Amusing Bits

Posted on 21 Dec 2019 @ 4:47am by Lieutenant Commander True Keading & Captain Jonathan Reynolds

Mission: Mission 2 - The Agora crossroads
Location: Captains ready room
Timeline: 16:30
2163 words - 4.3 OF Standard Post Measure

True stood outside his office and pressed the chime. She figured it was best to be honest with him and head off any worries he had about Eddie and this new girl that True planned to introduce him to. The doors swished open and she smiled at him. "I'm coming to see you about something I'm about to put into motion and I thought you might like to discuss it privately."

Jon raised his eyebrows not sure what to expect. She was a mix of emotions right now. "Okay what are you wanting to put in motion?" he asked standing up and walking round his desk, leaning on it slightly to look at her.

"I'm going to introduce Eddie to someone. They're far too young to get into too much trouble and the poor girl is lonely, she's been on the outer rim for a long time with her family. She needs a friend. I thought I might take her with me to Eddie's game night. They're close to the same age . . . so I thought they could be friends." She waited with her breath slightly held for his answer.

Jon looked at her for a moment then his face changed several times as if trying to figure out what he was feeling. "Hang on hang on ….. your setting up my son. Friends. Eddies crushing on every woman on the ship. Hes a big bag of walking hormones …. who just keeps eating …." Jon was suddenly pacing. "Have you noticed just how much hes eating lately …

but I digress. He can't be friends with a girl. Hes in puberty ….. Hell he even had a chick back on the station …. not that I'm meant to know about that …. " he paced back and turned to look at her suddenly. "True hes not ready for proper girl territory. Hes …. hes still 8 in my head."

"I'm not setting them up, I'm giving him the skills he's going to need when he's older. You can't lock him away and not let him talk to any girls until he's 18. And he's not 8 anymore," She smiled at Jon, it was perhaps a smile she didn't feel as she was nervous. "And he can be friends with a girl. I really don't think you need to worry about this. Tia is a bit . . . different. She's been kind of sheltered and needs the practice of talking and making friends too. She won't let him get away with anything, it's not in her nature. She's observant and clear headed."

"Your setting him up with a girl whos not interested in him?" Jon said confused.

"Come on your setting him up. Even if its not "proper girl" territory its still introducing him to a girl who you know hes gonna fall hook line and sinker for. And yes okay hes not 8. I'm struggling with some parent thing I clearly didn't realise I had going to there …. is there a clinical name?" he asked. He paced again.

"I have a headache," he said suddenly.

"Why? Is it to help bond with him? Now we kind of took some bigger steps. Eddies a part of the package of course. ….. Because you don't need too. Your good there. He adores you. More than he needs to believe me. But thats just a phase, he will grow out of that. Or is that it? Is he making you uncomfortable with his crush? So move the crush?" he asked. That made some sense.

"She hasn't met him yet," True reminded him. "I'm just saying that she might warm up to him. I really have no idea what will happen. I only know that I can look at the girl and see she's struggling. It doesn't hurt to give her a bit of a push, especially in someone like Eddie's direction because he's so outgoing and friendly. Maybe it will help her loosen up a bit. And it's more that I'm killing two birds with one stone." True approached him and placed fingers on his forehead which she moved in circular motions, hopefully massaging away his headache. "Yes, there's a clinical term for that, it's called being a parent. And I know I'm not a parent and I certainly don't know everything but I'm pretty confident that it won't hurt either of them to put them in the same room with adult supervision for a couple of hours. I'll be there," True reminded him.

Jon calmed almost instantly when she placed her fingers on his forehead. He was suddenly caught up in sensing the calmness and caring nature of his girlfriend very intensely.

"I guess I'm freaking out a little," he muttered pulling her towards him and wrapping his arms round her waist.

"Yes, but it's okay," she assured him, not minding at all being pulled toward him.

"Of course she needs friends and help to integrate to her new surroundings. And I trust you to supervise anyone on this ship ….. Look I'm sorry if …. its making you uncomfortable. It will just be a fleeting crush. I was that age. Trust me. It will work its way out his system. I didn't realise how bad it was. But perhaps this is a good move. Get him in the direction of girls his own age. I hate being a parent sometimes," he groused.

"It's not that bad, I'm just worried that if I'm too nice to him it will linger a bit longer and my first thought is to be nice to him. I don't want any hard feelings between us. And no you don't. You've done a fantastic job with Eddie."

He placed a soft kiss on her lips and nodded. "Okay put it in motion. Theres something else though isn't there?" he cocked his head. She was focusing so much on him and this, it felt like she was trying to block out some other emotions.

"Well I wasn't going to mention it because you said you had a headache but since you asked . . . One of the reasons I've just said you have done such a fantastic job with Eddie. He's just had to cheer me up in your quarters. Charlotte came to see me and I don't think it went very well." True replied honestly.

Jon reached up and placed his fingertips on her forehead mirroring her earlier action. "What did she say to you?" he asked softly. "I don't want you being upset."

