Who: @captain-orionqueen​ Where: Orion’s Office

It wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary for Lilith to be called into Orion’s office; he’d often pull her in to discuss their current predicament, vent about something stressful, or even just to shoot the shit. This time however, she herself was a little on edge. Having found out from Alex that their secret was out, she figured it was only a matter of time before word reached Orion, and she knew it would be far better for her brother to hear about her and Alex from her than it would be from some random source. That meant that she was going to have to bring it up to Orion sooner rather than later, and while she wasn’t sure why he had called her in today specifically, a small part of her was hoping she’d find the opportunity to broach the subject with him. “What’s up, Ry? How are you holding up?” she asked with a smile once she closed the door behind her, the smile falling from her face as she noticed the grim look on his. There was a sort of tension in the air that she read easily, and she knew him well enough to know that something was off. “What’s wrong?” 

Apparently, Orion had been losing control of his ship without even realizing it.  For a couple days he had been sitting on the information Lilith, the woman he considered a sister was fraternizing with Alex one of the The Themis crew.  No words could describe the betrayal he felt, one reason it took a few days before he could even call her into his office for a private chat.  The moment she walked through the door, tension filled the room as his blue eyes peered up towards her.  Orion’s face had that serious expression as he sat there wanting to choose his words wisely.  “It is Caption Queen,” he stated towards her.  Right now, the two were not here to shoot the breeze.  Instead, they were here because she crossed a line and he had to step up and be captain.  “Officer Carlisle, it is my duty to inform you this is not an official inquiry. However, whatever is said here could potentially leave remarks on your record.”  His eyes motioned for her to sit down.  “Please be seated.”  Once she was across from him, he took a moment to breathe in and find his center. “Do you have anything you want to say to me before we begin?”

Who: @captain-orionqueen​ Where: Cass’s Personal Quarters

It had been several weeks since Cass had been jumped in one of the halls and her wounds were fading into nothing more than memories. The perpetrators had been dealt with rather swiftly, but Cass hadn’t wanted much more to come of it than that, which is why she hadn’t shared their names with anyone beyond Orion. Orion, who was still somewhat of a mystery to her. She knew he had people in his crew that he trusted and relied upon, but he still seemed to be wound beyond tight more often than not, and no matter how available she made herself, he seemed to hold himself above her assistance. Not that she blamed him, honestly. As a captain in the Alliance, he would most likely have certain standards he held himself to; an image he would want to maintain with his crew. But even then, he was only human and she hoped he had someone that he could relax with. When someone unexpected knocked at the door to her quarters, it was this fact that made her eyebrows rise in surprise when she found none other than Orion himself on the other side of it. Immediately Cass was appraising him, though a smile was on her face. “Captain Queen - to what do I owe this pleasure?” she asked, trying to regain her composure before stepping aside and gesturing for him to enter. “Can I get you anything?” 

Things have been weighing heavily on Orion for a long time, even before the jump into unknown space.  However, lately everything felt it was crumbling around him.  Orion tried to fashion himself into the man everyone needed, he tried to be strong, above it all and maintain standards across the board. He viewed himself as a fair man, but lately he was questioning his own integrity and there was no going to his closest friend anymore, not after the words exchanged between them just a few days ago.  Right now, he felt at a loss and there was one person on ship who was morally obligated to maintain secrecy if he were to reveal anything to her.

As he stood outside her companion quarters, he debated whether to knock.  Cassandra had made it known on more than one occasion he would be welcomed, but he always declined.  Perhaps the best solution was to go to his own quarters and drown himself in a bottle of whiskey.  Yet, he mustered up the courage to knock and when she greeted him, he softly smiled.  “I do hope I have not disturbed you Miss Cassandra,” he stated.  It was clear there was an air of nervousness surrounding him, which was odd.  Usually, the man was sure of himself and had confidence. As he stepped inside, his blue eyes gazed around at her the place.  “You certainly have made this homey.”  While he stood in the middle of the place, he turned towards her.  “May I please have some tea, if it is not a bother?” Although, Orion had been around companions his whole life living on the central planets, he never actually used their services.  So he was not exactly sure what he should be doing.

