What 'Time' Do You Call This?
Posted on 04/16/2023 @ 4:43am by Commander Aer Feshau-Patton & Colonel Jack Patton
1,435 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Mission 23:Pages...
Location: Airlock -> Aer & Jacks Quarters, Poseidon Station
True, it had been only 3 days regular time for most of the crew. The Herodotus had went off on its merry mission and came back after the station had a fun time with Breen and whatnot.
Everyone was on the come down from that one and that was no surprise. Captain Harrington would find his station bruised and bloody, and with some internal damage from when it had been boarded by nasty critters in horrible face masks.
But... JACK WAS BACK!!
And that's all Aer cared about right now.
3 days was long enough, but even longer for a species that felt and dealt with time differently. With Jack being out of their universe she felt his loss more deeply. Their connection with each other quantified that loss to actual hurt. 3 days? Felt like forever.
So, as he stepped off the airlock, looking sexy in his slight 5 o'clock shadow and scruffy hair from travelling, Aer ran at him and jumped around his midsection giving him a big old kiss.
It was almost like back in the old days on Earth when a man came home from war. The scene of the wife/partner/girlfriend almost knocking them to their feet in their excitement and happiness they were home safe.
Jack smiled as his bride to be rushed over to him. Deep within him was the thought of the Aer that was over there. These were thoughts that he would have to deal with. However, that was for another time. Right now all there was to deal with was this beautiful creature who he was lucky enough to be with. As he kissed her dipped her having no cares for whoever may have watched.
After what seemed like minutes the kiss broke and Jack smiled. "A fella could get used to a greeting like this. I have missed you so very much that I could barely keep my mind on the mission. For a Marine that is saying something. Now tell me about everything that I missed. It seemed like a hell of a party went on here."
Aer could feel his resistance slightly as she kissed him. His mind was elsewhere but still present. That duplicity didn't make much sense to her with the words he spoke to her but she knew something had happened over there simply by the emotions he gave off and slightly by how he carried himself.
As he asked what had went on Aer subconsciously felt her stomach, her hand gliding over the scar that was there.
Why had she left the scar? She was one that believe hiding life's imperfections to be a silly notion. Scars were simply a history on the body, a memory, a warning to be more careful.
Aer took him by the hand and began to lead him to their quarters through the crowded promenade.
"Well... we were attacked by the Breen... as I'm sure you know by now." Aer began as she felt the warmth of his hand in hers. It made her feel safer. "It was kind of my fault." she sighed. "I had a disc of data they wanted, and do you remember Dr Rik?"
She saw Jack nod.
"He died in custody." she whispered quietly and let that hang in the air.
Jack gave Aer a rather stern look. "Babe, you know that you can't let your prisoners die. I mean how do you learn anything about them. How did he die? Tell me everything..." Jack was glad to be home, gladder to be in his beloved's arms, but gladdest that Aer had a story that could distract him for the time being from idea of the the other Aer. He knew that he would have to tell her eventually but this was not the time to tell her.
"I didn't LET him die." Aer became quite defensive on that. "Section... I mean well someone else took custody of him. I had a directive from Starfleet Intelligence to pass him onto a handler with no name and I did as I was told." she continued. "Apparently whilst in custody he was found in his cell with a hole in his chest the size of a volleyball."
Aer stopped him dead in the middle of the corridor. "If he had been in my care he would not be dead. You know that, right?" she asked him, almost pleaded with him for his approval.
Jack moved in and as he touched, grazed, her stomach she flinched a little. The wound not really sore but still a bit tender from her incident with the Klingon in the cargo bay.
He noticed the wince. "Babe I understand a lot of times the Corps and the Fleet takes things out of our hands and drops the ball. But you have to tell me... What happened to you? You're in pain."
"It's nothing." she tried to pretend but she could tell he wasn't going to let that lie. "Honestly, it was just me being stupid when following a lead." She felt his hand move to her top as he lifted it slightly to show an impressive scar on her abdomen. The wound clear signs of a Klingon blade seemed to stir many emotions in Jack.
Seeing her injured clicked with the fresh memory of that other Aer and he nearly cried. "Who did this? It was a Klingon I can tell that from the scarring." His mind reeled, Jack would scour the galaxy and search for the person or persons who dared to harm the woman he loved. This was something that he did not try to cover up. It was something that he wanted her to know.
"I don't know his name, yet." she corrected herself. "I went to a cargo bay without back up and made a noise that attracted their attention." she subconsciously felt around her neck where he'd picked her up rather effortlessly. "He's part of my investigation into weapons trafficking on the station." she kind of waved it away. "I'll fill you in later... you're just back."
Jack exhaled sharply through his nose. The protector in him wanted to know everything now and wanted to go make sure that today was a good day for that Klingon to die. However, he also understood that if his marriage was going to work he had to let go and allow Aer to work. She was a Starfleet Officer and loved it as much as he loved the Corps. His demeanour changed, it softened and he wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked. "Yes my love I am home and believe there is no place I would rather be. Everything but especially you is a sight for sore eyes." He stopped and kissed her again. "Now I do believe we have a wedding to plan. But first to our quarters."
Little butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the kiss. This happened all the time and she hoped it would never end. As she got her breath back, and dropped from her tippy toes, she looked into his eyes. "Cant we just elope?" she joked.
"Indeed we can. But first we will still go to our quarters. There is something I just need..." Jack's voice trailed off as a devilish smile played across his face. He reached down and squeezed her butt. Jack Patton was home and in his ladies arms, and he did not care who saw it.
Aer squealed as Jack squeezed her. It wasn't a squeal of fear, a fright given but one of excitement and delight. Having his hands on her, his touch was electrifying. She began to drag him very fast towards their quarters. "You'd think all those months away had left you longing for something." She said teasingly.
Jack smiled and pinched her rear as they made their way through the corridors. For the briefest of moments the image of that other Aer, from the other side passed through his mind. "You have no idea my love, no idea." He pushed that thought from his head and continued to follow her to the door to their quarters. Once there he grabbed Aer by the waist and kissed her passionately. Jack had to replace that horrible memory with this one, with her in his arms where he felt she should be. As they kissed he opened the door and they stumbled through the open door. The soon to be newlyweds did not make it to the bedroom.
Lieutenant Colonel Jack "BlackJack" Patton
Commanding Officer, The Kingsmen
Poseidon Strategic Command
Poseidon Station
Commander Aer Feshau
Chief Intelligence Officer
Poseidon Station
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