"Oh you know, a lot of stuff." True shrugged. "Honestly she was trying to provoke me. I never really got angry, but she did make me think about a lot of things. And she pretty much forbade me from going to Eddie's game night."

Jon's eyebrows rose. "Why? Thats ridiculous. I'll speak to her. And I know you wouldn't get angry. You're the calmest person I know on this ship.

What things did she make you think about?" he asked.

"Your family, your mother, Eddie's position in the scheme of things there. I think Eddie could sense some of my emotions. He spent a bit talking to me about Betazoid culture and your mother. I just feel like now I need some tea and a cookie. And Eddie insisted I come to his game, no matter what his mother said."

Jon stood up walked to the replicator and got her a cup of tea and cookie. Handing it to her he said, "If Eddie wants you at his game then you go to his game. Charlottes clearly just … well I don't know … something weird but she can't order you not to be in his life. Shes going to have to get used to the fact you and I are together. And having you in my life involves you also being in my sons.

His nose wrinkled and he tried to put her a little bit at ease with a joke, "My mother … she was trying to scare you. Thats bringing the big guns out."

"Yeah, I nearly considered contacting her." True said, savoring the smell of the tea. She was smiling about him delivering what she had asked for without really thinking about it. "But I decided not to. She doesn't know me and talking over subspace isn't going to help her with that. She'll have to meet me in person sometime so she can poke around in my brain." True teased back.

Jon paled a little bit. These different aspects of his world colliding he just wasn't really ready for yet. One thing at a time and currently Charlotte and her spite or anger or whatever she was channelling had reared its head first.

"Why …. erm why did you want to speak to my mother?"

"I don't know," True said watching the color drain from his face. "I guess I was curious what she would think of me. But I didn't contact her."

"Oh I can tell you that …." he said seriously. "She is going to hate you …. but just remember thats at first. She really does take a little while to warm up to new people. And your not Betazoid. Shes not picked you as my mate. She knows nothing about you. We can't just blindside her. I need to slowly start a process there. I'm really glad you didn't True ……" he said grabbing her cookie and taking a bite.

"You make a really terrible counselor," True said, trying to laugh it off. It was far from how she felt however.

"I can't lie to you. My mothers complicated and a difficult aspect of my life at times. I was really hoping I could keep you both separate for a while. Not because I don't want you to meet her …." he said firmly. "Its nothing like that. Its because I wanted to shield you from all the stupid Betazoid pomp and her well hating you to begin with.

Families complicated," he groused. "Being a son of an upper house is complicated."

True sighed. "I guess. I wonder what my aunt would think of you? She'd kind of opinionated but she's never treated anyone I brought home with anything but kindness, not that there were a lot of them. Vern will be harder, but I have never seen him hate anyone. He's just . . . careful."

Jon nodded. "How's about I meet Vern before you have to meet mother?" he suggested.

"Okay. Maybe the Europa can meet us somewhere." True suggested. "I haven't seen his ship yet. I'm sure he'd give us a tour."

"I look forward to it," Jon smiled. "Do you feel any better now?"

"You're half Betazoid, you're supposed to know what I'm feeling," she teased him and then used her hand to say 'so so'. "I'll be fine." She stood on her tip toes and kissed him before picking up her tea. "You ate my cookie though. I might not forgive that so easily." She was already heading toward the door. "Oh, and I'll let you know how things go with Tia."

"Well yeah I do but its always better to talk it out," Jon shrugged, "And I had one bite …" He pulled her back and kissed her once more with a bit more passion. "Let me make that up to you," he said with a grin.

"Hmmm . . . I will think about that. I'm sure I can come up with some form of payment." She was going to enjoy coming up with something. True smirked.

"Definitely report back. I need to have some idea of what hes up too. Is he making friends? settling in right? Behaving? I keep getting pulled here there and everywhere. I worry I will miss stuff. Hell you have been invited to Game night. I didn't even know he played games any more," he said after her as she made to leave. Like she said he wasn't 8 anymore. So whatever he was playing likely wasn't scrabble and new market cards like his nan had taught them all.

"Take one of our nights that we are usually together and spend it with Eddie instead. Do an activity or just sit and talk. I'm sure he'd like that and so would you. And you can sneakily ask him about any new friends he's made. Course he'll know I'll tell you everything anyway," she chuckled. "But I do have to run so," she kissed him again, really not wanting to pull from his arms this time. "Try not to worry."

"I know. Hes becoming a man and doesn't need me as much. I gotta face that. But … "he grinned, "At least I have you."

"He'll always need you. And you do, I'm not going anywhere I promise. Except to my next counseling appointment which I'm almost late for." She kissed him on the cheek and dashed out the door before he could get another word in or grab her once more.

OFF:

●●● Commander Jonathan Reynolds
Captain
USS Andromeda


●● Lieutenant True Keading
Chief Counselor
USS Andromeda