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Posted on Thu Sep 16th, 2021 @ 7:05pm by Captain Björn Kodak & Andrew Munro

Mission: The Place of Skulls
Location: Captain's Quarters, Deck 2
Timeline: Mission Day 4 at 1800

[Captain's Quarters]
[Deck 2]
[MD 4: 1800 Hours]

Andrew sat on the sofa in the quarters that he shared with Björn. He tried to relax but knew he wouldn't be able to until he saw Björn again, until he could touch him again.

He'd spent the day in the bio lab, populating databanks with information coming in from the sensor scans, building a picture of the biome of the world that they were currently orbiting since it was normally out of bounds to Federation vessels. It was a way of keeping tabs on the away team too since most of the scans were conducted in support of the away team and he could infer what was going on from the data coming back even if he wasn't privy to the comms.

That hadn't been the best idea. He could tell there was some sort of trouble but could not get any further information or insight and that just left his stomach in knots with worry. Then the power outage happened and it felt like it lasted forever. There was nothing he could do but stay out of everyone's hair and trust that they could handle the situation. For comfort, he'd gone to the memory of Björn's hotel suite on Risa, where the captain had told him about the hairy situation with the Vidiians and how the crew had prevailed. The people on this ship were capable. It'd be alright.

Sure enough, the power came back eventually and the computer told him that the Captain was on the bridge. He'd stayed out of the way for the rest of the afternoon, going back to the data from the planet, but couldn't shake the lingering worry from the earlier events. He hoped that seeing Björn in person would take care of that.

The quarters looked strangely untouched, as though the day had been completely uneventful. It seemed both real and unreal at the same time. It unsettled him.

[Outside Corridor]
[Deck 2]
[Concurrent]

Björn stood outside the door to the quarters he shared with Andrew. Taking a deep breath, he wondered what would await him inside. Would Andrew be upset with him? Relieved to see him? Truth told, it was early enough in the relationship -- with this being the first test of the realities of Starfleet away missions -- that Björn just wasn't sure how his partner would react.

Björn, for his part, had quickly checked in via the comm earlier, once the Orion ships had bugged out of orbit and the Klingon ship was out of danger. But a quick comm call to let Andrew know he was OK wasn't the same thing as being able to see and feel that he was alright in person. He hoped, certainly, that a hug and a relieved smile awaited him on the other side of the door but he couldn't know for sure.

Reaching forward, Björn activated the door chime. Damnit, why did you just do that? he thought, sighing at being so discombobulated that he'd ring his own doorbell. He stepped forward then, shaking his head and raising his hands to ward off criticism as he entered his quarters. Spotting Andrew, the biggest, warmest smile he'd ever flashed the man sprang to his face.

"I'm so sorry for ringing the bell," Kodak began, moving forward towards Andrew. "I was out there for a few minutes, hoping you weren't going to be terribly upset with me, and I just kind of...lost my mind for a second," he laughed, reaching towards his paramour for a hug. "I'm so fucking happy to see you, handsome. It feels like a month since I last laid eyes on you," Björn conveyed in earnest, grabbing the bear of a man in front of him in the beariest of bear hugs. "Are you OK?" he asked, still holding Andrew in his arms.

The tension Andrew had been feeling melted away in the hug. It made him feel protected and like he'd been silly to have been worried. Rational thoughts and assessments of risk were banished to the back of his mind. It felt like there was nothing Björn couldn't overcome and he was content to bask for a few moments in that feeling and the embrace.

"I'm fine." Andrew said unconvincingly. "I've just been here, well in the lab technically, but safe on the ship."

Silence followed the statement. He was still being held tightly but Björn was clearly waiting for him to elaborate, to answer the question he was actually being asked.

"I'm fine now that you're here." The hug loosened so that they could look at each other face to face. Björn was smiling softly but his eyes conveyed a look of expectation. They said go on.

"OK, I wasn't fine earlier." Andrew admitted. "I was just trying to make myself useful in the lab, cataloging data coming back from the sensor scans, but I could tell something had gone wrong down there. Then the power went out up here. I just felt so useless, all I could do was sit and worry. There wasn't anything I could do to help anyone down there, or even up here."

"It's only been a few days since I got here." Andrew's expression changed to reflect the vulnerability that he'd felt earlier. "Is this normal?"

