My Ship, My Wife
Posted on Wed Jul 17th, 2019 @ 8:45pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Commander Katherine Malbrooke
1,222 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: Captain's Quarters - Deck 3 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD006 1030 hrs
The wonderful thing about being at Empok Nor and having the ship on shore leave was that Tyler did not have to be on the bridge constantly. He left a watch officer in charge and headed to his quarters for some much needed relaxation. The bloody mary was replicated along with a moderate brunch meal. He sat and picked at his meal while reading Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, one of his favorite books. The ship was quiet and the quarters a bit lonely, however, such was the life of a starfleet Captain. Isolation and loneliness was part of the job.
Kat was eager to talk to Tyler after her meeting with Quinn. A quick check of the computer verified his location and she headed for his quarters--soon to be their quarters--and palmed the doorplate to let herself in. "Hi," she said. "Do I salute the captain, or can I give him a kiss?"
"A kiss is fine..." he smirked. "You know one of these days I am going to have to tell the computer not to recognize you. I am guessing Paret let you go for the day, hence the visit. Not that I am objecting or anything. Do you want some breakfast?"
"The computer and I will simply have to conspire against you," she teased, giving her husband a long kiss. "I've accepted a transfer."
Tyler held his wife in an embrace the book and the food long forgotten. He looked down at her a little perturbed. "Transfer? We did not talk about a transfer. Where are you off to? It better be something good and important, for you to pull away from the great set up we have here..." His voice trailed off as he let go of her and began to pace. The idea of losing her to the fleet again was not something that Tyler was ready to accept.
"I don't want the setup we have--had. Not anymore." She watched him pace. He always did that when he was thinking and it made her smile. "It seems my skills are needed to help solve a mystery," she said, enjoying this moment. "A starship was hijacked for a year and no one knows who did it or why."
When she said a year, Tyler Malbrooke stopped short. He had always been told to stop thinking and look around first, take in what can be observed before coming to a conclusion. It was now that he took that advice. The first thing he noticed was Katherine's uniform. Instead of the gold turtle neck with black and gray jacket that was the choice of Captain Winfield Hood she wore the black jumpsuit with purple turtleneck and gold upon her shoulders. This was the uniform preferred by Tyler and Captain Janeway before him. His eyes widened as he saw the broad smile on her face and he turned toward the PADD that sat on his desk. The one that Sofia had said came from Quinn with a last minute transfer request for his approval. Tyler planned on getting to it later. "...Wait... You don't mean... This is Quinn's doing I'll warrant."
She laughed and hugged him. "Yes, it is. I'm supposed to report to my new commanding officer." She grinned impishly. "Do you think he needs a roommate?"
Tyler grabbed the PADD and gave it a quick once over. He had to find out how Quinn was pulling this off, the Engineering Department was staffed. Then he saw the words Mission Adviser and his eyes narrowed. "In what capacity did Quinn bring you aboard? Our Engineering Department is fully staffed."
"I'm part of a special team that will try to find out what happened to the Pioneer during that missing year," she said. "But to be honest, I was ready to resign my commission and write technical manuals to be with you." He wasn't going to like that, but it was the truth. "I'm looking forward to this, Ty. I have the skills he needs and I want to help find the answers."
He really had no idea what Quinn was playing at. However, he did bounce the investigation into the XO's hands and if O Flannagain felt that Kat would help solve it who was Tyler to argue. He approved the transfer with a signature and then placed the PADD down with a smile. Gently and lovingly he kissed his wife on the forehead and then took a step back. "It is good to have you here... Now then Commander you came to report. Well report!"
She snapped a saucy salute to the Captain. "Lieutenant Commander Katherine Malbrooke, reporting for duty, sir."
"At ease and welcome aboard..." Tyler sat back down in his recliner and began to pick at his food again. "As a Mission Adviser you will be functioning outside the normal departmental chain. You will report directly to the XO. I can only hope that once you solve this mystery, we will have a more permanent place for you here..." His voice trailed off as something else occurred to him. "...You know that I am over the moon that this worked out. However, you have to know that I cannot show any favoritism. While on duty you are simply put just another member of this crew. I hope you understand that."
"I expect no less from you, Ty," she said quietly. "You're not that kind of man. But off duty, I want exclusive rights to the captain and his quarters."
"Well I don't know about that there is a line for that privilege." Tyler said with a chuckle. "I guess we can bypass the line. Mi casa es su casa mi corazon." Tyler did not speak much Spanish but he knew some. "Of course if you are feeling extra zealous you can always offer to help Elen down in engineering. I know how you love playing with gel packs. When are you going to have your things moved in?" He looked around the quarters and then at her and realized that for the first time since gaining this command the Pioneer was his home.
She would definitely help out if needed, just to keep her hands dirty. "Well," she walked up to him, a saucy smile on her face. "I don't start until tomorrow, so I figure as soon as we have a little celebration, I'll pack my things." She cocked her head to one side. "Unless the captain has other responsibilities at the moment?"
"Let's see the ship is in dock, the officer of the watch has the bridge, and all is quiet on the western front. It seems that this Captain has nothing to do at the moment." Tyler pulled his wife onto his lap. "You see wife all of this is mine, and now it is yours to rule over muahahahahahaha." He said with a sarcastic grin. "Welcome home babe"
Kat laughed, happier than she'd been in a long time. "The only thing I want right now, my love, is you," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Commander Katherine Malbrooke
Mission Advisor, USS Pioneer
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
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