“Not in depth, no, but I have full faith in Officer Reynolds’ abilities as well.” She had faith in herself, too, but she truly did believe that Travis had the ability to pull off some impossible things with the engines if need be. “I wish I could tell you more, Sir, but we likely won’t know until we have to cross that bridge.” Andy hated not knowing the answers, but given everything they had on board, they would eventually have to sacrifice conveniences elsewhere if this trip went on too long. It was odd to hear the captain compliment her so openly, but Andy bobbed her head in thanks. It was also nice to know that he thought so highly of her. She wasn’t surprised to know that Captain Queen knew about Travis’s brother - he was surprisingly in tune with most of the goings on on his ship - but she was surprised he asked her about it. Still, there was no hesitation in her answer, “Not at all, Captain. If anything, he’s just been working harder since the crews joined. It’s my opinion that you can trust Officer Reynolds’ judgement still. He would never do anything that would jeopardize the ship and the crew.” Even if Travis’s judgement had been off, Andy would have answered the same. His emotions were less predictable and he was a lot less easy going than he had been for others, but even with the confusion and guilt his brother had caused him, his brain worked just as sharp and quick as it had before. 

Orion nodded, “I understand you may not know until we cross that bridge.  However, I need you and Reynolds to think outside the box.  Come up with scenarios of things that could possibly happen and how your team plans to respond.  “Please get with Officer Reynolds and take time to come up with these possibilities. Do not worry; I do not expect you both to come to me within the next with this information.  However, I will expect it sooner rather than later.  I want to know our contingency plans.”  A part of him wondered what caused this loyalty from the woman to Officer Reynolds, but he admired all the kind words she had to say about her superior.  “Thank you; I appreciate your assessment and your words on Officer Reynolds. You two appear to work well with each other and I look forward to interacting with you two more.  I might pull you along with Reynolds into some meetings in the near future, so please be prepared to answer any questions that might come your way.”

“Do me a favor, Orion, and don’t insult me by acting as though I don’t understand the Alliance as well as you do. And do not assume you know more about the Alliance’s movements or what is going on in the galaxy than I do. I have been out there; I have been having to keep track of the Alliance’s movements to stay away from them. Don’t insult my intelligence- I have done nothing to insult yours.”

Without even realizing it with each word Ophelia moved herself closer to him, her body settling far too close to him, nearly touching; she could almost feel the energy vibrating off of him. It was disconcerting if only because it was far too familiar and far too comfortable when it no longer should be. But she pushed that thought as into the back of her mind as she could. “I never asked for that position. I never wanted it. You decided on your own to give me that position and you can try to justify it all you want with my military experience or with my relationship with my crew but I think we both know it was more than that. So let’s just address the elephant in the room, shall we?”

“You following me across the galaxy. You kept following me. And you could try to tell everyone it was because I was wanted by the Alliance but there are plenty of other captains out there. You could have left me to them. But you wanted to find me. And there’s a reason to that.” Her hands were too restless and she stuck them into her pockets to keep from touching him. What she would do if she touched him? That was still unknown. And better not to find out. “Love me or hate me- you wanted to find me. You wanted to be the one to do it. Because I left. Not because I left the Alliance or because I left the cause. But because I left you.”

“I left you.” Despite the charge and the energy in the room Ophelia’s voice dropped in volume, not quite a whisper but nowhere near as booming at it had been though the energy was still there, emotion simmering beneath the surface while she tried desperately to keep all that she felt at bay. “You loved me. And I left you behind.”

“You might never understand why I did what I did and that’s fine. But I did what I had to do. I couldn’t stay any longer. I knew too much about the Alliance to be able to stay and not hate myself. And I couldn’t tell you I was leaving. You would have tried to convince me to stay. And if you had succeeded I would have resented you. And if you hadn’t? Then you would have known something that could put you at risk with the Alliance. They would have done whatever they could to get information out of you. And they might have even thought you helped me or sympathized with me and we both know how they would have reacted if that was the case. So it was better if you thought I was dead. It would hurt but you wouldn’t be at risk. You could mourn and then you were supposed to move on. You were never supposed to know I was alive. And I’m sorry you found out that I wasn’t dead. Because I never wanted you to know or have to deal with that. I’m not sorry I left. I had to in order to live with myself. But I’m sorry you had to find out the truth the way you did. I’m sorry you got hurt.”

“And maybe you take it personally. Maybe you think it was an easy choice to make. Maybe you think everything we had between us was a lie, that I was faking it the entire time. Maybe you think a million things I’ve never even considered you might think or feel. But make no mistake- leaving the Alliance was easy. Leaving you? That was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I kept you in the dark because I loved you. And you believing I was dead was better than you feeling like I wanted to leave you behind. You were the only reason I stayed as long as I did. Because leaving you was too damn hard and I had to force myself to let you go.”

