Thank You Mr. Stone

Posted on 05 Mar 2013 @ 4:57pm by Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Coleman
Edited on on 05 Mar 2013 @ 5:18pm

1,376 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 3, Security Office
Timeline: MD 03-1000

ON:

Evelyn walked down the corridor approaching her intended target. She walked into the Security Office and smiles as she saw the familiar officer and his canine subordinate. "Lieutenant Stone, Officer Sidious, I hope I wasn't interrupting something."

Jeremy looked up from his desk and blinked a few times, then back at his half-eaten dinner, gone cold and stale. "No, Commander. Not at all. How can I help you?"

He didn't even bother to try calling Sidi back. There were few people on the ship that he trusted completely around Sidi and Coleman was one of them. Dr. Dhuinn and, oddly to him, Chief Kiwoski being the other. He did wish Sidi was less insistent on where he stuck his nose though.

Evelyn knelt down to be almost eye-level with the canine as she reached out and greeted him with a few soft scratches behind his ears. "Don't worry, my visit here isn't official. I came by to say thank you." She smiled up at Jeremy.

"You're always welcome, official or not," Jeremy said. "But thank me? For what?"

Sidi rubbed up against her, mostly in an effort to dislodge the vest he wore. Jeremy realized the canine wasn't too keen on it, but Jeremy wasn't going to let a mere dislike of a uniform stop him from giving the idea full attention.

Eve quickly caught onto the canine's intent, and she lifted his face so her eyes were looking directly into his. "Sidi, you are a Starfleet Officer. If we have to wear them so must you."

Sidi stared at old-smell then sneezed as he shook his head and body. Hated vest still clinging to him. He turned away from her an went to his mattress in the corner and slumped down onto it.

She grinned at the four-legged officer and rose up to her full height, turning her attention to Jeremy, "Commander Holliday approved my request to take a shuttle for the day to....visit El-Auria."

"That's good," Jeremy said as he pulled up his calender on the PADD. "When do we leave? I'd like to make sure that I can leave instructions for Lieutenant Rhodes regarding anything necessary for the department. Also, I'll need to make sure the shuttle replicators are programmed for Sidi's nutritional needs and figure out something for his waste disposal."

Evelyn's smile faded, "I'll be going alone. Holliday didn't want to leave the Galileo without two of her senior officers."

Jeremy stared at the display on the desk for several long moments as he scowled. "No," he finally said. "That's not right. Holliday's been trying to get me off this ship since right after he met me. Why...no. You can't go alone. I won't allow it." He looked up at Coleman for several moments before shaking his head again. "I'll talk with him. It'll be okay. I'll..." he stood. "I'll go now and then in a few days when you're ready to go it'll be arranged. But you're not going alone. It's not...no, it's not safe."

"Jeremy, it's safer if I did go alone, at least for the ship. I don't want to put the ship at risk." Eve replied honestly, "I'll just be gone for a day, I'll be back and no one would be the wiser."

"No," he said, still standing, "With respect, Commander, it's not safe. It's not safe for you. I don't care about-"

He stopped and leaned on the desk, staring at the display glass and shaking his head. "It's not...I can't...Commander, I can't protect you if I'm here. Holliday doesn't want me on this ship." He scowled. "I'll go to the Captain. She'll escort me to the shuttle to make sure I'm on it."

Eve watched him, "We both know she'll agree with Holliday but...besides, the ship's safety is more important that one individual." She smiled softly, "No need to get worried about me."

"The ship is okay, I've got it..." he sighed as he frowned. "I'm working on getting it operating efficiently and...Lieutenant Rhodes can run things here for a couple days, with Lieutenant Aria assisting. The ship is okay...but you...nothing can happen to you. I won't..."

He looked at her, almost challenging. "Saalm hates me, she agrees with Holliday on that. She'll want me gone. Just...I'll go now. You'll see." He moved around the desk heading for the door. Sidi jumped up, moving next to him, pressing against his side.

"Lieutenant. Your responsibilities are to this ship and crew. I even brought your name up to Holliday and he said your place is here. They'll rather decline my request than risk the both of us leaving this ship." Evelyn took a step closer to Jeremy, "I'll only be gone a day Jeremy. Nothing will happen to me, alright?"

"I..." he shook his head, staring at the door. "He...said...no, that's not..."

Jeremy absently rubbed Sidi's head as the dog started to whine. "Nothing can happen to you, you have to be safe. Safe! You're the only one in command I can talk to. The others are...they're...just, I...they don't understand. Don't go. You said there was nothing there. Nothing but pain and death." He stared at the floor and whispered, "Don't go. Stay where I can protect you."

Eve wasn't expecting this reaction fro Jeremy, it stunned her to her core. She took a few more steps closer, reaching out with her fingers to lift his chin so their eyes would meet. "Jeremy... I need to go... but I promise you, I'll come back. I promise nothing will happen to me, and I'll return to you."

He stepped back, trembling, refusing to look at her. "There's nothing to be gained from going home. It's just...heartbreak and...

"Twenty four hours, that's it. If you're not back in twenty fours, standing on this ship, outside of Medical, I'm coming for you. I'll..." he looked up, almost impassive, "I'll take a shuttle if I have to. I'll take it and come find you. Twenty four hours, not a minute more."

Eve couldn't help herself. She knew she was breaking various regulations but she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around Jeremy and hugged him tight. "I accept those terms." she whispered into his ear. "I'll come straight for you when I return, just so you know."

Sidi barked as he pushed himself between the two, then rose to his hind feet and wrapped his paws onto Coleman's waist, barking again at her.

Jeremy shook his head, almost smiling. "I'll be in the shuttlebay. Sidi too. Twenty four hours. That's it."

Evelyn chuckled at the canine officer, looking down at him as he barked. "I remember you," she whispers petting his hair. She then looked back at Jeremy, "You and Sidi, shuttlebay, twenty-four hours. couldn't ask for a better welcome home committee."

"Be sure you're there," Jeremy said. "Sidi doesn't take disappointment well. He sulks."

"Can't have a sulking officer on this ship." She smiled looking at Jeremy, "I'll be there and not disappoint you either, Jeremy."

"Commander," Jeremy said, still very unhappy with this turn of events. "I do not sulk." Sidi barked as he ran a circle. Jeremy gave him the sit command. "When are you leaving?"

"I'll most likely depart in the morning once we're established here in the Rojar System." She replied away slightly, "For the record, I wasn't implying you sulk, just I'll return to you as well, so you can feel calm knowing I'm safe."

Jeremy shook his head. "I..." He swallowed. "I have duties to perform. I should...Sidi needs to go to the arboretum and I have...I need to do a patrol. But...we'll see you off in the morning. Maybe...the Captain will change her mind and won't need me."

Eve leaned close for a second to plant a soft kiss to Jeremy's cheek. "Thank you again, Jeremy." She smiled and took a step away from him to pet Sidi goodbye.

[OFF]

Lt. Cmdr. Evelyn Coleman
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

LTjg Jeremy Stone
Chief Security/Tactical Officer/K9
USS Galileo

Sidious MWD 7223
Security Canine unit
USS Galileo

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