Formalities

Posted on Sun Nov 7th, 2021 @ 3:34am by Lieutenant Commander Emni t'Nai & Lieutenant Irynya & Lieutenant Kennedy Ryan Walsh

Mission: The Place of Skulls
Location: Junior Crew Quarters - Deck 4, XO's Quarters - Deck 3
Timeline: Mission Day 31 at 0630

[Deck 4, Junior Crew Quarters]
[MD 31, 0630 Hours]

Kennedy Ryan Walsh was pacing in the common area of the quarters. It had been a day since he woke up next to Irynya. That morning he watched her sleep for ten minutes before the alarm woke her up since Sheldon was due to be back from his night shift. He stopped pacing while he looked at the replicator. He stepped forward, "Irish Breakfast Tea. Hot."

The tea was replicated and he picked it up from the tray. Bringing it to his lips. Warm to the touch as he took a slight slip. In the corner of his eye, Irynya appeared into the common room, "Good morning. Do you want me to order you a tea? Coffee? Water?"

Irynya grinned, stretching with a yawn, her ever-contrary t-shirt hiking up her waist and exposing a band of tan skin along her midriff. Absently she tugged it back down, taking her time walking over to Kennedy where he stood. "Coffee, hot, two sugars and cream," she told the replicator with a chuckle before leaning in and pressing her lips to his quickly.

"Good morning," she said, reveling in the freedom of simply kissing Kennedy whenever she pleased. "How did you sleep?"

She looked him over then, noting that he was already fully dressed, uniform in immaculate pressed condition as if he was about to report to a flag officer rather than the ship's XO.

He rose an eyebrow with curiosity if he had earned to be kissed at 0630. She didn't need an invitation to do so it was welcoming but it still felt alien to him to be in a relationship of this kind. He smiled briefly while she ordered something for herself, "I slept okay, I think I slept better with you than I had done so previously."

She gave him a soft look, reaching around him to pluck the now materialized coffee mug from the replicator and holding it to the side so she could kiss him again.

"That's usually how it works," she remarked. "At least for me. I've always slept better with a partner than on my own."

She turned, taking her coffee to the small round table as she did and perching on the edge of the nearest chair, resting her elbows on her knees while she cradled the cup of coffee. She took a long sip, sighing at the warmth and familiarity of the beverage.

"You ready for our appointment?" she asked curiously.

He repeated her action while taking a sip of his tea. He nodded to her, "I can see why." He leaned over giving her a small peck against her cheek. Then he wiped his hand down her cheek worried he may have drizzled some tea down his chin, "Yeah, I've been up for an hour already."

She eyed him over her mug, curious and trying to not to giggle at him. "You know this is pretty standard procedure, right?" she asked. "It's a formality, that's all."

"You know I love formality," Kennedy replied matter-of-factly. His cheeks rosened up just for the occasion, "But not as much as I love you of course." Kennedy went back to sip his tea. "Shall we?"

She glanced at him, a bemused look on her face as she held her arms wide, careful to balance her mug as she held it out to the side. "Can I get dressed first?" she asked with a wink.

"Right," Kennedy looked over his girlfriend with a soft smile and rosened cheeks. "I'll sit down on the couch and wait for you to get ready." He started to walk to the couch but did a one hundred and eighty-degree turn on his feet in a fluid motion and came back to kiss her on the cheek before proceeding back to the couch.

Setting her mug on the table she stood, chuckling at him. "5 minutes," she said, and then disappeared into her room. Four minutes later she reappeared, fully uniformed. One hand held her hair together at the base of her neck, head tilting forward, as the other maneuvered a clear band around her long locks, pulling them into the ponytail that she wore on duty. a few tugs at the hair between the band and her head adjusted so that it pulled to her side. Long fingers rearranged it down her front.

"Ready with a minute to spare," she said, grinning at him. She held out her hand.

He had finished his tea within the four minutes that it took her to get ready and he was quickly on his feet as soon as she left her room. He walked over returning his teacup to the replicator, pressing the button to dematerialize and taking her hand. He smiled at her bringing her hand to his lips and giving her hand a quick peck before lowering it down between them, "Shall we?"

-----

[XO's Quarters, Deck 3]
[0700 Hours]

Emni had co-opted Commander Takomi's quarters for an office. It felt odd to her. This wasn't her room. While she was acting in the role of executive officer that position wasn't permanent and it didn't make sense to move quarters if she was simply going to relinquish the position to a more senior or more experienced officer. So she had compromised and had taken to using the living area of the quarters as an office in the way she would if these were actually her rooms.

She had been surprised by Kennedy's request for an early morning meeting, but had agreed, rolling out of bed a bit earlier than she would have liked so she could move up a deck to the office space. She had just returned to the desk in this space with a fresh cup of coffee when the chime sounded.

"Come," she called, lifting the cup to her lips and blowing lightly before sipping.

Kennedy hesitated at first. His anxieties had started to bring him to an early spiral. He found himself taking Irynya by the hand, gently, and giving her hand a slight squeeze. He looked over at her and knew they were making the right decision here to go on record. Offering her a smile once the door swooshed open, he gestured for Irynya to enter the room first, pulling his hand away from hers temporarily.

Irynya squeezed back reassuringly before he let go. She knew Kennedy was nervous--it was written in every bit of his demeanor. The way he held himself and the way his expression wavered slightly from resolve to nervousness gave him away. "Formality," she whispered to him before stepping through the door.

