definitely the case."

Sebastian sat back down heavily and nodded. “None of my crew have reported incidents so I believe whatever ever happened to you is contained to you. I really would prefer to get a science officer here to check you both over properly. My skills are nowhere near what one do them would be.”

"Your science officer?" Jake asked, trying to recall who that might be.

"Well it is Ka'see McAvoy but your Captain says that would be an issue," Sebastian commented as he glanced over at where the Captain had been but there was nothing but air and the man was nowhere in sight. He shot up and whirled around but there was nowhere the man could have gone in the moments that Sebastian had been looking at Jake. "Where is he?"

Jake blinked and stared around. "Oh crying out loud..."