A Future?

Posted on Tue Jan 9th, 2024 @ 12:56pm by Commander Chalan Kendri

1,881 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Officers' Lounge
Timeline: M-Cwhatever, post-Ferengi water bs

Paisley was already sitting in the Lounge, sipping a lemonade. This wasn't a social call, so was just in uniform. This also wasn't a time where she'd harass her friend about her relationship with a certain Trill, or anything else. She was here on business, but it was less serious than the Ready Room or some other bullshit-she was Paisley F'Rar, after all.

When she saw Kendri enter, she raised a hand. "OVER HERE," she hollered. "Thanks for having dinner with me," she said. "Let's talk business," she said.

"For you that could be just about anything," Kendri responded with a smirk. "Is this work related, or some other kind of business?"

Paisley made a face. "Well, we COULD discuss a certain Trill," she said. "But actually, our real work," she said. "Do you want something to drink? I just have some coffee-trying to cut back on the beer," she said. "Anyway...what do you think if I tried for Command track?" Paisley said. She wasn't really one to beat around the bush.

"That's a 180. When you first took Chief Engineer you were acting like you didn't even want to do that. Why the change?" Kendri asked.

Paisley sighed. “We’ve talked before about our childhoods. I have nothing on Cardassia. Once my father dies, it ends with me,” she said. “My life is StarFleet, and I’ve begun to accept that and work toward that as my future. I love being an engineer. I’m GOOD at it. And look… I will probably just end up being single, anyway. I might as well look forward to being an Admiral by the time I’m thirty-five. I’m the youngest Chief Engineer in the Fleet, I don’t have much further I can climb,” she said. There was more, but she’d let Kendri speak.

"From where I'm sitting it doesn't look like you'll end up single, but if command is something that you want to do, then I think you should go for it," Kendri encouraged. "It's hard to pull double duty on a command position from engineering though. They'll want you on the Bridge more."

She nodded. "I know. It's essentially leaving the career part behind," she said. "But all the greats were former Engineers, right?" Well, MOST. "And I don't know what you're seeing but..it's not the same thing. Jason is great. Amazing. But I don't know if that's where we're headed, truthfully. We've only been dating a short time, though, so I am not even really including him in the plans...if it works out, it works out. If not, that's OK, too," she said. "I'll just carry on a series of torrid affairs," she said, with a shrug. "I WAS in the Command track in the Academy, and did fairly well...Anyway. Maybe a few sessions on the training Holodeck and I'll change my mind," she said. She went on, ignoring Kendri's attempts to speak. "The other thing...I heard from someone that we're headed for Cardassian airspace..." She sighed deeply. "Can we both just...like...check out?" She asked. "I can't face the possibility of seeing my father. OH! But if you want, I can ask him if he knows yours, in case you want to tell him to go to hell," she said. She finally stopped talking long enough to finish off her lemonade. "Want some food?" She asked.

"Sure food is good," Kendri said, choosing to respond to last of Paisley's topics first. "Honestly the plans keep changing on us - the Columbia - as to what's next. It was Cardassian airspace back when we first got here, but then when Jason got hurt and it looked like we going to be here a while they were talking about rerouting us to Starbase to regroup after. Now, I'm not sure again, we may be back on to continue as planned?" Kendri shrugged.

Kendri waived a server down. "Have you taken a look at any of the command training modules?" she asked before the server arrived.

Paisley nodded. "I have," she said. She noticed that Kendri didn't answer the question about her own father. She'd let it go...for now, but she knew that Kendri knew that most topics were never really "over" for Paisley. "Can I have the burger special, please?" She said. So much for cutting back. Oh, well, she had to go crawl through tubes tomorrow, it'd be fine. "Anyway. That sucks that they keep changing it, but honestly, a week or so at a Starbase might be good. Jason needs it; he's being weird, even for him," she said. "And besides, it'll be like shore leave. We can shop and eat and drink and party to our heart's content. Maybe we could even convince a certain boring Trill to come along on a casual double-date," she said. "And I don't mean Kobi Tomm; Garcia saw that Lingan person in the Lounge with the Counselor the other day," she said, smiling. "You know what? What's one beer going to hurt? Jason's on duty, anyway, so it's not like we're going to see each other after this," she said, standing up. "Do you want something?"

"I'll have the Bolian eel salad and a glass of White Zinfandel," Kendri said looking up at the server. "Thank you."

Kendri looked back at Paisley. "Ligan is that kid we caught sneaking the delaq back after the Orions visited. I don't know how boring that one is," Kendri reminded her.