“So, whether you love me or hate me- whether you wish I had died or not- lets stop pretending that we barely know each other. We loved each other, Orion. You were the love of my life and I left. And we can’t act like that doesn’t color anything about our relationship now. Because it has everything to do with it. And you can hate me for the rest of our lives if you want to- that’s your prerogative-but lets stop pretending none of that ever happened. Its exhausting and does neither of us any good. You always valued honesty so isn’t it about time we be honest with each other after all these years?”

“You are looking for offense Ophelia; I have done nothing to question your intelligence.”  As she eased closer to him, the normal composed man felt like he was about to crumble.  Since their time at The Academy, Ophelia had this grasp upon him.  Anyone from their past would claim Orion was under Ophelia’s spell and he would not deny it.  Even now, he was under some trance when she was in the room even if he tried to hide it.

Anger began coursing through his veins at her words. “Those are the reasons I chose you,” he stated as a matter of fact.  Then she mentioned addressing the elephant in the room and his lips tightened and his eyes narrowed towards her.  “Stop,” he said in a lower voice not wanting her to continue.  Yet, the blonde kept talking and he stood there clenching his jaw. “Not all my actions are centered on you, Ophelia.”  Orion looked at her and sighed heavily, “And if you want to be completely honest, you wanted me to chase you.  All this time you left me clues, left me things to follow you. Does your crew know how I found you? The reason I kept popping in just moments behind you all?  Do not act as if I was the only one grasping at something.”

For once the two agreed on something, he did not understand her logic in leaving The Alliance.  The woman had a high rank in the military, people who followed her into battle, but she also had him completely.  Orion would have followed her anywhere in the known universe and currently that was living proof.  “Do you hear yourself Ophelia?  You faked your own death and nearly destroyed me and still you cannot even give me an actual explanation.  You claim all these things about The Alliance, but here I am a decade later with no actual evidence of anything.  The Alliance has given me a home, a job, a mission.  And I truth be told, I am tired of this fight with you.”

Orion rolled his eyes, “stop speculating about what I thought or what I currently think about you.  It does no good for either of us.”  He smacked his lips, “you think us acknowledging our past will do us good?  What good will it do?  Right now, we are light-years away from home.  By calculations we might not return for seventy years, hell we might not ever see home in our lifetime.  All I requested from you is to act like an adult and be a leader.  Asking you to step up does not mean we need to open the flood gates of our own past.  I call you Blackwell in front of our people is because that is how I address everyone...by their last name or rank.  As shocking as this may be for you, all I want is to run this ship in an orderly fashion and do right by our people.”

She relaxed only incrementally at his offer of ease, nodding slightly in acknowledgement. It was still an effort for her to act with any sort of deference, which meant she had to work at it, lest she get too comfortable and find herself in deep shit. Andy watched as the captain’s eyes moved around the area, taking everything in, and she was grateful she’d actually made sure to clean things up earlier. Normally she wouldn’t care, but… Shaking her head slightly, she turned back to the conversation at hand instead of letting her thoughts drift. “No, sir, none that I can think of. As far as I can tell we have enough supplies and replacement parts for at least a year before we have to start getting… creative.” Most people tended to shy away from talking about how long they might be stuck on this ship, but Andy was doing her best to be more pragmatic about it. There was nothing she could do about their predicament beyond making sure the ship kept them alive, so that was what she would focus on. Orion’s next question automatically had her lips curving into a small frown, though she quickly shifted it to attempt to make it look more thoughtful than anything. Travis’s brother might not be in their department, but she had no idea how things would work out between them, and it honestly worried her for Travis. But even if she hadn’t wanted to cover for Reynolds, she wouldn’t have thought it her place to bring up, so she finally shook her head. “Honestly, I think we might be one of the best off areas,” she replied with a shrug. “Machines are a language we all speak, so it’s easier to find things in common, I guess. I haven’t seen any major fights, leastways.”

