1380 Minutes

Posted on Wed Jun 24th, 2015 @ 8:32pm by Lieutenant Isi Nighthawk & Commander Adara Gunnar

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Adara's Quarters

* Adara’s Quarters *

The evening had been a tense one and Adara was exhausted. Happily, so was Cody. The dog was panting and moving slow as they arrived back at their temporary housing quarters. Once inside, he disappeared into the bedroom; Adara knew he was going to tread in a circle three times and then flop down. Most likely in the middle of the bed. If she was lucky, he'd pick a lower corner; if he was mad at her for making him run after the ball too much, he'd pick the middle of the pillows.

She was about to follow him, but the console in the room snapped to life and beeped, noting that she had a waiting call. She wondered how long it had been waiting. "Computer, open channel." It did so and information scrolled across the screen: Incoming Transmission from USS Livingstone. Isi's transport. She smiled. "Isi?"

His face appeared in the screen and he was smiling. “Out painting the station red?” He was teasing of course. “I hope it’s not too late but I have no idea what time it is there. How are you?”

"I'm good, but I miss you. Tobin arrived today and something he did made me think of you. We just got in from dinner and playtime in the park. Cody put himself to bed already." She chuckled; Isi knew how funny the dog could be about his daily routine. "Where are you now?"

“About to exit the wormhole, so a day out, more or less.” His smile softened at her words. “I miss you too, more than I should probably describe over this channel. It won’t be long now.” He paused just to look at her and finally picked up the conversation once more. “How’s everything shaping up so far?”

"Well, Tobin is still speaking to me and Tor seems a little less stressed by the idea of seeing him," she stopped, realizing she hadn't set up the reason for that: "The three of us went to dinner. Tobin and I got there, he had no clue Tor would be there, but it all seems to have worked out. In other news, the Colony will have a park and construction has been started."

“That’s excellent news!” Isi responded, “on all fronts. It was a gamble sweetheart, but I think he’s what she needs. If anyone is safe, it’s Tobin.” He frowned a moment. “That makes him sound like someone’s old grandmother but that’s not what I meant. Let her know that I will be arriving tomorrow. If she wants to see me and we can arrange time for it.”

"If she wants to see you? And, what, I don't get a time slot?"

“As her counselor.” Isi smiled back at Adara. “You get all my time and you know it.” He laughed for a moment. “Especially my first day there - as long as my CO hasn’t planned anything too soon.”

"Huh. I'll have to talk to your CO," she said, as if she weren't his CO. "I'm going on a tour of the site and the space around the Colony; we'll leave soon after you arrive. If you don't mind, I'd like to leave Cody here with you."

“Of course. It will give he and I time to catch up.” Amusement lit Isi’s features. “So tell me, are you getting excited about this undertaking? It’s a great step but we’ll really be out on our own, even more than we were down by Tholian space. It’s a good thing you are as determined as you are, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s you.”

"I am excited," she laughed, "this is enormous! We'll be three days from support, deeper into the Delta Quadrant than any intentional Federation endeavour. It won't be easy, which is why I want to do it."

“I suspect that is the lure for all of us,” he answered. “The chance to build something where no one has ever been and on a planet now truly Starfleet territory. So tell me,” he said, changing subjects, “how soon do you leave to see the planet?”

"Hopefully not before you arrive, but I'm not sure when. Tobin, Tor and I are going with Commander Nalas, so we'll have to discuss timing. You said you'll be here in another day or so?"

“Yes.” Isi nodded. “It’s about twenty-three hours from the wormhole to the station so...this time tomorrow, I’ll be right there with my arms wrapped around you. And likely a dog nose in my crotch.” He began to laugh uproariously as the mental image took hold.

"Ugh! I hope not!" Adara had been trying to break Cody's worst habit: crotch-diving. He tended to do it only to males and she knew it was a dominance thing. "Perhaps wearing a pepper packet would help that?"

“He and I just need to have a talk, maybe that will help.” His laughter had settled finally. “I can’t wait to get there. How long has it been? Almost a month?”

"About that, I suppose." She wasn't one to keep track of time; she never had been. Her ex-husband had often been upset by her tendency to forget certain holidays and minor things like birthdays and anniversaries. "And now just 23 hours to go," she smiled.

“You can thank Greg that it won't be any longer,” Isi informed her. “He was happy to grease the wheels a little and get my transfer through the process. And just before I left, during our usual poker game, he gave me a message for you.”

To say she was surprised would have been an understatement. "He did? What's the message?" She fully expected it to be 'you owe me.'

“He said good luck and he has absolute faith in you to make this a success.” Isi paused for long moment, knowing she’d start to squirm. “Oh and...you owe him.”

"I knew it!" She laughed. "He didn't press a hug and a kiss for delivery on you, too, did he?" Greg, her ex, still had hopes of reconciliation, even after having met Isi and seeing how much Adara loved him.

“No, but he did send a box, which you can open once my things are offloaded. Until then, I suppose you’ll just have to wonder.”

"Oh dear. Let's just hope it isn't perishable," she shook her head then touched the screen. "Twenty three and counting."

“Too many.” He raised his hand to the terminal to meet hers. “But from now on, wherever we go it will be together.”

"Agreed," she said. They looked at each other a moment longer then closed the comm link.

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Commander Adara Gunnar
Lt. Isi Nighthawk
Looking Ahead