Food time

Posted on Tue Oct 14th, 2025 @ 4:49am by Lieutenant Aubrie Fox & Lieutenant Commander Steve Ryan

1,693 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Children of the Stars
Location: Mess Hall

The mess Hall was half empty. Not being the peak meal hour probably helped in having it that way. The XO wanted to grab something to eat before heading for his quarters for some much-needed rest. As he gathered his meal from the replicator, he noticed the blonde figure of Lt. Fox.

"Miss Fox," he greeted her, dropping the rank to allow for a more relaxed conversation, "mind if I join you at this table?"

Aubrie had just skillfully carved through a perfectly cooked piece of her steak, the rich aroma wafting up to her nostrils, as she poised the fork to take her first bite. Just as she was about to savor the juicy morsel, her ears caught the sound of her name being called. Startled, she glanced up from her plate and met the gaze of the First Officer, Lt. Commander Ryan.

"I don't, Go Ahead," Fox said, pointing towards the open seat.

"Thank you," he replied as he sat at the same table across from her. He positioned his plate with a chicken filet, steamed vegetables, and plenty of water, and, while cutting a piece from it, he asked.
"I know you left the ship for a while. How was it to get some rest from 24/7 duty?"

Aubrie set her fork down for a moment, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips as she regarded him. “Rest?” she echoed, leaning back slightly in her chair. “That’s one way to put it. I think I spent more time arguing with a shuttle’s maintenance subroutines than actually relaxing.”

Her tone softened a bit as she continued, “But it was good to get off the ship for a bit. Fresh air, real sunlight, and no one calling me in the middle of the night because a plasma conduit decided to misbehave.” She picked her fork back up and sliced another small piece of steak, her expression turning thoughtful.

“Still,” she said, meeting his gaze again, “after a couple of days planetside, I started missing the hum of the deck plates. Guess that’s the curse of Starfleet — peace feels… unnatural after a while.”

She paused briefly, the corner of her mouth curling again. “Even though I was more than ready to get back to my post as Chief of Security, Command had other plans — seems I’ve been roped into the Second Officer position now.” There was a dry amusement in her voice, but also a note of quiet pride. “Guess that means less time in the firing range and more time behind a desk.”

With a soft chuckle, she took another bite before glancing back at him. “How about you, Commander? You ever actually rest when you get the chance, or do you find ways to keep busy too?”

Steve chuckled.

"The higher you reach and the more it gets boring," he commented on her promotion to second officer.
"Since I made it to XO, I got literally overwhelmed by paperwork, PADDs, reports, rooster review..." he shook his head "...it's an ever-ending job," he confirmed.
"I am pretty sure your visits to the shooting range would be beneficial. You can detox from paperwork and get something practical done." he got a bite from his lunch and sipped from the glass of water before answering the other question.

"It's been a long time since I last visited home. I kind of miss it, to be honest," he scratched his light beard before continuing, "I don't get much off time lately. I either hang out in the gym or read a book." he shrugged, "...maybe once this mission is over, we might make a port visit".

Aubrie chuckled softly, shaking her head as she set her fork down. “Yeah, you’re not wrong about that. The higher the rank, the more PADDs seem to multiply on your desk overnight. I used to think the stack in my office was bad as Chief of Security—turns out that was just the warm-up.”

She leaned back slightly, giving a playful smirk. “At least the range still lets me pretend I’m getting something done. A few rounds downrange, and suddenly the reports don’t seem quite as unbearable.”

As he mentioned missing home, her expression softened. “I actually just got back from a short leave myself,” she admitted. “It was nice—quiet, familiar, the kind of break I didn’t realize I needed. But as soon as I stepped back aboard, it felt right. Like the ship’s hum was calling me back.”

Lifting her glass slightly, she added with an easy grin, “Still, a port visit after this mission? That sounds like the perfect middle ground. Someplace warm, good food, no duty reports waiting to ambush us the second we wake up.”

Steve drank from his glass of water.
"Oh, it's just speculation," he admitted, "but we are not visiting port since a few and I guess we could hit port sooner or later, even for stock replenishments and such." he shrugged, finishing the last few bites from his meal.
"Wonder if Starfleet Command would prove me wrong," he concluded with a suppressed laugh.

