The Escape Plan

Posted on Sun Feb 9th, 2020 @ 11:24am by Executive Officer Jake Ford & Chief Helmsman Eden Bowers

Mission: Mission 10 - Temperance
Location: Eden's Quarters
Timeline: MD 12 22:00 Hours
Tags: romance
953 words - 1.9 OF Standard Post Measure

"Okay, I want to show you this. Stan is contained," Eden said grasping Jake with both arms and pulling him into her quarters. "See!" Stan had a large aquarium with a heating lamp, a log, some branches and things for him to climb on and spin a web. "You think he'll be happy with me?" She snuggled right into Jake's chest without him having to do anything as she looked at the aquarium.

"Oh he will definitely be glad with you. I'm not sure Burnie will be when he sees the power consumption report for your quarters, though." Jake eyed the equipment. "Where on Earth did you find all of this?"

"I'm resourceful. Actually I made it out of things I found around. And I Won't leave the lamp on all the time, just here and there when I think he might be cold. Where is he anyway? Hiding in his log." Eden pulled away from Jake and squatted down to see through the opening of the hollowed out fake log.

"You made it yourself?" Jake responded. "Eden, I'm actually pretty impressed. I had no idea you had this kind of creativity in you."

"Thank you, I think. I knit too . . . actually I'm making something for you. But hang onto that compliment because I Think we have a problem. Take a deep breath Jake. I think I may have forgotten to put him in here when I finished it. I don't see him."

Jake suddenly went rigid and motionless, his eyes the only things that moved as they scanned the immediate vicinity.

"What?" he hissed.

"It's okay, he's not going to hurt you Jake," Eden's voice had gone an octave higher. "He's here somewhere I'm sure. Just stand very still right there, I'll find him. Don't worry!"

"No problem. I'll just stand here. In the middle of your room. Where a spider is roaming free and uncaged..." Jake swallowed. "Eden, I love you dearly, but...telling me not to worry is probably going to have the opposite effect."

Eden, who had been down on the floor looking under the sofa suddenly paused in her search and sat up. "You love me?" A surprised look turned into a stupid grin. "I love you too Jake." And suddenly without warning she jumped up from her spot and rushed over behind Jake to scoop something up off the arm of a chair. "There you are."

Jake let out a huge sigh of relief as he watched her scoop up her pet spider. "Thank goodness for that." He took a couple of steps back, leaving a little bit of a berth for her to take care of Stan. "Uh, that he's safe, I mean. Glad he's safe."

Eden giggled. She put Stan in his cage and made sure the lid was closed tightly then wrapped her arms around Jake. "You are so cute. A whole armory probably full of weapons and you're afraid of a little spider who doesn't even bite and would run from you before it did anything else."

Still keeping half an eye on the cage, Jake squeezed her gently back. "Oh the thought of grabbing a hand phaser - or six - had crossed my mind. But then I'd be breaking your heart, and I'm not sure I could live with that." He smiled down at her, planting a little peck on her nose. "Spiders just...creep me out."

"You're just a big softy." Eden said, kissing him on the lips this time. "Will you be able to relax and let Stan out of your thoughts . . . . cause I was thinking you could tonight."

"You have my full, undivided attention," Jake grinned. "So long as Stan stays where he is."

"Honestly I think he likes you. He always gets excited when you come around." She was being truthful but there was also a bit of tease to her voice. "Do you want to stay the night? That's what I meant when I said that earlier, it just didn't come out right. "

"Hmph." He grumbled a little at the notion of the spider holding affection for him, but he pushed the thought away. "I think I'd really like to stay over, yeah. Though I get the impression you don't mean late night movie this time?"

"No. I thought it might be nice to be close to you. Doesn't have to be sex, but I bet we'd both sleep well with some company. I'm so surprised you said you loved me first. I wasn't expecting that."

"Yeah. That." Jake shrugged awkwardly. "Slipped out there, didn't it?" He smiled. "Couldn't help but notice you said it back."

"I did and I do. But you're easy to love. I know I'm a good person but you have to admit I can be a little odd. I've often thought there weren't a lot of people in the universe who could love me."

"Eden, I wouldn't say odd. I would call you unique, exciting, and adorable. There aren't that many folks who were lost in time and came out the other side intact, either." He wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Frankly I thought my life was pretty boring until you came into it. Rather forcefully, i might add."

Eden smiled at him. "Not intentionally, well not really. I just usually don't care what people think of me. Or I try not to. But enough talking." She pulled away from him, reached for his hand and led him into the bedroom. The two were a bit distracted to notice as the lid on Stan's cage popped open again.

Eden Bowers
Chief Helmsman
SS Mary Rose

Jake Ford
Chief Armoury Officer
SS Mary Rose