Cause for Celebration

Posted on Sat Mar 25th, 2023 @ 5:38pm by Lieutenant Commander Ryan Knight & Doctor Samantha Knight, DSci. & Lieutenant Jackson Rutledge II & Lieutenant Callie Knight

1,947 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 0: New Sheriff in Town
Location: Ryan’s Quarters and Officers' Wardroom

Ryan was sitting on the couch, still in his uniform, reading various reports on his tablet. He shook his head as he chuckled. Ryan thought to himself he wouldn't have excepted the First Officer position had he known the amount of administrative duties he was going to take on. He looked about his quarters and realized he would be moving to larger accommodations soon. He returned his gaze to the tablet. Several minutes later his door opened.

Callie had been waiting for Ryan to turn up for their planned dinner date, it wasn’t like him to be late, so she’d decided to go and see what was taking so long. Arriving at his quarters she didn’t bother to press the chime, especially as they were now engaged to married.

Ryan looked up and smiled at Callie as she entered dressed for a night of fun. He looked at the wall clock and his smile froze. "Damn!" He stood up abruptly. "Our date. I lost track of time." He stripped off his tunic and tossed it on the couch. "Give me ten minutes."

Callie smiled, as she shook her head. “Take all the time you need, I’ll be right here waiting for you Imzadi.”

Ryan stumbled to the fresher as he started kicking off boots and removing his undershirt. He ducked in an started cleaning up.

Watching Ryan go she couldn’t help but admire his body as he went. She was tempted to follow him, but that would make them even later for dinner than they already were.

Ryan, true to his word, returned ten minutes later dressed for dinner. He paused and picked up the discarded pieces of clothing and put them in the hamper. "Toss me my shirt?"

Callie reached for the shirt, her eyes catching sight of Ryan’s new rank. “You’ve been promoted!?” Her smile said it all.

Ryan’s face lit up as Callie noticed the new rank on his Starfleet Delta pin as he stepped over and took hold of the shirt with her. "The Captain called me into her Ready Room during bridge watch this morning and promoted me to First Officer."

“Ryan that’s wonderful, Congratulations Imzadi!!” Callie quickly moved over to him giving him a congratulatory kiss and hug. “You will make an amazing First Officer.”

"Well, that still remains to be seen." He took the shirt and balled it up before tossing it from a distance into the clothes hamper. "Right now it's time for dinner."

Callie nodded. “Double celebration then! Our engagement, and your promotion. Are you planning on telling Samantha about our engagement anytime soon?”

Ryan nodded. "Tonight at dinner actually. I invited her and a date to join us. I hope that you don't mind."

“Tonight..” Callie nodded. “It’s okay, just... give me a heads up first next time? What if I’d have joined you in the shower? Samantha would have been knocking at the door wanting to know where we were.” She grinned.

Ryan did a double take before grinning back at Callie. "She would have just had to wait I suppose."

Callie smiled. “So are we ready? I’m looking forward to my night out with you. I just hope your sister doesn’t think we’re completely crazy!”

Ryan offered his arm to Callie as he gestured to the door. "She has always been the impulsive one. So if she does, it would be the pot calling the kettle black."

Taking his arm Callie smiled warmly as they headed out of the door. “I was thinking about engagement rings, how would you feel about having matching rings?”

Ryan pondered the question for a moment as they stepped out of his quarters and started for the Officers' Wardroom. "Is that the custom on Betazed? Earth custom is the woman wears an engagement ring given to her at the time of proposal."

“Well I don’t have a ring yet, and I thought maybe it would be nice to have matching rings.” Callie gave Ryan a curious look. “I’ll understand if you don’t want a ring until we marry.”

Ryan smiled as he leaned and kissed Callie's cheek. "We will get matching sets as soon as we get back to Starbase Arcadia. I promise."

Callie nodded and smiled warmly. “That sounds wonderful Imzadi. I can’t wait! I feel like I could yell how much I love you from the nearest mountain top! I want to be able to show everyone that I’m yours.”

Ryan patted Callie's hand. "First we tell my sister then we can inform the rest of the galaxy."

Callie nodded. “That sounds like a plan to me Imzadi.”

The doors to the Officers' Wardroom opened as Ryan and Callie arrived. He spotted Samantha and Jackson already seated and one of the galley stewards already taking their order. Samantha chuckled as they sat down. "This is a first. My brother being late."

Ryan shrugged. "Give me a break Samantha. I have a lot of extra work on me now." He turned to Jackson. "Lieutenant Rutledge pleasure to see you."

Jackson noted the rank insignia. "And you, commander." He stood. "Please join us."

Callie smiled warmly as she greeted Samantha and Jackson. “It’s nice to see you again Lieutenant, do you mind if I call you Jackson? Saves the titles.”

Jackson nodded to Callie. "Jackson will be fine, counselor, or should I call you Callie instead?"

“Callie is perfectly fine” She smiled warmly.