Emni's eyebrow crept up as Irynya entered the XO’s living space. She had been expecting Kennedy and hand’t anticipated Irynya's inclusion in this meeting. When Kennedy stepped into the room behind her though, nervousness practically screaming at her, she understood. A small smile crossed her features as she acknowledged them.

"Lieutenants," she said, looking between the two of them--Irynya calm and collected and Kennedy barely able to keep still. "Can I get you something to drink? Please make yourselves comfortable." She gestured to the small couch along the exterior wall.

"Wa-w-water please, Doctor t'Nai," Kennedy nervously ticked. He made a small clicking sound with his tongue against the side of his mouth. Unfamiliar with the sound he had made, he took a deep breath. His hand refound Irynya's and he brought them over to the couch that Emni had pointed out. He repositioned himself to sit down at precisely the same time as Irynya.

"Coffee would be lovely," Irynya told the Romulan doctor-cum-XO. Her eyes darted to Kennedy, unable to miss the nervousness in his mannerisms. She found herself wishing she could offer him some of her calm. This, though, was simply one of the firsts he was going to have to go through. People were going to learn about their relationship--probably sooner than later. And it was better to get ahead of any questions their superiors might have than to wait.

Emni turned to the replicator, considering the dynamic between the two. Irynya's emotional fingerprint was no more or less calm than usual. If anything Emni would have described her as alert. Her former ACMO's emotions, however, were rapidly creeping toward anxiety. As she ordered the beverages it occurred to her that she had not encountered them both in the same space for several weeks. The change in their interactions was notable when she thought of it now.

Turning back to the couch, drinks in hand, she found they were both sitting, Kennedy's hand clasping Irynya's tightly. Her eyes took in that detail quickly, before focusing on their faces.

Setting the drinks on the small table before them, she offered them both a smile. "What can I do for you?"

Kennedy watched Dr. t’Nai bring over their refreshments to the small coffee table in front of them, eying his water glass. He glanced at Irynya and thought, Off with the bandaid, I suppose. He looked down at his feet, taking a deep breath, before refocusing on the task at hand. He reached for the water, taking a sip to ease the dryness of his throat. He finally looked up to Dr. t’Nai, “Doctor t’Nai, Irynya and I are now in a relationship, and following Starfleet regulation and protocol it is our duty to report it to the first officer. That being you... of course.”

Emni looked between the two of them, meeting Kennedy’s eyes and then Irynya’s before turning back to the Acting CMO. “I’ll make note of it and advise the Captain,” she said evenly. “Neither of you reports to the other and you’re equal in rank, so I don’t see a conflict of interest.” She picked up a PADD that had been sitting on the coffee table, tapping quickly to bring up both personnel files.

As she typed she asked. “Do either of you have concerns related to the chain of command or your ability to perform your duties?”

Kennedy took a long sip of his water. He shook his head--stopping midway through to look over at Irynya in case she had any concerns relating to Doctor t’Nai’s question.

Irynya returned Emni’s smile, sipping the coffee as if they were simply here for a social visit. “No concerns here, ma’am.”

Kennedy nodded his head, “I don’t have any concerns myself.”

Emni nodded, tapping a quick command onto the PADD before setting it down. “Ok,” she said simply. “Your records have been updated. If there are no concerns then I don’t know that there is anything sle to discuss specifically on this front. Was there anything else you wanted to speak with me about?”

“That’s… everything?” Kennedy looked over at Irynya and then Dr. t’Nai. He was relieved this had been short, but being a lover of rules, protocol, and formality he was slightly disappointed.

Irynya squeezed his hand again encouragingly, pursing her lips to keep from chuckling.

Emni couldn’t help a quick look over at Kennedy as a wave of relief crested, tinged by disappointment. “Were you expecting something more… in-depth?” she asked the Irishman.

“Declarations... maybe a form for us to fill and sign.” Kennedy’s cheeks flushed. “If I had known this was simplified and streamlined, I wouldn’t have been up at a quarter after five.” He gave her a slight smile, “I don’t have any concerns at all, Dr. t’Nai.”

“You’re both consenting adults,” she said with a small smile and a half shrug. “As long as it doesn’t impact your duties then there’s no need for more information. What you do off duty is at your discretion.”

She tried to look encouraging then, recalling the conversation she and Kennedy had shortly after arriving on the Sojourner. She was curious, certainly, how their relationship had evolved to the point where reporting it was advisable, but she was also the XO and so she held back any questions.

Irynya had, in the short window of the conversation, managed to down most of the coffee. She set the cup carefully back on the table and, standing, tugged Kennedy up along with her. “Thank you Dr. t’Nai,” she said simply, a grin spreading across her features as she said it. Dropping Kennedy’s hand she came around the table, pausing only to wait for him to join her.

“Yes, Dr. t’Nai,” he nodded his head while Irynya had towed him up from his spot on the couch. He smiled at her. He wanted to kiss her at that moment, but Dr. t’Nai was still watching them. “I don’t think Dr. t’Nai has dismissed us yet. Are we dismissed, Doctor?”

Emni did chuckle then, “You are, Lieutenant,” she said with a small amused shake of the head. Her coffee mug came to her lips and she took a sip to keep from any further laughter.

He took a sip of his water before placing it down beside Irynya’s coffee mug, “Thank you for your time this morning, Dr. t’Nai.” He walked towards Irynya and offered her his hand.

A Joint Post By:

Lieutenant Emni t'Nai
Acting Executive Officer

Lieutenant JG Kennedy Ryan Walsh
Acting Chief Medical Officer

Lieutenant JG Irynya
Acting Chief Flight Controller