Björn pulled Andrew in for a renewed hug, squeezing the younger man and nuzzling his bearded cheek affectionately. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I can only imagine how helpless you probably felt. If it helps," he pulled back so they were face-to-face again, "I wouldn't say it's normal, no. The Captain doesn't usually leave the ship for away missions. It's just..." he sighed, "this whole hunt is apparently keyed to my DNA. I have to be on site to get the coordinates for each stop. We just didn't expect Klingons and Orions to show up and start meddling with our mission."

Björn pulled away further then, leading Andrew to the couch but still keeping his hands held in his own. The Chameloid lowered himself onto the comfortable cushions, his partner following suit. "The Orions hit us with some kind of energy dampening weapon. Similar to one used during the Dominion War by the Breen. Thankfully we have redundant backups and were able to overcome it but it took some time. None of which was anything you could do about, I know."

"But there is something you did do, boy," Björn rasped softly, squeezing Andrew's hands more tightly. "When I was down there squaring off against the Orions and then facing a collapsing ceiling, all I could think about was getting back to you. I kept thinking about this moment," he said, his eyes wide and warm, "when we could hold each other again and the world would be put back to rights. That kept me from taking unnecessary risks. Kept me grounded," Björn stressed.

Andrew cuddled into Björn as though the Captain himself were a comfortable cushion. He hadn't thought Björn would take unnecessary risks, but it was good to hear him confirm that. "I'm glad I was of some use then"

He looked into Björn's eyes and intuitively caught the question they held. "I don't regret leaving Risa, if you're wondering." He added a reassuring smile to the statement before continuing. "It was safe and comfortable but with risk comes reward." To underscore what he meant by reward, he returned the gentle hand squeeze.

"So are you any closer to finding your people?" Andrew asked, comforted but now curious.

"You know my mind well," Björn rasped warmly, comforted himself by the hugging and melting into-ness that was happening. "I'm very relieved to hear you say that, handsome." As to the question Andrew had posed, the Chameloid nodded quickly. "We've received coordinates for the next stop on this little scavenger hunt. And Doctor Ryan Walsh and Mr. Gonzalez brought a couple of Chameloid corpses and some artifacts to study onboard. Hopefully by the time we reach our next stop, we'll have some new insights into my people." At least, that was the hope. "Can't believe we have to lean on dead bodies and tapestries to learn about them."

It was Björn's turn to sink into the embrace, melding into Andrew as if the two were linked. The heat from both of their bodies mixed, the hair on their arms feathering together as skin met skin. "If you're really looking for a way to be helpful, I'm sure Lieutenant Pell and the Doctor could use your help with those bodies. That is..." his eyes began searching Andrew's, "if you are up to a grisly task? No pressure if not," he said and meant it. "You aren't a Starfleet Officer and I don't want to overwhelm you with something out of your comfort zone. But you might have some insights they could use?"

"I'd be happy to help," Andrew promised. "I'll admit that I've been curious about the remains. Your people have pretty amazing physiology yet not much is known about it."

Andrew ran a few fingers down Björn's chest in a teasing fashion. "Amazing physiology," he repeated, this time with a glint in his eye.

That glint was all it took. Björn's beginnings of a smile bloomed into an outright grin, the Chameloid's eyes carrying their own spark of mischief. "Oh, I'd be very happy to remind you just how amazing, boy," Björn chuckled, then reached up to gently hold the right side of Andrew's bearded cheek. With his hand, he tipped the man's head so that he could lean in for a kiss. It was warm and wet, but not overly so. Hands roved over clothes as Björn's intensity amped, the older and stronger of the two men moving to straddle and pin Andrew down. Another kiss was planted, this one with both of their bodies writhing together in the soft light of their shared quarters.

"I do believe I need a bath," Björn eventually said, letting Andrew finally breathe; the man was, however, still pinned. As for the need of washing, it was true: the shaking of the underground ruin's ceiling had left much dust and detritus on Björn's hair, face, hands, and uniform. He was kind of filthy, all told. Which was why he rose from the couch and pulled Andrew up with him. Tugging the man's shirt up over his head, Björn revealed Andrew's fuzzy chest and then tossed the shirt aside, reaching up to run his hand through the mass of soft strands there.

"Why don't you run us some water, handsome? Extra bubbles, hmm? I," Björn smiled wide, "will replicate the champagne. We've a lot to celebrate."

"Aye, Sir," Andrew grinned and disappeared off into the bathroom. He'd been surprised to discover that the Captain's quarters contained a small hot tub and had been looking forward to trying it out.


=/\= A joint post by... =/\=

Captain Björn Kodak
Commanding Officer
USS Sojourner

and

Doctor Andrew Munro
Civilian Biologist
USS Sojourner