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Quarters - Dekker

Posted May 12, 2019, 12:25 a.m. by Lieutenant Sage Brennan (CMO) (D Grisham)

Posted by Lieutenant Riley Dekker (CNS & 2O) in Quarters - Dekker

Posted by Lieutenant Sage Brennan (CMO) in Quarters - Dekker

Posted by Lieutenant Riley Dekker (CNS & 2O) in Quarters - Dekker
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The night Sage had the argument with Calvin and stomped from their quarters, she headed straight for Riley. The computer said he was in his quarters so she made a beeline there, still angry and confused about the situation. She didn’t usually traipse around the ship in such casual attire, but there hadn’t been time to change into something more public oriented.

Pushing back her hair from her forehead, she reached up and rang the chime. She had no idea if he was alone or if David was there too. It didn’t matter. She needed to talk some things out and both men were intelligent enough to help.

—Sage

The door opened and there was David, still in his uniform, holding a glass of a dark brown liquid. He smiled as he saw her and then he held out the glass to her.

“You look like you could use this more than me,” he said. “Come on in, Riley’s just in the shower. I just got done a late shift on the Bridge.”

She eyes the glass. “Actually, if you have vodka I’d be more than happy to join you in a drink.” She’d never acquired a taste for the darker liquors, but had made do with them on occasion. As she stepped into the room, Sage looked around for Riley.

A keen eye might notice some of David’s belongings in the quarters, most noticeably the 19th century Sabre sword hanging on the wall.

-David Michaels

“Is he here? I really need to talk to to him…to you…” She sighed. “I need some advice.”

—Sage

“Yes, he’s here,” David said. “Knowing Riley he probably already knows that you’re here.” David gave Sage a wink.

As if on cue the Counselor emerged from the sleeping area, pulling a t-shirt over his lean frame, his hair still damp from the shower he’d just finished. It was the time of day he cherished most, when he could wash away the activity of the day, slip into comfortable clothes and enjoy a drink with David. The two had had many nights like this over the years, but since David had taken up residence in Riley’s quarters it was becoming a firmer part of their routine.

“Sage, what a pleasant surprise,” he crossed the space between them, leaning in to give his friend a peck on the cheek. “Come on in. I’m sure we can scrounge up a drink more to your taste.”

He took the glass David had offered Sage and availed himself of the offer she had declined, looking to David to fetch himself a refill and Sage a vodka. Riley led Sage to the couch. It had been a while since the two had a chance to talk and so much had happened in the intervening weeks.

“So you’re a Captain’s wife now?” he asked, suspecting that more than anything had sent his friend to his door.

Dekker, CNS

Sage hesitated mid step and looked at Riley. “That’s the problem I need to talk about.” She continued over to the couch and had a seat.

David smiled as Riley took the drink he had initially poured for himself. He gave the man a quick peck of a kiss on the cheek. “I’m going to go change, you two talk.” He gave Sage a friendly pat on the shoulder, then disappeared into the other room.

David reemerged a few minutes later, dressed in more casual sweat shorts and a hooded shirt. He walked over and poured himself a drink, one he planned on actually drinking this time, and then made his way over towards the sofa where Riley and Sage sat. He snuggled in between Riley and the arm of the sofa, smiling, as not to interrupt the conversation.

-David Michaels, CSO

With David leaving the room to change clothes, Riley supplied Sage with the drink she preferred; vodka with a twist, over ice. As David slid into the spot next to Riley, she looked from one mans face to the other, then from Riley’s wet hair to David’s now casual clothing. One corner of her mouth raised in a teasing smile. “So…the two of you seem rather cozy here. Is there some news I should be made aware of?”

While waiting for one of them to answer, she took a healthy gulp of the drink and inwardly sighed as it made its way down her throat.

—Sage

bump

Yes, get back to this. I think all of my biggest fans are in one room together.
Luke

OOC: Yes, it does look that way!!! LOL!

Riley let a smile curl the corner of his mouth, “I may have asked David to move in.”

Sage squealed with girlish glee. “Yay! Its about time!!” She was delighted that someone’s relationship was moving forward, unlike hers.

He looked at the man who had been his steadfast partner for several years now, the absurdity of how long it had taken them to get to this step in their relationship not lost on the Counselor. Riley had always resisted restrictions and it had taken many talks with Julien and Sage for him to realize that progressing in his relationship with the Chief Science Officer held a real promise of freedom.

“I like to think of it as a parting gift to Julien. He was convinced this was the right move for us. I was a little slow, but I’ve come around,” Riley smiled at David. “Thankfully the man left a lot of his stuff in the future, so he doesn’t overcrowd the space.”

Riley laughed and took a swallow of his drink. He knew the novelty of living together made the transition fun, but that bumps would lie in the road ahead. But it was David. They’d get through it. If they could track down his devious ex-lover to Risa, they could manage sharing a closet.

“So,” he turned his attention back to Sage and her situation, “how are you dealing with all the changes happening here?”

