Quiet time on Elysium

Posted on Wed Mar 30th, 2022 @ 5:28am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Captain Mattias Richardson [Reece]

Mission: Season 5: Interlude: Darkness Abounds
Location: Kass and Richardson's assigned Cabin
Timeline: MD2 22h00
1835 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Lily closed and sealed the cabin door after her last wander around the ship. She touched her earing and the holographic disguise faded. "Matt?" she called out as she walked towards the couch.

"Be out in a sec, sweetheart!" He called from their bathroom. A few beats later, he stepped into sight, freshly showered and wearing a terrycloth robe and slippers. "Man! I knew your ship was huge, but shit!" He chuckled as he spoke and moved over to give her a kiss. "You sure they didn't just slap warp nacelles on a space station?"

Phoenix smiled. "Sometimes I wonder about that myself." Moving to the couch after kissing him, she sat down. "It's different being on this side of things."

He moved to sit next to her, putting his right arm behind her. "You mean being here, but not being up in the center seat?"

"Yeah but it is interesting as well. Crew watching when they do not know who I am. Their interactions, their attitudes"

He nodded, then asked, "Discover anything new?"

"Hmm somethings. Carrington really fucked things up."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's the impression I got too. Who overruled your change of command decision and put her in the center seat? Whomever that person is, he or she is ultimately responsible for all the deaths that occured."

"Yes" Phoenix sighed "I will be dealing with that person for sure once this is done. My yelling will be heard on Cardassia."

Mattias chuckled and shook his head ruefully. "Oh, quiet Phoenix is so much more deadly than loud Phoenix." He stuck out his tongue between his teeth, teasing her lightly.

She sent him a smirk. "Some people react better when I am yelling at them."

"Yelling, moaning, gasping, you can take your pick." He gave her a flirty wink as he spoke.

Phoenix shoved at him playfully. "Oh stop" she laughed. "But seriously the Fleet command really fucked up."

He chuckled when Phoenix pushed him. Then, thinking about how royally someone at command had screwed the pooch, he turned more somber. "Yeah," he nodded. Accidents certainly happened, however, to specifically go against the recommendations of a sitting starship captain? ThT seemed more a political or personal agenda at play. "She was married, wasn't she? Could it have been her husband, pushing g for her to get her own command?"

"Engaged and yes, and the man never even came to collect her body. Her family had to do it."

While he didn't know either officer, that news angered him. "So, he's a piece of shit and a coward."

"Yeah pretty much." Phoenix shrugged. "He was never a favorite of mine but his actions after Yasmine's death have been seen by numerous people and they are not impressed."

"Good," he replied. "Maybe he'll be shuffled off to a position in the armpit section of the fleet, to spend his remaining years in purgatory."

"One can only hope. But he definitely taught her the WRONG way to lead a crew"

He shook his head, feeling disgusted by the man. Then, trying to cleans his mind of painful thoughts, he shook his head and took in a deep breath, letting it back out slowly. "So," he said, changing the subject. "What ate your feelings about the mission now? Is your Elysium crew up to the challenge, especially after all they have been through?"

"They should be able to handle this." Phoenix said as she rested her head on the couch.

He arched an eyebrow questioningly. "They should be able to? Do you have doubts about someone?"

"Lets just say they are very quiet right now. I think something happened when Lovejoy told the senior staff about this mission. And it is strange for Lia to want to be off the ship during this time."

"You think they have reached a breaking point, with all that has happened, I mean?" His tone was full of concern for the woman he loved.

"Some may have" Phoenix said as she leaned against him. "I will be watching them carefully."

Mattias held onto Phoenix, allowing her to feel safe and secure. "Whatever comes, you know I'm with you, always."

"I know" She smiled up at him. "And when this is over, and we no longer need to hide, it will be better."

"I'm certainly looking forward to just being us again," he smiled softly. Then he paused and added, "Though, the vest and thigh holsters will be missed," he said with a grin. Looking back down at her,he continued, "And spending nearly all day with you. You'll be up on your bridge, and I'll be down in the diplomatic section, running the protective details."

"Hmmm" she smiled up at him. "That may be true but we will at least have our evenings together."

"Oh, definitely." He leaned in and kissed her. "I am so looking forward to it!"

Phoenix smiled and kissed him back. "I cannot wait for those days."

Mattias sighed happily as Phoenix kissed him. They were so close to where they wanted to be. Together, forever. All they had to do was finally bring Highlaw down. Then they'd be able to return to their lives.

After they broke their kiss, he kissed her forehead and sighed again. "You know, if you're not careful, one of these days, I'm going to make an honest woman out of you."

