Will You Do Us The Honour?

Posted on 06/02/2022 @ 5:28am by Commander Aer Feshau-Patton & Rear Admiral Thomas Rice
Edited on on 09/29/2022 @ 12:06pm

2,101 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Mini Mission: When The Cat's Away
Location: Commodore Rice's Office, Deck 7, Poseidon Station
Timeline: MD004 - 1630 Hours

Honestly there was a part of Aer that had forgotten she was getting married soon. All the hustle and bustle of the mirror universe mission, the dark goings on in seedy cargo bays involving Klingons and torpedoes, and the onslaught of new Ambassadors both friendly and potentially dangerous.

Aer had threw away the crutch given to her by the medical staff but was caught and given a small cane instead. She was told it would take a few days for her to be able to hold herself up again due to the nature of the injury, the blade used and the damaged caused by such.

She hated it, felt helpless and people kept looking at her as such. Still, she gave them the courteous smile and kept on going. Aer wanted to speak to Commodore Rice, the topic; a very important one.

A little out of breath she reached his office door and pressed for entry.

Tom could hear the door chime, "Ensign," he called out a few times, only to realize his Yeoman hadn't arrived yet. He walked out into the main lobby of Sector Operations. He couldn't help but sigh. The entire area had been designed with the idea of grand standing in mind. Large glass walls, paintings, plants, sculptures; he truly didn't like it. But, Star Fleet had spoke so he bit his tongue.

He looked up and gestured for the Commander to enter: yet another reason to hate this space. There was no privacy. He smiled, "Commander Feshua, I hope this is not a business trip? With all the explosions, threats, and various problems I'm not sure I want to deal with something else."

He motioned to an empty chair, in the lobby, as it was just the two of them it really didn't matter where they sat.

Aer smiled a little as she entered the room. It did give off an open approach to conducting business and in truth she did not like it. It was too visible, people could see too much and this was the Sector Commanders space. She had an internal shake of the head, keeping those thoughts to herself.

"No sir." she said as she lowered herself into the chair, a little wince as she did so. "I am a little sick of talking about business lately. Feels like that's all I have been doing for weeks." she offered honestly. "And with Jack... Colonel Patton, being gone I've been talking to myself more." she let out a little anxious laugh.

"Taking to one's self, that is more the territory of the Counselor," he smirked, "not Sector Commander." He stood up, "can I get you something to drink?", he asked as he walked over to the replicator.

"So I assume we are not here to discuss mental health, what can I do for you?" He stopped ordering himself a coffee.

"Just a water please..." Aer said before thinking for a moment. "I have heard that sometime if you talk to yourself then you really get the only sensible answers in reply." Aer replied almost justifying the fact she was not having a mental breakdown.

"Well really its not just for me." Aer started as Rice gave her the glass of water. "I was wondering what you would think of maybe marrying Jack and myself? He told me it is an Earth custom to get someone respected and of standing, outside of religion that is. I was just wondering what you'd think of that?" she asked outright.

Tom about spit his coffee out, as he sipped it. "Water," he ordered completely shocked. "I do believe that is the first time that any one has ever asked me that," he looked at her puzzled, "I am truly honored, but are you sure that you two don't want Harrington? He is after all your immediate Commander?"

Aer looked around for something to help 'clean' up the Admiral, but he was already making way to the replicator and cleaning himself up far quicker than she could at this stage. She found it odd that no-one had ever asked him before, he'd been around in the fleet a long time and she naturally assumed couples had gotten married under him before.

"I think Jack has other plans for the Captain." Aer smiled in response. "It would be nice to get you involved in something that isn't all 'business' as you put it earlier, and we are all a family here... well I think we are. I know we don't see you everyday, or speak a great deal, but the honour would definitely be ours."

Tom smiled, probably more out of shock them anything else, "the honor would be all mine," he nodded as he returned to the sitting area. "Have you and Colonel Patton discussed a timeframe, or details yet?"

"Thank you sir." Aer beamed a little. "That is a lot off my mind." she added taking a sip of her drink. "There have been mentions of it happening when he comes back from his mission... I think that is the catalyst for wanting it done. We both have dangerous jobs and at times can be quite far away from each other for long periods of time. I think there is a Human phrase for that... "Distance makes the heart grow smaller, or something?" she half asked trying to remember the phrase.

"Something like that," Tom didn't correct her. "I admit I am honored and shocked but I will do you both justice. Have you given thought to where you would like this wedding? Here on this station, or the planet below, or a setting in the holodeck? Your options are almost endless."

"I think we are going to do it on a holodeck, or at least the last time we talked about it that was the plan," Aer replied. "I have been talking to my sister, Tiana, she has been terraforming some moons around our new homeworld and was also on El Auria before it fell. She has been giving me some 'creative' tips on how to make it look like an El Aurian setting."

