LtCmdr Jovenan – Spoiled with surprises
Jovenan
((Jovenan’s quarters, Deck 3, USS Artemis))
Jovenan kicked off her uniform shoes even before the door closed behind her. Instead of picking them up and placing them in a neat row by the entrance as usual, she left them be in the middle of the floor of her main living area and walked to her desk, dropping a PADD on it. The shoreleave had begun, fortunately, but the work she had needed to do first had drained much of her energy. It had been a challenge to write a report to the Captain about the destruction the Artemis had suffered under her brief command, but even when that was done, she kept finding new sources of exhaustion. The Science Department, in most parts, had filled her itinerary with nothing but complaints – ruined experiments, system downtime, lost backups, bumps and bruises. Those of her subordinates who had been involved with the mission probably understood how dire the situation had been, but the scientists who had remained on the ship the entire time only saw the events as a disturbance to their various projects. Jovenan couldn’t blame them for feeling so, either; she would have very much preferred just roaming around the galaxy scanning dust and cataloguing planets…
Or did she? She had been saying that to herself for years, but she had long abandoned any considerations for stepping down and starting to look for a job at a university or a research institute. And unlike those outpost scientists, she had witnessed forces that ripped holes to universes, a planet with the soul of a person trapped within, a moon collapse in itself and be torched by an ejection a warp-core breach had caused. A dark thought announced its presence only in her tired brain. Did she, child of the God of the Edo, obedient follower of Law and Justice, like things that were just a little chaotic and rowdy?
Silveira: =/\= Silveira to Jovenan. Are you around the ship?
Her boyfriend’s voice pulled Jovenan out of her thoughts and forced a smile to her face. She had considered going out to the DS224 at some point of the leave, so if it hadn’t been the amount of PADDwork, she could have very well been there at this time – there was still much to explore at their home base, even when this was her fourth shoreleave there. She tapped her combadge to respond.
Jovenan: =/\= Jovenan here. I am, I just got to my quarters. =/\=
Silveira: =/\= I finally got my quarters cleaned up and wanted to see you. Luckily nothing was broken but it felt like a tornado entered my quarters. Even my desk was down. Besides, I have a surprise for you.
At first, she was relieved that he was calling her about an informal, personal matter; no more “Commander Jovenan”, “Lieutenant Silveira” and pointedly professional conduct between them for a while. But the mention of a surprise made her smile drop by a notch. She loved his surprises, they kept her falling deeper and deeper in love with him, but she also felt like surprises had been one-sided so far. She had promised to come up with a surprise for him this shoreleave – or was it already the previous one? – yet she hadn’t managed to come up with anything. He could cook, she could not, nor did she have proficiency in any other useful art or craft. Insecurity over if he’d like the few ideas had made her delay thinking about the topic. For how long still could he keep making these gestures before he, too, would start feeling like she didn’t put as much effort into their relationship?
Jovenan: =/\= Oh Vitor, you shouldn’t’ve. =/\=
Silveira: =/\= I know it’s your turn to surprise me, but I got this last shore leave. It will have a better effect if I give it to you in your quarters… Let’s say it matches something you already have. Can I meet you there?
She didn’t know if she should have kept reminding herself that she was insecure now, but the smile fought its way back to her lips. His surprises had never failed to make her feel happy and loved, although now she couldn’t possibly guess what it was.
Jovenan: =/\= Of course, sweetie! See you in a minute! =/\=
Silveira: =/\= Response =/\=
As the call ended, Jovenan turned to look at her quarters. Vitor’s quarters were just a few sectors away, so “in a minute” could very well mean a minute. Although her quarters being located on the safe side of being vented to space to save the ship, that fact had done little to protect her belongings from the havoc. Her plants had been spared from the horrible fate of cellular rupture caused by the pressure difference, but they were now in temporary containers until she’d find time to replace the broken pots with new ones. She had stacked her books on the floor for now, the wooden Edo religious symbol was on the desk face down and, since recently, there were uniform shoes discarded in the middle of it all. Meanwhile, the rest of the uniform was still on her. Again forced to make quick, critical decisions, she dashed to her bedroom. She had just managed to switch to an appropriately casual outfit of blue jeans and a black polo shirt when she heard a chime coming from the door. Putting the uniform shoes aside on the way, she opened the door.
Jovenan: Hi.
Silveira: Response
She got to her toes to give him a quick peck before letting him in. As he walked in, she stayed by the door for a few seconds longer, fidgeting with her fingers and wondering what he would think of the mess in her quarters.
Jovenan: Sorry that it’s a bit untidy here. I didn’t have time to clean up properly.
Silveira: Response
Noticing that he was carrying a box, she stepped closer and tilted her head, trying to figure what was inside. It didn’t look like profiteroles or other food this time, but given that his other previous surprises included a tour to his holographic arcade, her imagination in guessing things could not rival with his imagination in creating things for her.
Jovenan: What is it?
Silveira: Response
TAG/TBC
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Lieutenant Commander Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11