"Eel?" She made a face. Well, whatever. "Ah!! Gotcha," she said. "I think I'll have a Gin highball, please, extra lime," she said. The Carjoran liked the tartness of the lemon with the rosemary-ish flavor of the liquor. "Anyway. It was just an idea. Even better if he can keep up with me," she said. It was known that Paisley hadn't lost her younger party-girl lifestyle, though she was trying to mature out of it more.

"You didn't answer my question, though, earlier. Do you want me to make some inquires?? I still know people at the militias HQ. Even without my father knowing, I can get some intel," she said. "But only if you want," she said, raising her hands in defeat, knowing she was likely poking at a hornet's nest. She'd drop it if Kendri wanted, but she still had to ask.

"Thanks, but I've never had trouble figuring out what he's doing. He keeps a fairly high profile. I just tend to not look in that direction. It's better to just not think about it," Kendri responded. "It's been so long now. There would hardly be a point. Why are you guys doubling with Fee and Ligan? I didn't realize you all hung out?"

Paisley raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything further. "Ok," she said. "Oh, no. I think you misunderstood. I was kidding about that. We don't; I don't spend time with most people on the ship since I got my promotion. Where does my time GO? I barely get to see Jason most days, really," she said. "Not that I am not grateful for my career, but it really is a lot of work, keeping this bathtub in the air, you know," she said. "Not that they aren't lovely people, I am sure, just..not really my thing, you know? I prefer much wilder things when I do get free time. Except this, but it's work, right?" She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince. "No, the two Enlisteds on my team are gossip hounds. I just hear things," she shrugged. "They're not quiet. But they're good at their jobs and do keep it professional outside of the office, so I don't really mind, even if that's a thing I don't really understand," Paisley said. She could be vapid sometimes, but she wasn't much of a gossip-she just didn't care about how other people lived their lives if they left her alone to live how she saw fit. "So...what is Tomm up to these days?" She asked, as their food appeared. "And which training modules should I start with? I guess it's not fair if I ask Jason to sit with me, is it?"

"Start at the beginning," Kendri said. "Anyone can sit with you, but you'd be cheating yourself if you let them do anything more than follow your orders. It's good to have someone with command experience observing. They can give you feedback that the computer might not."

Paisley nodded. "I haven't talked to Jason about this yet," she said. "But I will after tonight," she said. "And of course...I don't think he'd let me skate, anyway." She shrugged, and bit into her food. "Anyway...have you had any more "friend dates?" She asked. "With Tomm, I mean..." She smiled slyly.

"I dunno about that," Kendri shrugged. "He's a safe choice I suppose. But I've been alone this long, I don't know if I would even want a relationship. And if it didn't work out... Awkward."

Paisley shrugged. "Just look at it as fun," she said. "It'll be good practice for Shore Leave," she said, waggling an eyebrow. "But...Jason and I took it really slowly for the first while. It's fine. Just have clear boundaries, talk about things, and set expectations," Paisley said. She polished off the burger in record time.

Kendri laughed. "I can't practice on Kobi. Not that I need it anyway. So do you want my help with the command training modules? I might have a little more insight than Jason. No offense."

Paisley nodded. "Of course you can, that's not at all what I meant. Get it, girl," she said, snickering. "Anyway. Yes, I would. I appreciate the offer, too," she said. "Like I said, two or three modules and I might change my mind anyway. You know me by now," she said.

"Yeah." Remy looked up as she pushed her empty salad plate out of the way. "You don't give up."

Paisley shook her head. "Nope," she said. "But I will drop it for now. The Kobi Tomm thing, I mean," she said. She, too, had finished her meal. "Alright, so...I will report to the holodeck tomorrow after work, and be dragging along a certain boyfriend with me," she said. "What are your plans for after this? Want to come to mine and help me pick out something to wear for a big date this weekend?"

"Sure, I'll swing by," Kendri said, standing up and picking up her plate and glass to put in the recycler. "Wait, this isn't an excuse to get me to borrow your clothes for something is it?"

Paisley laughed. "Not this time," she said. "But that is an excellent idea," she said, sending her things for recycling, and then turning to leave. "I just can't decide between a black dress I have, or leather shorts," she said.

"I don't see how leather shorts could be remotely comfortable," Kendri commented, shaking her head as they walked out.

Paisley laughed. "It's not about comfort. It's about titillation," she said, as they headed for the Turbolift. "Leather shorts, a bustier, boots....it's hot but it's HOT," she said, stepping into the lift with Kendri.

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