Just a week?

Posted on Wednesday, 16 June 2021 - 5:04pm by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich

Adrianna had left Leopold sleep in. She felt restless and hadn't slept much since being back on board, still worried that she'd wake up back on Ekos and all this had been a dream. Wandering down the halls, there was someone she needed to see. Knocking on her office door. "Hi," Ade offered a smile, "you had breakfast?"

Looking up from a mountain of requisition requests which - surprisingly - were a sign of why you shouldn't let your lab pretty much blow up, Lieutenant Kingsley grinned when she saw her visitor. "Hey," she replied, waving for Adrianna to come inside and then realising, between journals and research papers, her office was something of a disaster. "Actually now that you mention it... no. Mess hall?"

Adrianna chuckled and nodded, "mess hall? I feel I'm in one. What happened?" She looked around and gestured to the main science lab, "who did you blow up?"

"Myself. And Lieutenant Rogers. Well, technically," Alex added as she shut down her workstation and stood up, "it electrocuted us. And then went on fire. So we are overall a little short on space until repairs are complete and even shorter on proper equipment until I can get replacements for the stuff beyond repair. But it will be good as new in no time. And this is actually what they call organised chaos. Emphasis on the chaos. Enough about that..."

Approaching her friend, Alex stopped just a step away, being careful not to breach any personal boundaries. "It's good to see you out and about. How are you? I'm sorry I wasn't there when you got beamed back to the ship. Apparently leaving the bridge unattended is a bit no no. I had stopped by Sickbay - but you were sleeping and then I figured you may want a little bit of space. Are hugs allowed?"

Ade listened. She'd missed a lot - - new crew, a science meltdown and who knew what else. She focused back in at Alex's final question. She nodded and opened her arms, "gently mind. Still not 100 percent, but I promised Dr Rose I'd be back to get everything sorted. Just didn't want a full week laying on a bio bed, my ass would go numb."

"A psycho fried my brain and after two days I had formed about six different escape plans, so I hear you," Alex grinned as she hugged her friend, being insanely gentle to ensure she didn't hurt her. "I'm so glad you are both back. Okay, lets get some food. Calories are important to healing and the best source of calories is chocolate!"

"Gawd yes," Adrianna agreed. As they walked out Adrianna ran a hand through her hair, thinking. "Being that the lab is in a state of chaos, I'll hold my tongue for the question I have. I'll sort it." She looked behind the pair in the hall a moment, a touch of paranoia sweeping over her, but soon refocusing on the corridor ahead.

"Sort what?" Alex asked as they reached the turbolift. Touching the panel to summon the lift she turned to face Adrianna, "don't let the craziness of the department stop you from anything. Its what we do. What do you need?"

Adrianna hesitated but continued, "for the last, well, I'm unsure how long for various reasons, but a long time, I haven't seen Leo. We were forcefully kept a part because of an error in judgement." She paused and let people out of the turbo lift before stepping in. "so my qu..." She frowned, "is music playing?"

Alex was ninety nine percent sure that was not the question she was going to ask, but answered it anyway. "Yes. You can thank Lt Rogers. It was her idea. And based on the eight people who replied to her poll on the subject, just over half thought it was a great idea, one was undecided, and two provided rather lengthy replies to say why it was basically a bad idea. I'm sure one person was Soral. So, now we have music. But just in this lift so far."

Adrianna chuckled and quietly started singing the words the in original Portuguese a moment, "Olha que coisa mais linda, mais cheia de graça, É ela a menina que vem e que passa, Num doce balanço a caminho do Mar, Moça do corpo dourado do sol de Ipanema." She paused with a grin, "my father used to sing it when he was in a damn good mood. We'd always know we could ask him for anything at that point."

Stepping out of the lift, Adrianna continued, "wait, what was I saying before that?"

Alex frowned, "erm, you said that you hadn't seen Leo for a long time and you had a question?"

Adrianna nodded, "right, yes, sorry, my brain is barely managing standard, let alone focusing. Sleep isn't coming easy at the moment." They wandered to the mess hall as Adrianna continued, "Because of being apart, I want to bring the wedding forward. We've been apart too long, so we want to be together quicker. Especially being that his family are on board at the moment."

"Oh," Alex said quietly, nodding. "Makes perfect sense. When you say forward what date did you have in mind?"

Adrianna looked to Alex, "I'd have it tomorrow if I thought possible." She shrugged, "maybe a week? Let's face it, we have replicators and a holo. It wouldn't be out of the question."

"A week?!" Alex repeated, eyes wide before she recovered her composure. Soral rushing in thinking something was wrong was the last thing they needed.

"Alright," she said, more to herself than anyone else as she reached the replicator and ordered a triple chocolate sundae. It was an emergency after all. But there was also truth in Adrianna's observation. With a holodeck and replicators, they could pretty much recreate anything. There was no need to wait if she didn't want to. And Alex could understand her reasons for wanting to make things official. Hadn't she and Soral done the same? Technically three times by now?

"A week it is. And you are right. It is definitely possible and I will do anything I can to help," she promised.

"I know Eyelaya isn't here to help, I don't know what I need to do, or we need to do, or if you guys started planning in my absence," Adrianna grabbed a chocolate Muffin, "but we can sort this. In one sense, all we need is the holo booked, people invited and the cap-ee-tan's nod. I don't need perfect. I just want this quick. Screw tradition-- my mother isn't here to plan."

"Quick doesn't mean it can't still be special," Alex pointed out, "and I promise, I will do everything I can to help you have a special day worthy of Adrianna Baciami tying the knot."

Adrianna couldn't help but chuckle. She covered her mouth to ensure she didn't accidentally spit out any muffin. After a moment she calmed and swallowed, "worthy? I'm not a damn monarch."

"Hey, if I can be Lady Alexandra, you can be a queen," Alex quipped as she took another spoonful of chocolate, her tone brokering no argument.

"Sounds far too regal for us," Adrianna teased, "Mrs sounds like enough, don't you think?" Adrianna shifted a little as something twinges, she groaned and rolled her neck a little, "promise I'll be fixed physically before the wedding."

"Dr Rose will make sure of it," Alex assured her. "And while I'm no T'Lanna, if you ever need to talk about what happened? Or get mindlessly drunk so you don't have to talk at all... Of if you wanna use one of Soral's programmes and just beat up people? All are good options so just say the word. Whatever you need. And of course chocolate. I am always there for chocolate. You! I mean, you obviously. You when you want chocolate."

Adrianna nodded," I appreciate it. I feel this will pass. I do. I just need time and grappa."

“Sounds unhealthy,” Alex mused before grinning, “but I like your thinking. Now, we have a lot of planning to do.”

Adrianna nodded, "never helped plan a wedding before. It's mother's work in my culture. So, I've never even thought about it." Ade shrugged, "where do we start?"

“Well… we can watch a wedding dress show on the holodeck? You can relax in a comfy chair and decide what style of dress you like? And we can work from there.”

Adrianna asked curiously, "do we get champagne whilst we watch?"

“Of course!”

"Then I'm in," Adrianna replied, "I'm going to go home and rest but after checking on Leo, I'll be with you, say seven?"

“See you there.”

Adrianna finished her muffin and stood up. She paused before leaving and put her fingers softly on Alex's hand, "I may not admit a lot in self pains, but I appreciate your help in all respects." She offered a small smile and walked out.