Ryan pulled out a chair for Callie before taking a seat across from his sister. He looked Samantha in the eye. "I didn't invite you to dinner to celebrate my promotion. Actually it's a little more personal than that." He took Callie's hand.

Samantha quirked an eyebrow as she looked at Ryan and Callie. It took a second for her to realize what her brother and Callie had done. "You're both Imzadi now aren't you."

Callie gave Ryan a smile before looking to Samantha. “Yes, we are.”

Samantha was not used to her brother displaying impulsive behavior. He was always the one attempting to, often without success, rein in her free spirited adventures. She joking smirked, not fully aware of the closeness between Ryan and Callie. "So when's the wedding?"

Callie looked at Ryan, then at Samantha. “I don’t know yet, that all depends on when Ryan wants to be married. Not that I’d rush him into it.”

Samantha turned to Callie and blinked several times in response to her statement. She finally turned to Ryan.

Ryan looked at Samantha. "Uh, I asked Callie to marry me the other night after we...."

Callie smiled happily as she looked towards Ryan. She was smitten by him, and it was plain to see.

"I'd say that drinks are in order for the happy occasion." Jackson flagged a passing waiter. "Bottle of your best champagne."

Callie smiled warmly at Jackson, her glance moving to Samantha.

Samantha looked at the happy couple for a full minute, with a momentary glance at Jackson before allowing a sigh to escape her. She fixed her gaze on Ryan. "Have you told Mom and Dad yet?"

Ryan shook his head. He could discern reservation in Samantha's demeanor. Not so much that she was upset, just concerned. "I was going to send them a message once the current patrol was complete."

Callie’s smile had faded at Samantha’s less than enthusiastic response. “Yeah I guess I should let my parents know too.”

Jackson looked at Samantha and wondered why she being such a downer on her brother's news. He will have to ask her then their alone.

Samantha looked at all of them in turn before settling her gaze on Ryan. "Ryan, you have always been the one to think things through. I am the impulsive one. Proposing marriage to someone you've only known for a week or two is just...."

Ryan listened to Samantha's words carefully. "You are right about Callie and I only knowing one another for a short time. What you are not aware of is that because of this *bond* we now share. I am with someone who understands me in a way nobody else will ever be able to. I can truly be myself with Callie as she is with me." He turned to look at Callie. "Being Imzadi with someone is not something I can explain to you or anyone else. It's just something that is."

Callie smiled and nodded as she held Ryan’s hand. “We’re what you might call... soul mates, now. It’s more complicated than that but it’d take too long to explain. I love Ryan, and I would never do anything to hurt him.”

"Actually, getting married after a brief time is not uncommon. When some people think they have found that special someone, they don't want to risk missing a chance at what may be happiness." Jackson placed his hand on Samantha's inner thigh and squeezed.

Samantha jumped slightly at Jackson's touch as she fixed her gaze on him. "Slow down there turbo. You may be the best lover I have ever had, but that doesn't mean I am ready to settle down and get hitched."

Ryan visibly winced at Samantha’s statement. "Well that was more information than I really needed to know."

Callie couldn’t help but grin, at least it lightened up the awkward moment a little. “I take it the two of you are quite the item then?” She grinned.

Samantha took a deep breath as she turned to Jackson. "Not sure what we are exactly. We have not really discussed it yet. We honestly don't really know much about one another yet."

Callie nodded her counselling instincts kicking in. “There’s nothing wrong with that, just take your time and see where your relationship goes from there.”

Jackson leaned back. "Right now, we share our beds when the moment strikes us. Are we friends? Friends with benefits? Lovers? Is this a long-term situation, or are we just letting someone satisfy a sexual urge? That's a question I would like to know the answer to."

Samantha looked at Jackson. She wasn't fond of putting labels on her relationship with people she was physically intimate with. She liked Jackson and thought him an incredible lover. She wasn't ready to clarify their relationship though. "We are...consenting adults who happen to enjoy spending time together. Will it develop over time? Sure. All relationships do."

“That they do” Callie smiled as she looked at Ryan. “Just as ours will develop further.”

Jackson sipped his drink, looking at Samantha over the rim of the glass.

Samantha looked at Ryan and Callie and smiled. "I do want you both to be happy and it's clear to me that Ryan is the happiest I have seen him in a long time. You're a lucky woman Callie."

Callie smiled the biggest smile yet. “Thank you Samantha, I’m the one whose lucky to have a wonderful fiancé and a sister-in-law to be, like you!”

Jackson looked at Samantha. "Now that was very nice of her to say, wasn't it?"

Samantha glanced briefly at Jackson before settling her gaze on Callie. "Thank you Callie. She raised her glass. To the happy couple."

Ryan raised his own glass. "Thank you Samantha."

Callie lifted her glass. “To all of us, and our happiness” she smiled at Ryan as she sipped her drink.

Jackson lifted his glass and drank to the happy couple. But he was thinking that even though the sex with Sam is outstanding, he wonders if there is any possible future for them.

 

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