Aubrie smirked, tilting her head slightly as she speared the last piece of steak on her plate. “Speculation or not, I like the sound of it,” she replied. “This crew’s been running full throttle for a while now—morale could use a boost. Even if Command calls it a ‘logistics resupply,’ I’m sure the crew will find a way to make it feel like shore leave.”

She took a sip from her glass, a playful glint in her eyes. “Besides, if you’re wrong, we’ll just blame it on optimism. That’s a rare enough trait in a First Officer—I’d hate to discourage it.”

Setting her glass down, she leaned back in her chair, her tone turning a touch more relaxed. “Still, a little break wouldn’t hurt. I might even trade my phaser drills for an hour on a beach somewhere… maybe,” she added with a teasing grin.

She met his gaze again, her voice softening just slightly. “Guess we’ll see if Command surprises us for once.”

He met her gaze and smiled, " blame it on optimism" he laughed, "I'll have to remember that and use this sentence more often" he played around with his glass before continuing.
"On another topic, are you ready to take over the Montana? Soon, me and the captain will be on a mission together, and the chair of the power will be yours," he explained.

Aubrie arched an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at her lips as she set her glass down. “The Montana, huh?” she echoed, leaning back slightly. “That’s… a pretty big responsibility. Not gonna lie, the idea of sitting in that chair while you and the Captain are off on a mission is equal parts exciting and terrifying.”

She tapped her fingers lightly against the table, her gaze thoughtful. “But yeah… I’m ready. It’s not like I haven’t handled high-stakes situations before, and I know the crew well enough to keep things running smoothly while you’re gone. I just hope the ship—and the systems—decide to cooperate with me.”

A teasing glint returned to her eyes. “Though I might take this as an excuse to implement a few of my own ‘security improvements.’ Don’t tell the Captain, but the Montana might just be a little… more Aubrie-friendly by the time you get back.”

"It will be easier than you think. At first, it can be scary, but then it really gets business as usual. Being in command isn't about always being right and doing a one man show" he explained, "seek counsel, ask the crew their ideas and thoughts, but in the end, the decision is yours," he offered.

Aubrie nodded slowly, absorbing his words with a measured expression. “Yeah… that makes sense,” she said, picking up her glass and taking a small sip. “I think that’s where a lot of people trip up—they think being in command means knowing everything and having all the answers.”

She leaned forward slightly, her tone more serious but still calm. “I’ve always believed in hearing people out. The crew sees things from angles you might miss, and sometimes their ideas are better than anything you’d come up with on your own.” She gave a small, confident smile. “So yeah, I get it. Listen, weigh it, then make the call. That’s what command’s really about.”

Aubrie leaned back, a glint of determination in her eyes. “Sounds like I’ve got a little bit of training to do… but I’m ready for it. The Montana will be in good hands while you and the Captain are gone.”

"I'm sure, out the captain wouldn't have chosen you" he smiled at her and finished his glass of water.
"Well, it's been fun. We should do these informal masks more often miss Fox" he told her while standing up to clean his desk before leaving.
"I'm gonna go and try to get some rest before my next shift, thanks for the chat" he offered her his comforting smile.

Aubrie returned his smile with a small nod, a hint of warmth in her eyes. “Thanks, Commander. I appreciate the confidence,” she said, giving a soft chuckle. “And I agree—these informal meals are way better than the usual briefing room chatter. More honest, less… paperwork.”

She leaned back in her chair, watching him gather his things. “Get that rest—you’ll need it for your next shift. Don’t let the reports chase you down before you’ve had a chance to breathe,” she added, her tone teasing but sincere.

As he offered the comforting smile, she gave a faint shrug and a grin. “Anytime, Commander Ryan. And hey… I’ll try not to burn the ship down while you’re gone,” she said lightly, though her eyes carried a spark of determination.

-----------------
Lt. Commander Steve Ryan
XO
USS Montana

Lt. Aubrie Fox
Chief Security Officer / Second Officer
USS Montana

 

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