Excuse Me, A Moment Please

Posted on Tue Oct 5th, 2021 @ 4:04am by Lieutenant JG Jenna Jade & Lieutenant Mark Valleroy

Mission: Lower Decks
Location: Security Office
Timeline: During Recovery Time

Jenna tentatively stepped into the complex of rooms and offices that involved the Security offices and looked around, wondering who it was of the three people present that was the Lieutenant. The four bars of her class of cadet marked her as an outsider for one, the lack of confidence another flavor. She took a deep breathe and decided there was only one way, “Pardon me, Ah’m looking for Lieutenant Valleroy? Ah’ve got an update on Re- Ensign Rouen.” She blushed at her near mistake as she stood in front of the now closed doors.

"You've found him," Mark told the young woman in front of him. He noted for a moment the apparent informal attitude when naming Ensign Rouen, but decided to let it go. "What can I do for you?"

“Cadet Fourth Class Jenna Jade, Engineerin’. suh.” She got out, “Ah’m, umm, right, Ah’m supposed to tell you that Renee is supposed to take it easy for a couplea days and Ah’m his minder to keep an eye on ‘im. But Ah’ve got to get back to work myself tomorrow or else we’re gonna fall way behind. Ah was wonderin’ if you minded me stealin’ him to take notes for me while Ah keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t get into trouble or do anythin’ he shouldn’t be doin’?” She finally stopped her ramble as she tried to meet his eyes and couldn’t get above his collarbone.

"Thank you for letting me know," Mark said. "Yes, you may grab him temporarily if it helps keep him out of mischief. He does seem prone to do something drastic at times."

"He does at that, suh." Jenna agreed rapidly, best not to contradict someone as senior as the Lieutenant, "Ah plan to sit him in a chair and keep him as still as Ah possibly can. He needs to get healed up before he starts his normal antics." She smiled slightly, gain, to Mark's chest rather than his face, "Apparently the Skipper thinks Ah'm the best to do that with him."

"Well, best not to argue with the captain," Mark replied. "Not to get too personal here, but I get the feeling the two of you...have a history with each other."

Her initial answer was a blush so red it could have acted as a stop sign, "It's... It's not a long history, suh, it's from since we came on board." She toed the floor before getting herself under control, "Ah'm not in his chain of command, suh, so it's not like it'd violate Article um.... Whichever Article it is that prohibits certain relationships, but well, yes?"

"Yes, as long as it's consensual, there should be no issues," Mark said. "Certainly no need to get embarrassed over it." He gave her a quick wink.

The blush began to glow rather than get redder, which it couldn't physically get, "Ah, Ah, Ah'm umm..." Jenna stammered, wanting to do nothing more than flee out the door again, but it wasn't becoming on an officer, or even a cadet, "We're not like that, sir, not yet at least, Ah've never, Ah'm just... Oh my God..." Jenna felt like dying right in front of the Lieutenant.

"I did not wish to imply anything like that," Mark said. "Perhaps, now that your report is delivered, it is a good time to go about our duties?"

“Yes, sir, that sounds good, sir.” Jenna looked slightly behind herself, as if you seek an escape route, which she was and did, even as her face burned. She threw a salute, “Have a good day sir.” And she fled.