"I am sure whatever you and the Colonel do it will be a fantastic setting," Tom nodded, "I admit however I am not too familiar with El Aurian customs. So tell me, are there any El Aurian wedding traditions you would like to include in this wedding or the ceremony."

"In the ceremony, I think we will just keep more Terran customs, mostly. We, El Aurians, give bracelets to each other. These are crafted by experienced crafters of my world using a mineral that changes over time. With each new experience in a relationship it can change colour, designs can change and on rare occasions, even gems can form. I know Humans use rings as a symbol of bonding, that will still be part of the ceremony." Aer spoke as she thought back to what her plans had been. "I'd like to say our own vows, as I am sure Jack would. He likes to talk." she joked a little.

"These bracelets sound very interesting," Tom admitted, "I am not sure I would give up on that idea." He thought for a bit, "vows tend to be a very special thing, and I won't tell the Colonel that comment." He winked, "but you are right, the man just likes to talk. It comes with the job, I suppose. Just make sure that you give the man a time limit," he laughed, something that was rare in front of other people.

It was nice, the laughter. It had been rare to see the Commodore laugh so openly, but it warmed her up a little to see and hear. She laughed softly in return.

"Oh I can just hear him now giving a military declaration of love, but honestly you can tell him I said so," Aer smirked. "I tell him he talks too much all the time and I rarely get through to him. I mean he even mentions when I don't make the bed in a pristine way... like no creases or anything, the symmetry of pillows... I didn't even know that was a thing. Sometimes I wonder if he's an android." she laughed. Jack's more military upbringing had definitely had an impact on him.

"Bounce a quarter on the blanket," Tom smirked. "I am sure like any relationship in time you will have an effect on the man, just like he will have an effect on you. In time, and I hear that El Aurians have plenty of time to spare."

"A quarter of what?" She asked, not sure bouncing anything on the bed would be a good idea.

"Oh yes we have all the time in the universe." Aer laughed softly. "I am sure I can mold him into something a little more manageable." She joked.

Tom chuckled at the joke that was missed. "Don't change him too much, I think Captain Harrington is rather fond of the man just the way he is." Tom laughed, "besides there are more of him," he meant the marines, "then you and he might just change you if you are not careful."

"Oh I won't." Aer said acting all innocent. "A wife only changes her husband in small, hard to notice ways over a gradual space of time... or so my mother tells me." She shrugged a little. "Although I have found he can plan out my days quite rigidly. Must be a marine organization kind of deal."

"I was married once," Thomas admitted, sort of out of the blue. "When she couldn't change me, she admitted to change one of my friends." He sighed, "marriage is a tricky thing, but I wish the both of you all the best."

Change one of his friends? Aer thought this to be a strange turn of phrase, but she chose not to push into that any further. It wasn't her business and what ever the Commodore shared with her was at his own grace.

"I won't change him too much, I fell in love with him for who he is now. Changing him too much sounds too dangerous a job, a foolish one perhaps but thank you sir. You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say you wish us the best. Your opinion means a lot to me, even if we don't speak too often." Aer replied sincerely.

"It's my pleasure, Commander," he paused, "Aer." He couldn't help but he reminded of his own failed marriage, but something told him that these two could make this work. "I assume we will all be in uniform?" He figured Marines and their dress blues.

"The marines will be yes." Aer replied. "I don't think Jack would have it any other way. As for others they can dress in what they feel most comfortable in. I do think most Starfleet would probably dress in uniform. I have a nice dress picked out."

"Then I will prep my dress uniform," Tom replied, "eventually I will need to get together with you both to see what you would like in the ceremony. However, that can obviously wait."

"Yes, I mean I could astroplane myself to Jack and ask but I don't think something that urgent is necessary... and it does put a lot of strain on the body," Aer said, explaining a little about one of her people's abilities. "Thank you sir, really. I am thankful you have said yes." she smiled. "I don't want to take up much more of your time... I know you are a busy man."

Tom stood up, "there is always a lot on my plate, but I try to make time." He looked at the Commander for a second, "when Jack comes back why don't you two come over and I will cook us up something for dinner. It would be nice to have some company, kind of hard to cook for just myself."

"I would like that very much, sir. I'll ask Jack when he returns, am sure he'll welcome it as well. I do know what you mean when you say cooking for yourself. I never realized it before, not until Jack had left." Aer also rose and they began to walk towards the door.

"Good then," Tom replied, "I look forward to it." He smiled, "and thank you, Aer."

"My pleasure sir." She said as the doors opened and she walked down the corridor feeling quite happy with herself.

---

Lt. Commander Aer Feshau
Chief Intelligence Officer
Poseidon Station

Commodore Thomas Rice
Sector Commander
Poseidon Station

 

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