Posted by Ensign Allison Fleet (Scientist) in Runabout to Athena

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Rovan Moor (Engineer/Pilot) in Runabout to Athena

Posted by Commander Luka (Executive Officer) in Runabout to Athena
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The trip to meet the Athena was excruciatingly long. Like waiting in the line for an exciting roller coaster, but stretched out over the course of several days. The excitement and anticipation were making each day take longer. It didn’t help that Allison didn’t really have a lot to do. Sure, she could interact with the other crew on their way to the Athena, but she found herself feeling antsy and unable to focus on any conversation for longer than a twenty minutes. She spent most of her time in the lounge with a sketchbook and pen, drawing the people and scenes that presented themselves to her.

Then finally, they arrived. The runabout came that was to take them from the station to the Athena, and she carried her small bag as she boarded the vessel. There wasn’t much in the bag. A few photographs in a paper folder, ready for replicated frames. An ancient uniform, somehow just as untouched by the ravages of time as her own body. A light green t-shirt with a Cavendish Tree Nursery logo embroidered above the heart. A Christmas mug that Aunt Mary had insisted she take with her. A pair of warm socks with mouse faces knitted into them. A small music player, complete with earbuds. And a small package wrapped in brown paper, containing a belated birthday present for one Rovan Moor.

The runabout was a little crowded, but she was able to find a seat. She pulled out her future-mp3-player and slipped the earbuds into her ears, starting up a track from an old musical from the early 2000s. Monte Cristo. It was a little dark, but the music was nice. With music in her ears, she settled in for the couple hours she assumed the runabout journey would take.

Allison Fleet

Only an hour into the journey, Allison and the other passengers would suddenly feel, and see by looking out of the view ports that the Runabout had dropped out of warp. Only half way to the Athena, and this wasn’t something that was on the itinerary.

A few moments would go by, and one of the crew, a young Trill Security Officer by the looks of his uniform suddenly did a double take as he walked past one of the view ports. “There’s another Runabout out there.” He said to the small group of new crew, “Not far away either.” Another new Science Officer, an Andorian, and a Human Engineer moved over to the young man and looked out the view port. Another, lonesome Runabout was visible a fair distance away, but none of the markings could be made out at this range.

Allison made her way to the view port, staring out the window along with everyone else who was confused by the turn of events. Her slight confusion and fascination with the strangeness of this situation soon turned to mild worry, however.

With a swoosh, the doors to the Runabouts small Bridge opened and the co-pilot walked out, holding a PaDD. Pausing just outside the door, the Lieutenant read the details on the PaDD and looked at the group of crew. “Ensign Allison Fleet?” She said, and looked up searching for the one who would respond. “I have new orders for you, you are to transfer to another Runabout immediately. Leave your kit, that will follow you later.”

Allison acknowledged the request for her response to her name, and listened to the words that followed. She took a few moments to fully absorb what the Lt. had said. Go to the other Runabout…? Alone? She stared at the woman, then grabbed her small bag from her seat and quietly shoved her mp3-player back into the front pocket, folding up the earbuds. “Well…” she looked at the other officers, smiling slightly. “Ah… it was nice to meet you all…”

Unknown to Allison, when she had turned her head and spoke to the other crew the Lieutenant addressing her had smiled gently. She was doing her best to keep a straight face, but had always been terrible at poker.

Tilting the PaDD towards the back of the Runabout the Lieutenant began to walk. “You make take whatever you have on hand now Ensign, you’ll be filled in when you get to the other ship.” She reached the ships transporter and input a series of co-ordinates, then looked up and waited for Allisons acknowledgement.

Lt j.g. Rovan Moor
Engineering/Pilot

She followed the Lt. quietly, still flabbergasted and somewhat frightened by this whole situation. Why would they order her onto a different runabout? Why just her? Was she in trouble? She stepped onto the Transporter and hugged her bag close to her chest. The contents of this bag were her only possessions and she wasn’t going to go into the maw of mystery without them.

Allison nodded slightly at the co-pilot, closing her eyes and awaiting the sensation of her atoms being disassembled and reassembled. She always hated Transporters. She couldn’t really describe why that was so, but it might have something to do with growing up in the era when they were only used for Cargo and seeing some of the disasters that happened when people tried transporting live specimens…

Ens. Allison Fleet, Science

The Lieutenant nodded, and pushed forward on the controls on the transporter. Within seconds, the swirling lights of energy and disintegration had disappeared, along with Allison. Tapping her comm-badge, she confirmed transport to the pilot, and immediately, the Runabout carrying the remainder of the crew jumped to Warp, leaving Allison alone on the other ship.