Orion’s jaw clenched when she mentioned a year for supplies, “have you Officer Reynolds discussed potential possibilities?  Such as ensuring the ship can survive outside the supplies and replacement parts?  I know you mentioned getting creative and I have full faith in you and Officer Reynolds.  However, as Captain I need to be aware of what troubles you two foresee and what you need of me to ensure the safety of this crew.”  Right now, this department was one of the most important on the ship and he needed to confirm the two had things under control and would reach out to him if the occasion arises.  “I know you and Reynolds are two of the most brilliant minds in the galaxy, it is one reason I requested your transfer here.”  Orion was not one to give out false sentiments, he truly did see something in the woman and he hoped he was right in the assessment.   “Glad to hear things is running smoothly down here.” He paused for a moment wondering if he should mention it or not, “I know Officer Reynold’s brother caused a stir awhile ago.  Is having Maverick on board this ship causing issues in Reynold’s judgment?”

“Once again you miss the point, Orion. But I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re always so sure. So convinced you know what things are and aren’t. What’s right and what’s wrong. The Alliance is good at convincing their people they know what’s best, what is true. Its no wonder so many people hate them so very much.”

Ophelia stood from her seat, all graceful movements, languid like a dancer though she had only ever danced for the sheer joy of it. For her the gracefulness all came from years of training. The Alliance had trained her to use her body as a weapon and in truth that meant using a lot of the same muscles that dancers did- just for different reasons. She had always excelled at those classes, at physical combat. These days she didn’t use those skills often, stuck to mostly weapons when the need arose- though she avoided using them as much as she could as well. Better to threaten than to actually make good on the threat.

Slowly, with great thought behind each move, Ophelia made her way closer to the man she had once loved. How strange it was to imagine that they had once considered a future, a family, a life together. Those plans she always kept bottled down when thoughts of him would inevitably  make their way to the surface. Thinking about what she gave up to serve the greater good was almost too much to handle. And while she couldn’t deny that there were moments when being close to him brought those feelings back up and affected her more than she cared to admit? She had always been a master at keeping her cool. This was no different.

Pausing directly in front of him O tilted her head so she could lock eyes with him and keep his gaze. “You’re a fool to think otherwise, Orion. And I never took you for a fool.” The blonde cocked her head slightly to the side as she continued to gaze up at him, her eyes still locked with his. He could try to avoid talking about their past if he wanted to, he could even refuse to use her name if he wanted to but she wouldn’t let his gaze leave hers. If he was going to play tough that way then so would she. “There is and always will be two crews. Just because we’re stuck in this situation it doesn’t mean we’re all suddenly going to be one big, happy family.”

“Need I remind you, Orion, that we are lost in space? Or do you honestly think the Alliance is going to come charging to the rescue? Because you’re in for a rude awakening if you think they’ve even considered looking for any of you.”

“There is nothing wrong with being confident about your beliefs,” Orion stated in a serious tone.  The man tended to see the world in black and white, there was little room for a grey area. “There is not much I can do to persuade all those who hate the Alliance.”  People created their own world view and no matter the reasoning, if faced with opposition they lashed out.  It was on both sides, so Orion took little time to try and shift the minds of those who opposed the Alliance.

Orion watched Ophelia carefully, the body language said a lot and both of them attended the same trainings.  Only difference, Orion had always been uptight and found certain things difficult. It came with the expectation of upholding the family name.  To be the best and be expected to rise up in ranks at an early age.  All his life, he had only known one thing...the life of a military man in the Alliance and he clung to the life for dear life.

Slowly breathing in through his nostrils, he could feel himself becoming slightly flustered as she stepped closer towards him.  No matter how much he tried, the woman always managed to elicit a reaction out of him.  In school and even now, he could feel his body betraying him.  With her body directly in front of his, he held his breath as their eyes locked.  For a moment, he thought to lean in but when she spoke and his whole body became tense. “No one expects everyone to be a big happy family, but I do expect there to be order.  There is one crew, regardless of everything and people need to start acting as such.  Ophelia you know the dire situation we are in.  You could use your position to help with the transition.  I am not asking much, I am only asking for unity as we all work together for the common good.”

He shook his head, “I do not expect anything Ophelia.  The Alliance has other matters on its hand.”  Rumors across Alliance space about Reavers and potential for another rebellion weighed heavily with the Alliance.  Orion knew a few things, things that were classified that he could not repeat to Ophelia...not even Lilith.  

Both of Ophelia’s pale eyebrows rose in question as she regarded him, silently challenging him to back out of asking her to elaborate. Not that she actually expected him to. Even when they were back at the academy he wasn’t one to back down from a challenge-especially one that she had issued. Even if he had an idea that he would end up losing the challenge.

