Dinner with the CO

Posted on Tue Jul 25th, 2023 @ 10:58pm by Captain Charlotte Rhodes & Lieutenant Commander Kenna Wolff

1,345 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 1S: Shore Leave
Location: Captain's Quarter's, USS Defiant
Timeline: During Shore Leave

"Ah, damn it."

Smoke billowed from the small electric oven set into the counter of the Captain's kitchen, which wafted up to the ceiling before being dealt with by the atmospheric scrubbers. Charlotte let out an exasperated sigh. She'd prepared a lovely side dish of charcoal. She supposed she was glad it hadn't set off the fire suppression system at least.

She returned her attention to the stir fry on the stove top, glad that at least that had maintained her attention enough to still be intact. It was thankfully looking quite good, actually. She was a decent cook, but her mind was in a million different places today and she was having a surprisingly hard time focusing.

Maybe she needed to put the uniform back on. She always seemed to think more clearly in it. Instead, she'd opted for a more casual look. Denim jeans and a maroon comfortable button-down blouse, the sleeves rolled up to protect it from the occasional splash.

Any moment now, the chime would announce the arrival of Kenna Wolff, her ever elusive Tactical Officer. With any luck, a little one on one time would be what she needed to finally get to know the woman a bit better.

The chime rang, as expected. Kenna had taken time to select her outfit of black jeans and a dark green blouse. It was important to make an impression. She carried a bottle of wine as she had done research that it was an appropriate host gift.

"Right on time. Come on in, I've just about got dinner ready," Rhodes said, looking over as she called out and offering a welcoming grin when the door opened. Her eyes caught the wine bottle with interest. "Ooh, what have you got there in that bottle?"

"For you Captain. " Kenna held out the bottle of red wine. "My research states that it is a very good wine." She gave a sheepish look. "Not much use for wine where i grew up."

"Well, I'm not much of a wine connoisseur, myself. But I know the quality of your research, so I'm sure this is going to be quite good," Charlotte said, taking the bottle and inspecting it as if she'd suddenly glean understanding. The lovely embossed font and vintage did little to enlighten her. "You were born on a freighter, right? I've never heard you talk much about growing up."

Kenna gave a slight shrug. "Not much to tell" she said to the captain. "Most freighters are the same, small quarters, no holodecks and slow trips between ports."

"And yet, it those trips still produced the woman I see before me today. I wouldn't count them as that irrelevant," Charlotte said as she filled two glasses with wine. She wanted to tread carefully. Kenna's lack of comment could be here usual stoicism...or it could be that what ultimately happened to the Abound made the memories painful to revisit. The Captain hoped she could ask around a little about the events prior to the attack without getting into the darker period.

But maybe a more direct approach would help. "Try not to mind me fumbling around trying to small talk. I'm just trying to get to know Kenna Wolff, instead of my Tactical Officer. I think you and I are both very good at being the woman in uniform. But, at least for myself, I sometimes struggle to know who I am outside of that uniform."

Kenna considered her response very carefully. "I understand that Captain. But my pre-starfleet life is not really one i speak about. I became someone in the fleet because of the opportunity that Starfleet gave me when they accepted my application to the academy."

Her verbal blocks are on par with her hand to hand, Charlotte thought. She sat back narrowing her gaze, but she let a smile of frustrated amusement slip. “You don’t tend to let people in much, do you?”

"The last time that happened Captain, people died." Kenna said calmly. "I tend these days to err on the side of caution."

“I can understand that,” Charlotte said, looking down and swishing her wine glass a little. She’d spent months trying to claw back to being a person after the betrayal she’d experienced at the hands of those who were closest to her. Her own father who’d betrayed everything she believed in, her brother who had very nearly killed her, and Alina. The woman who’d broken her deepest trust, making Rhodes wonder if it would ever be repaired again. “I’ve been in a similar place, albeit on a different scale. I’ve been struggling for a while now to open up again, and it hasn’t been easy. The walls feel much safer. But, if I might say, I don’t think the walls make us better officers. They make it harder for us to trust those around us. And Starfleet is built on trust, on being able to place your life in the hands of those next to you. I think, as difficult as it is, opening up again, at least a little, is the safer choice.”

Rhodes held up a hand. “But that takes time. So perhaps a compromise. Maybe, just for a minute, consider letting a fellow guarded soul in? One who has a state of the art heavy cruiser at her disposal should danger come calling. Or more importantly, one with the authority to keep the Counselors at bay.”

"I see counselors Captain. Every time we hit port" Kenna had to smile at that. "And they hate every moment of it."

Charlotte couldn't resist the chuckle that escaped her. Kenna's defense remained flawless. Someday she might figure out how the Tactical Officer ticked. In the meantime, she felt fairly certain there wasn't a safer information vault on the ship.

"That I can certainly believe," Rhodes said, lifting her wine glass in a sort of salute. "Well, I know when I'm licked. But if you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me. In the meantime, I'll try a topic I might make more headway on. Got any plans of this shore leave?"

"I was going to go to the shops on the promenade deck. I need new running shoes and a new swim suit." Kenna confessed. "I also have to review incoming crew files. I hear we are getting exchange officers."

"As did I. Aruilaens, I believe. Command is finalizing the details of their assignment," Rhodes said, as she set out the plates in front of them. "By the sounds of it, you'll be getting a new subordinate out of the arrangement. What's your thoughts on that?"

"Their race is very interesting and from what i have read the officer is very experienced in security. I could do with that in my department."

"I can't exactly disagree with you. Especially given how things are heating up around here," Rhodes said. "The other one is going to Sciences, which should offer some great chances for exchange. I've never commanded an exchange before though, so it should be interesting."

"I am sure our chief of science will enjoy the new crew." Kenna said. "And i will make sure they are briefed on our security protocols."

"Not to scare you too much. But they're probably going to want to talk to you. Ask questions and all that pesky stuff," Charlotte teased.

"I can handle that, and I have people in my team I can delegate to, until i get the newcomer up to speed."

"Sounds like you've got yourself a plan then," Charlotte said. "That reminds me though. I do have plenty of approvals I need to work my way through. Command has about a dozen and a half diplomatic agreements I need to sign as part of this exchange."

Kenna had to smile at that. "Ah well take your wine with you when you do them." She suggested.

Charlotte rose to her feet gathering her dishes. "You know, I think I just might."

 

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