Dekker, CNS

She took a long drink from her glass. “I’m really sorry to be a downer, guys, but Cal and I…no…I am having some real trouble accepting Calvin’s new position and as you can imagine, he’s feeling like I’ve never supported his ascension in the ranks.” Sage sank back into the couch and sighed. “I can’t even talk to him about it, he just starts lambasting me with how selfish I am…” God, she hoped her two friends wouldn’t agree with Cal on that.

—Sage

Riley thought back to a drunken conversation he’d had with the XO, at Marius’s instigation. It had nothing to do with promotions or rank, but it was insightful enough for him to know that Sage and Marius had issues in the area of communication. The new CO had a stubborn streak, especially when he was certain his course of action was correct and it could act as a barrier to his understanding of others’ perspectives. Riley’s dark eyes found David for a moment. He knew the type well. Of course, Riley’s empathic abilities helped him navigate David’s more individualistic traits. Sage had a good read on people, but it wasn’t the same.

“Okay,” he returned his attention to his friend, “tell me what happened. What did you say to Marius when you found out about his elevation to the center seat?”

Dekker, CNS

She shrugged. “I don’t honestly remember word for word, but it upset him.” She frowned as she tried to remember exactly what was said. “It all happened very fast. Julien’s departure was a surprise to all of us but he managed to promote Cal before he left. He’d just shown me the new pip. I remember I still had the box in my hand when he turned the monitor in our quarters towards me and said Fleet had decided to give him the Genny.”

Sage rose from the couch and began to pace the floor slowly. “I told Cal I didn’t want him to be the Captain and things escalated from there.” There was a lot more to explain, but Riley had asked her what she had said and as bad as it sounded, she told him.

—Sage

Riley could only imagine Marius’s feelings at that. He doubted the man saw it coming. He could ask Sage how her husband responded, how their discussion spiraled to the point she’d found herself at his door, but he had a different curiosity.

“Why don’t you want him to be Captain?”

Dekker, CNS

She sighed and turned to look at the two men. “I need to explain something first. Cal has never wanted to lead, never wanted to be part of command, but he’s taken every promotion and step up that’s been offered to him. I, on the other hand, have always wanted command. I’ve been on the Genny for 11 years now and not one promotion that would help me reach that goal. When Cal and I began seeing each other, it was just for fun.” She saw Riley and David exchange a look. “You two don’t know him like I do. Cal can be very critical and very distant, but I know the ‘soft’ side of him and its a wonderful thing.” She knelt down on the opposite side of the coffee table and set her glass on its surface. “Anyway, he was an Ensign back then. As he grew through the ranks, we realized what we had was more serious and I put off looking for another position on another ship in order to be with him. When I found out Julien was leaving I thought I would finally have a chance to start up the command chain under someone new and eventually have a ship of my own. But now, HE’S my captain!!! Plus, he’s already said he won’t have children of his own on a star ship, which means I don’t get to have the career I’ve longed for forever, OR the children I hoped to have, because I won’t give up my position here. That’s why I don’t want him to be the Captain. But all he can see is I’m selfish of a promotion he didn’t want in the first place.” She felt moisture pooling in her eyes and looked down at her hands in an attempt to hide it.

—Sage

Riley sidled up next to Sage and put his hand around her shoulder. She was a strong person and he knew she could see a person attempting to comfort her as acknowledging weakness, but he was certain they had too much history for her to make that conclusion now. He shot a look at David, too, indicating any word against Marius was ill-advised. Airing the scientist’s own grievances would be counter-productive in this situation.

Only after he’d given her a side hug and moved to provide more space between them did Riley respond, “It’s ironic, I suppose that Julien didn’t see or promote the command potential of someone whose professional background is so similar to his own. I always believed he wanted a counterweight to his own impulses and Marius provided that. Julien had his harder edges, but he wasn’t the soldier Marius is and your husband’s elevation filled a void in leadership. Perhaps my own appointment as second officer was meant to balance Marius. Understanding our former CO’s mindset, though, doesn’t negate the blind spots that have left you feeling stymied in your own career. And now you feel a sort of permanency to that stagnation. I’m thinking your conversation with Marius tonight was an unloading of pent up thoughts and emotions of which he was unaware. He doesn’t understand the context. Only with that can you two move toward a solution.”

Riley took a sip of his drink before continuing, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, “The new Captain knows he’s not married to a Captain’s wife, even if he hasn’t figured it out yet. I’m an optimist at heart Sage. There’s a workable path forward.”

Dekker, CNS

She sighed. “I don’t know…I really don’t know. Cal and I have been through some devastating situations in our relationship—the time I hemorrhaged and almost died. The time I left the ship on orders from Intel that was only supposed to be a couple of days, then the accident and amnesia that followed. The loss of our chance at having our own children when the Genesis A was destroyed…” Sage shook her head. “We’ve weathered a lot, but I feel like I’ve grown about as much as I can on the Genny. Today I was looking at open postings on other ships.”

—Sage


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