“Well, for starters, you are aware that your crew is either angry that you made me Commander or thinks the idea is laughable, don’t you?” Not that she was entirely sure that she blamed them for that though. Why would they want someone who they considered a traitor to be second in command only to their captain? Some of them had even known her during her time in the Alliance. Most of them didn’t know her well, weren’t friends with her or anything. But they did know her-and they knew how she had left and joined the other side as well.

“Tell me, Orion- how much do you remember from our negotiation classes in the Academy?“ It was a rhetorical question, of course. Orion had never had a bad memory and she was sure he remembered most of what the class had taught. “The sign of a good negotiation is that both parties leave the table without being completely satisfied. Our crews are much like waring nations. And were this a war negotiation? They would have failed.”

“Let me clue you in on a little something, Orion- most of my crew are either indifferent to the Alliance or outright hate them. Many actively fought against them. So, you’re already at a disadvantage there when it comes to integrating the crews together. The ones that hate the Alliance aren’t likely to change their tunes anytime soon- if at all. They all have their reasons to hate the Alliance- reasons you couldn’t possibly understand.” Because he was too damn loyal. If he wasn’t? Then she might be able to explain it to him. “You’ve taken non-military personnel, most of whom hate the Alliance and are asking them to instantly live up to the standards and regulations of the Alliance military. Do you see where that could be a problem?”

“My people are accustomed to their fair share of freedom. And if they wanted to be treated like soldiers they would have joined the military. They’ve lost their home, most of what they owned, members of their family on the ship and now you are asking them to lose their personal freedom and in some ways their sense of identity. It’s turning this situation into a powder keg just waiting to explode.”

Orion was well aware of the hostile crewmembers questioning his decision in promoting Ophelia to Commander. Everyone had an opinion on his orders, his command, and many other things.  No matter the decision several people were going to place it under scrutiny. “I know there are people on board not thrilled with my decisions, especially when it came to placing you as Commander.”  The male simply stated.

Slowly breathing in, he said nothing at the mention of their classes at the Academy.  Both knew Orion had a memory like an elephant.  “Sadly, the Academy did not prepare the class for being in unknown space several light-years away from home.  Regardless though, this was not two warring nations. The simple matter of it all is your ship blew up in the jump and mine did not and I extended a lifeline.”

He tried to maintain his composure, but when it came to the blonde she had a way of getting to him, in more ways than one.  “Listen, I do not expect everyone to get along.  The war cut through us all Commander and left deep scars across the board. However, in all of humanity when death becomes imminent, people even enemies come together for the greater good.” Orion nodded, “actually I do see the problem Blackwell.  You are one of the biggest problems on this ship, not because of the war, not because you betrayed the Alliance.  It all boils down to the fact you still think there are two crews and there is not. You continue to perpetuate the issue amongst everyone.  Instead of acting as a Commander, you have been holed up in your quarters not leading anyone.  The reason, I promoted you to Commander was to help unite everyone.”

Sighing heavily, he nodded. “I understand people that came from The Themis were accustomed to a certain lifestyle, many of them not having any military experience.  However, I must treat everyone the same for the sake of unity.  If I allowed the people that came from The Themis certain privileges and not others, it could lead to anarchy.  Whether people like it or not, this is a military vessel and everyone on board will have some form of responsibility.”

The second she heard the Captain’s voice, Andrea stood up from her crouched position on the floor, her back automatically straightening. “Sir,” she acknowledged with a quick bob of her head. While it wasn’t as though she had a choice in meeting with the Captain or not, she appreciated his consideration in at least pretending she did. It was likely he would have met with Chief Reynolds prior to stopping into the engine room, but Andy wasn’t too worried about that today. Ever since the joint gathering between the crews, she had actually been at least trying to be more subdued. It wasn’t really working well - it wasn’t in her nature. But for once, she didn’t want to give Travis a harder time than he was already having. Of course, picking fights with him probably made things feel more normal for him, but still. “As smoothly as can be expected, Sir. She’s been through a lot, but she’s got a lot of heart.” Something resembling a smile crossed her face as she reached out a hand and touched the side of the engine core she’d been working on for the ship.

