The Promotion

Posted on Mon Dec 27th, 2021 @ 10:01pm by Lieutenant Kennedy Ryan Walsh & Lieutenant Irynya

Mission: Starbase Shoreleave
Location: Sickbay, Junior Crew Quarters
Timeline: Mission Day 6 at 1030

[ Main Sickbay ]
[ Mission Day 6 1030 ]

Kennedy watched both Captain Kodak and Doctor t’Nai leave Main Sickbay. He was at a loss for words about his promotion to Lieutenant. He hadn’t noticed his Tellarite Nurse pat him on the back, “Congratulations on your promotion, Young Doctor.”

“Thank you, Nurse,” Kennedy smiled while Lal gathered nearby. She offered him the kindest and sincerest smile, “I couldn’t do this without support from both of you. So thank you so much for supporting me.”

He looked over to Lal, “Should I go tell her?” He asked her nervously, uncertain, “Or should I wait until tonight? Oh right… I made a reservation the other night for her and I… I should let her know about that too. I am sure she will want to celebrate… I’m not the celebrating kind…”

The Trill nurse chuckled lightly. “If you want to go tell her there’s nothing urgent happening here. We can hold things together until you’re back.” She offered the man an encouraging smile. His uncertainty was sweet and she was reminded of younger days in the early throes of a romance. “Go…” she finally said, pointedly with a laugh.

He nodded his head, “Then I’ll go. I’ll be back soon, if anything comes up, you can reach me on this trusty thing.” He pointed at the combadge and there was jump in his step as he left Sickbay, “Computer. Locate Lieutenant Irynya.”

The computer chirped, “Irynya is in Deck 4, in assigned junior crew quarters.”

[Deck 4, Junior Crew Quarters]
[Concurrent]

The blue-purple pulse of the sonic shower beat down on Irynya’s neck, a trickle of water accompanying it. Her eyes were closed, clenched shut, and she was counting under her breath.

“Eight.” Breathe in. Breathe out.

“Nine.’ Breathe in. Breathe out.

“Ten.” Breathe in. Breathe out.

Hazel eyes fluttered open. Her heart was still thumping loudly in her chest, but the weight of it had lessened. She had been working her way slowly back to using the sonic showers in her quarters–this breathing exercise a part of her process of staying calm when the claustrophobic anxiety wanted to claw its way in.

One tan palm pawed at the control panel, shutting off the water and stopping the tanzanite pulse. She looked at the controls then, letting out a shaky breath before pressing the door release. Blue wavy glass shifted and opened and she let out a sigh of relief, snagging her towel and wrapping it around her.

[ Deck 4, Corridor ]
[ Concurrent ]

Kennedy kept looking down at the full Lieutenant pips on his collar. He stopped mid-stride in the corridor once he came to the junior quarters he shared with Irynya, Noah and Sheldon. He frowned. He knew he would see Irynya and Noah just as much as before, or would make an attempt, but in this moment he felt like he was leaving behind his safety net. He took a deep breath and moved forward to open the door.

“Irynya?” He called her name out. The door to the washroom swooshed open, revealing Irynya wearing a towel. His cheeks reddened, but his doubt shifted, “How… did the showering… go?” He nervously took a few steps forward.

The Risian’s eyes widened at the sight of Kennedy standing in the common area. She had thought she was alone in their quarters so had dispensed with the usual courtesy of throwing clothes back on in the bathroom. A squiggle of nerves ran through her, making her immensely aware of her state of dress.

She took a half step toward Kennedy and then her eyes darted to her room. She was more worried about making him uncomfortable than she was about anything else. A half moment’s more hesitation and she sighed. They were dating. This was silly. She headed for him, making sure to keep careful hold of her towel as she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“It went ok,” she said. “Still have to work on calming myself down, but I made it the whole way through without stopping…” she trailed off, backing up slightly to inspect him as it occurred to her that he was supposed to be in Sickbay.

“Kennedy…” she said… “You’re wearing lieutenant’s pips…” A huge grin spread across her face.

Kennedy gently placed his hands on both sides of her hips, careful not to adjust the balance of the towel around her. He smiled when she kissed him on the cheek before returning a kiss of his own on her lips softly, surprising himself.

“They are lieutenant pips. And… you’re also looking at… the Sojo’s… new… Chief Medical Officer.”

“Kennedy!” Irynya’s voice pitched high. “That’s huge!” Her eyes sparkled. For a moment she fidgeted, resisting the urge to throw both arms around him in a hug that would, without question, drop the towel. She settled on wrapping one arm around him, quickly, before pulling away. “Give me one second…” she said with a grin before darting off to her room.

She emerged a moment later in t-shirt and sweatpants, bare feet padding across the floor and wet hair the only tell that she had just been in the shower. Without pausing, she closed the space between her door and her boyfriend, wrapping both arms around him in a tight hug. “I am so proud of you,” she muttered into his shoulder before she pulled back to look at him.

He wrapped his arms around her and leaned his forehead against her shoulder, “Thank you. They… the Captain and Doctor t’Nai…” he then corrected, “Commander t’Nai… just promoted me… and I just wanted to come tell you…” He then smiled, “Want to celebrate with me tonight? I made reservations at the lounge Nurse Lal took Dogrov and I the other night for tonight… because I want to take you out on a date… we could celebrate my promotion and us?”

“Commander t’Nai…” Irynya echoed, understanding dawning on her face. “That is going to take some getting used to.”

She stepped back, one hand sliding down to hold onto his and bounced up on her toes for a moment. “We’re going on a date?” she asked, amusement and excitement warring for prominence… “A date that you have planned?”

Kennedy’s cheeks brightened into a pinkish-red with a large smile across his face. He nodded his head quickly, “Yes…” in a whisper, “a date… I planned…” he was nervous, “does that sound… good?”

“It sounds perfect,” Iry replied. Her cheeks were beginning to feel like the grin she was wearing would become permanent. “What time do I need to be ready to go?”

“We should leave the Sojo around 1930? Our reservation period is between 2015 to 2030.”

Her nose wrinkled with a happy sort of expression, freckles shifting as she did. “I’ll be ready and waiting by 1920,” she said. “But if you are going to be ready by 1930, you should get back to your shift.”

“I should get going,” Kennedy quickly kissed her on the lips and then on the cheek before parting away from her. “Love you, Irynya. See you tonight.”

Eyes sparking, she tugged him back over to her, kissing him more fully than he had kissed her making sure he was all, but dizzy, by the time she released him. “Congratulations,” she smirked at his expression when she pulled away, “Lieutenant.”

“Thank you,” Kennedy smiled, “See you tonight.” He moved to the door, paused for a beat. Then turned around running to her to gently brush a kiss on her lips before heading back to the door, “One last kiss before I go… that’s a reward… for you showering. I know it’s been hard, but I’m proud of you.” He gave her a reassuring smile, “See you tonight.”

She shook her head, amusement on her features. “See you tonight,” she said before making a shooing motion toward the door. “Go.”

Kennedy nodded his head, “See you tonight.”

He stepped out into the corridor and looked over his shoulder until the door swooshed closed behind him.