No Win Scenario

Posted on Sun Nov 24th, 2024 @ 10:50pm by Lieutenant Evelyn Stewart & Captain Stryvek
Edited on on Thu Dec 12th, 2024 @ 11:22am

1,199 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Year One: Strange Bedfellows
Location: USS Moore - Ready Room
Timeline: MD 003: 10:25 hrs

If she was thinking clearly Stewart would have been grateful for the extra few feet of distance it took to get from helm to the captain’s ready room, if only because it meant she wasn’t right on Stryvek’s heels with the crew watching as she followed him in.

When she heard the doors swish shut behind her, she dropped the veneer of any semblance of calm and quickly made up for the distance between them to the private chamber, stepping into Stryvek’s space with a fury quickly building inside of her. “You’re not seriously considering taking her up on her offer for dinner, or her crew having free rein of the ship, are you?” She asked in a way that was somehow both incredulous and rhetorical while coming off almost more of a statement than anything else.

"To your first question yes I am considering it and I am going. It is going to keep them from as you say having free rein of my ship while keeping the diplomatic veneer that this mission requires..." Stryvek's voice trailed off as he thought of something that most may consider a joke. "I am going to have to bring a member of this crew with me to the Orion vessel and I was considering you."

Evelyn stood there lost in her own thoughts as she was fuming, slowly starting to pace the room as she hugged her arms around her chest in thought, doing her best to control her temper she felt rising up. At Stryvek’s mention of her accompanying him to the Orion ship, her head snapped up to look at him.

“Forget it, Stryvek. I’m not accompanying you anywhere,” she said firmly as she moved back into his space again. “And before you think of ordering me, you might as well have me escorted to the brig. It’s not going to happen.” She said with a firmness in her voice that brooked no argument.

For a moment Stryvek thought a lecture in Starfleet procedure was in order. He had not been asked nor had he granted permission for free speech and yet Evelyn decided she had the clearance. Mentally Stryvek chalked that up to emotions and allowed it to go by unchallenged. Instead with a sigh of annoyance at the stubborn pilot. He looked down at Stewart. "Then the next logical choice would be Commander Greco to accompany me." He stated matter of fact.

Stewart rolled her eyes at this suggestion and shook her head, looking up at the Vulcan in growing agitation. "Greco is going to have trouble keeping it in his pants with how the Orions are..." She commented crassly about the Orions well known manipulation tactics with human males. Stewart bite her lip as she thought of what to do. She didn't like the idea of capitulating to the Orions so readily and she feared what other concessions Stryvek would agree to for this trade agreement if he joined Sayssus on her ship. Suppressing any feelings of jealousy she had deep down inside of her before Stryvek could sense it through their bond, Evelyn took a calming breath to focus her thoughts. This was about the ship and their orders, nothing else. She was about to go back to her pacing when a solution to her conundrum dawned on her.
"Bring Keishara..." she suggested evenly, still thinking before taking a breath and shaking her head in disapproval. "If you must go, as Captain, you should at least bring your security chief along as an escort." she said logically of the situation, holding the Vulcan's gaze.

Stryvek's left eyebrow rose in that way that only Vulcan's could do. "That is the logical answer." He originally did not want to cause his old friend any undue comfort. However, Evelyn had the logic of the situation. Keishara may not like it but she would follow orders and Stryvek knew it. "Commander Davaris will accompany me to the Orion vessel. I am going to have to allow a limited number of their crew aboard this ship. I was going to have Keishara make those arrangements. But, Commander Greco can see that done."

Stewart nodded in agreement. She set her jaw to control her reaction as she focused on hiding any relief or satisfaction that Stryvek was taking Keishara. Deep down there was a small part of Stewart that felt guilty that she was using Keishara for her own ends, willing to put her through her traumas again for Evelyn's own purposes, but she was quick to soothe her conscious with the fact it was the most logical course of action.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed her mind to focus on the task at hand. "No one's going to like the idea of any of them onboard, Orion or Syndicate at all for that matter," She pointed out, "And I'm not just referring to Dash and Keishara."

"I agree with you, however, it cannot be stopped. The most I can do, I will do is limit the amount of their crew on the ship at a time and limit where they have access to. Any restricted area of the ship is restricted to them without authorization from myself or Commander Greco. My willingness only goes so far." Stryvek did not like the idea of The Syndicate on his ship. No one would know the distinct amount of disgust he had at the idea. For this emotion was suppressed just as the rest.

Stewart sighed out her annoyance and looked at the floor between them as she took a slight step back, calming down. She nodded in understanding and agreement. She knew this trade agreement was vital to the Federation. She glanced up at Stryvek for a moment before glancing around the room. "We need this trade agreement. I'll do what I can to keep the others in line." She commented quietly.

Taking a calming breath, the pilot looked up back up at the captain. "What, what day is it? Thursday?," She asked rhetorically, barreling through and not waiting for an answer to either questions. "Are we meeting in my quarters or yours tonight?" She asked in reference to their weekly meditation sessions.

Everything that had been occurring with the Orions and such had made Stryvek think about everything, his bonding among them. “My quarters this evening please." He replied to her question as the wheels began to turn toward the preparations he would have to make.

Stewart nodded in agreement before leaning up to kiss his cheek quietly in affection, knowing that it would not be reciprocated, “I’ll see you then.” She said matter of fact before turning and heading back onto the bridge, having gotten used to this routine and dynamic between them.

There was a fair amount to do. He knew human customs and the idea of a proposal seemed too early for him. However, there was a method in which he could show her exactly what his intentions were. He had a fair amount of research to do, and not much time. Stryvek turned to his personal computer and began to tap in commands.

 

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