On the other Runabout, the pilot had acknowledged the first ship and then left the Bridge. He was the only person on this ship, his mission very specific and Allison was his target. As the man walked through the swish of the doors to the main cabin area, he was notably in no uniform and adjusting the cuffs and the collar on his stiff necked leather jacket. Calmly the man stood and looked over the transporter controls, he confirmed the receiving co-ordinates and then took a few steps towards the Padd. On the bench beside the Padd was a simple case, and he un-clipped it as the swirl of lights began to rebuild the woman before him. His eyes watched her for a second, before he opened the box and reached inside, taking the item from within. Bringing it before his eyes, he checked it over as her reformation was almost complete, then held it ready.

Allison completed the process of transportation, and was still clutching her bag to herself when everything came into view. For a brief moment, a few thoughts about transporters flickered through her mind, but that was quickly chased away by the sight that stood before her, causing her to drop her arms to her sides in shock, letting her small bag dangle.

He took a moment to look at her as the lights disappeared, his yellow, catlike eyes studying her. Every inch of the woman he had dreamed about, and felt guilty for ever leaving. A woman that at many points he wondered if he would ever talk to again, ever see again. That she was standing here now was something that he had only dreamed about a few weeks ago. His lips broke into a smile as the room around them disappeared for him, and only Allison and himself in that moment were all that mattered in the universe. In his hands he carried the photograph of the two of them, under ‘their’ tree on the Genesis. Attached to it was a single living Moon-blossom, closed as the moon was not out for it to bloom yet.

Allison’s breath was knocked out of her by the flood of emotions that tore through her. It was him. She stumbled forward slightly, letting her bag fall the last couple inches to the ground as she approached the man she had not seen for over a year. Her face flushed, the nerves she had felt stepping onto the Transporter pad now transformed into a mixture of relief and joy.

Rovan took the few steps forward that brought him directly to her, his free hand reaching out, gently caressing the soft skin on her cheek with his palm as he brought his own face in close to hers, but not touching. Like this he could still look into her eyes, eyes he had thought he might never look into again. He caught her scent and breathed gently, filling his lungs with her then slowly let it out as he gazed into her eyes, his thumb softly brushing her cheek. “Hey you.” He whispered to her. “You didn’t think I was going to be able to wait patiently, did you?”

Lt j.g. Rovan Moor
Engineer/Pilot

She was frozen for a few moments, initially unable to find the presence of mind to move. His words snapped her out of that stunned silence, and she slowly lifted her hand to his cheek, touching him just a little bit, almost afraid that it might not be real. “Rovan?” She asked uncertainly, her voice cracking. It only took a moment longer for her senses to confirm his presence. His existence. She forewent the staring into one another’s eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling herself against him in a tight hug, pressing her head against his heart so she could hear the gentle beat of eight chambers.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she hugged him, putting down the photo first and pulling her in tight and holding her just as firmly as she was him. She was real. Rovan could feel her head against his chest, her arms around him. He could hear her breathing and feel the rise of her chest against his. In that moment, the universe stood still. Everything went into slow motion, and he felt her tremble against him.

She was shaking a little. “Don’t you ever go on a secret mission without me again, you jerk,” she muttered into his shirt, inhaling the scent of him, locking that sensation in her memories. It would take some convincing to get her to let go at this moment.

Ens. Fleet, sci

Rovan laughed quietly, and adjusted his arms to hold her better and tighter. He dropped his head to hers, his cheek against her hair as he filled himself with the smell of her again. “You were always with me,” he told her, still almost whispering as he couldn’t bear to talk louder in case the universe woke up. “In my heart, where you have always been. I love you so much, Allison Fleet.” He squeezed her all the tighter, and raised a hand to run his fingers ever so gently through her hair.

“I’m not leaving you again,” he said to her, “I never want to be without you Allie. I’m sorry I went away, I’m here, and I’m yours.” He raised his head from hers and looked down at her, easy since she was a little shorter than him.

“No more secret missions, ok. I Got it.” Then he grinned at her and bit his lip slightly. “We have, a few hours. I arranged for a bit of time to do something before we get to the Athena. There’s something I want to show you. Come with me Allie, OK. Trust me, I’ve spent far too much time apart from you to just let you disappear into the Athena for endless Checkins. We have some time to be us.”

Lt j.g. Rovan Moor
Engineer/Pilot