She laughed softly. "One day I might let you."

He smiled softly. If only she knew that he already had the ring to give her. Before they left their base, Sasha's jeweler had come through. The ring was beautiful. While it was dangerous for him to carry it around, he kept it safe in the hollow handle of his k-bar, which never left his side. She would never find it there, even if she got suspicious.

Phoenix sat back and looked around the room. "I will say that smaller quarters are nice."

He looked around and nodded. "Yeah. We could put the twins in that dresser, Miran could sleep in that chair, your mom could sleep here, on the couch, and we can all take turns in the bathroom."

"Ha! No way, my mother is staying on Earth." She said with a smile "And I meant it is nice to be cozy."

He chuckled, then hugged Phoenix close to his side. "Yeah, cozy is real nice." He leaned back in and kissed her again.

Gently after moments she broke the kiss. "Bed time, morning always comes too soon on this ship" she slid from the couch and mock tugged on his hand to pull him up.

Mattias chuckled softly, then stood up. Closing his fingers around Phoenix's wrist, he pulled her into his arms. "We could always just grab the twins and run away in the Black Watch. Could even bring your sister and Tristi with us."

"Ah such a lovely idea. Pass though." She laughed up at him.

His eyes grew wide in mock annoyance. "You laugh at me?? That's it, Princess! Now you get punished!!" With his arms wrapped around her, he couldn't do much, so he started to blue raspberries on her neck, right where she was ticklish.

She squealed and wriggled in his grip and laughed "oh I am sorry, sorry please stop!" She laughed.

Mattias laughed so hard, he snorted as he tried to give Phoenix another raspberry. Finally, he put her down, still laughing softly. "I love you, Phee," he said as he hugged her warmly, then leaned in to kiss her tenderly.

She met his lips with her own and enjoyed kissing him. "I love you too Matt."

He smiled at her. This woman was the most important person in his life. At least, until he got to meet the twins. Then, they would be more important. "What would you like for dinner, and then afterwards?"

"Hmm its too late to eat. I should get sleep."

Mattias frowned slightly. "It's not a good idea to go to bed without eating something. You go get cleaned up and ready fro bed. I'll make you something." He released his hold on her, spun her towards the bedroom they were using, and smacked her behind to get her moving.

Phoenix nodded and headed for the bedroom. "okay but do not take too long.."

"Of course not, Dearest," he replied with a cheeky grin, using the nickname he used for her, back at the smugglers market.

She rolled her eyes and entered the bedroom to get changed.

A few moments later, he entered the bedroom, carrying a covered tray. "You ready?"

Phoenix was sitting on the bed, in sleep shorts and tank top. "Yes," she smiled at Mattias.

"Yes, Madam does seem to be ready, indeed," he replied with the poor accent of an old Earth, British butler. He placed the tray on the side table, then pulled two cloth napkins from his robe pocket. The first one, he snapped open in a flourish, then gently laid it across Phoenix's lap.

He then took the second and dropped hit over his left forearm, holding his arm against his chest. Next, he carefully picked up the tray and, after balancing it on the spread fingers of his right hand, he lifted his left and removed the lid.

"And, viola!" He lowered the tray down to her lap next, revealing that he had brought her a peanut butter and strawberry preserve sandwich, on white bread, cut in half on the diagonal. There was also a medium-sized glass, filled with chilled milk.

"Bon appetite, Madam!" He stepped back and bowed, bending at his waist.

"oh I remember this meal. You got it for me when I was recovering in the hospital when I was a child."

He smiled softly and nodded. "You said that it was the first time you had ever eaten anything like it."

"It was, it is not something my people ever ate or even eat to this day." Phoenix smiled.

He sat down gently next to her, careful not to disturb the tray on her lap. "It's certainly no feast, but, it has all the basic nutrients that you need." He leaned in and kissed her cheek softly. "Now eat, young lady, or I'll have to punish you." He winked at her playfully.

She gave him an exaggerated eyeroll and began to eat with a mock "Aye aye Captain"

He smiled warmly at her and chuckled softly.

When she finished eating, Mattias took the tray back to the replicator and recycled it. He then returned to the bedroom and had the computer lower the lights. "I will say this, you ship certainly is quiet. I can barely feel the engine vibrations."

"Its because she is so big. The closer to the Engineering, the more you should feel." She replied. "Command crew quarters are on deck 16, so three decks above us and its even more quieter there"

"Well, I hope your bedroom is soundproofed," he commented, a mischievous look starting to fill his face.