For the longest time, Orion managed to steer away from the Engineering deck.  The crew gave him updates and he trusted their judgment. However, since their jump from one quadrant to another and increasing their crew members, he been making stops everywhere.  “At ease officer,” he told her as he looked around the area.  Orion had formal knowledge of the workings of the ship, including this place.  But he would never compare it to those who had a more intimate knowledge of everything this ship was capable of and more.  “Glad to hear things is running smoothly.  Is there any issue this department is having?  Or issues you believe that might come up in the near future?” Orion wanted to be prepared as much as possible and wanted people to use their forethought in figuring out any circumstances that could potentially happen and what their course of action would be.  “How is the department getting along?  I know everyone is working hard, but is there still complications amongst everyone?”

The last few months had been some of the busiest Juliet had ever known, though surprisingly enough she didn’t mind. She always preferred to have something to focus on, which often ended up being work now that there wasn’t anyone she could really call family. While there was now another doctor working beside her, the work had more than doubled since the two crews had merged. The good news was she didn’t mind spending almost all her free time working. In some ways she didn’t really care about whether or not they made it back home. Everywhere was the same.

Captain Orion did his best to keep tabs on everyone, making sure all the crewmates were doing alright during a stressful time. Juliet looked up from her computer to see the Captain enter her office. “No problem,” she greeted, smiling. If there was anyone busier than her on the ship, it was Orion. She respected him for making the time to check up on everyone despite his own packed schedule. “Things are good, thankfully. If everything continues the way it has, supplies should be good until we find some place to stock up. If there’s anything that we run out of it’ll be painkillers, which won’t be good but it also won’t kill us. Otherwise I can’t complain. How are things for you?”

No words could express his gratitude towards Dr. Covington; she managed to handle the blending of two ships and still maintain all her grace.  Trips to the Med Bay were a lot simpler; there was no arguing or complaints. Something Orion appreciated.  At times, he found himself down on this side of the ship more often than he should just to take a breather from all the tension amongst everyone.  “I am glad to hear things are running smoothly, I know with an extended crew, you and the new doctor must be busy.  Are you two getting along?  Have you both found a balance with one another?”  Civilians tended to be indifferent when it came to the conflict between the two ships and he only hoped that the two doctors managed to set anything side for the common good for mankind on board this ship.

At the mention of pain killers, Orion nodded.  “Would you be able to give me an inventory of everything?  Also, keep a detail log as to what is being used and by whom?”  Orion wondered.  “On the painkiller front, I ask that you and Dr. Zaid use your best judgment on dispersing them.  We never know what could potentially happen.”  Of course, Orion had the utmost respect for Juliet and believed she would do what was needed for the overall best interest of the ship.

“You don’t really want me to answer that, do you?” Ever since the two ships had combined and she had been given the farce of a position that he had gifted her? It seemed ridiculous to even attempt talking to him. While conversation had once come easily between the two of them before she had left the Alliance? Conversation was almost like pulling teeth with Orion. They definitely had a great deal of unresolved issues between them. But she didn’t expect them to discuss their issues any time in the near future. Perhaps ever.

“Perhaps you would be better suited talking with one of your crew. Someone who will tell you what you want to hear.” Sugarcoating things wasn’t something Ophelia was capable of. And Orion would know that well given how close they had been previously. She wasn’t capable of telling him things just to make him feel better or to reassure him. She was more prone to being blunt when it seemed like someone was in need of information. Or at least where Orion was concerned. Before she had always tried to be kind while being honest. But she was no longer sure she was capable of that. Or if it would ever come across as kind.

“Things are still rather terrible. Anything else you wanted to know?”

For whatever reason, Orion believed Ophelia wanted to make things more difficult than they needed to be. The moment he made her Commander of the ship, he thought that to be an olive branch in hopes the two could set aside their past issued and focus on their current problem.  However, over the last three months Ophelia remained close to her quarters leaving a large burden of maintaining order on the ship to him. With the blonde’s snide remark, Orion felt the tension in his shoulders tighten as his blue eyes peered at the woman he once had relations with.

“Must you always have an attitude towards me, Blackwell?”  Slowly breathing in, he tried to gain all his composure.  “I asked you a direct question, because I want to know how things are on the ship.”  Orion was no fool, he knew morale was low, people were tired and the overall atmosphere was not a pleasant one.  However, he tried his best to accommodate the The Themis crew.

“Besides our current situation on needing to return to the Alpha Quadrant, what is so terrible?”  The tone in his voice was serious.  He wanted to know and apparently Ophelia had no problem in telling him.

Today, just like yesterday and the day before were all the same.  Empty space in a star system the Alliance has not claimed.  It was the time for the weekly meeting among the top tier of the crew, thankfully there was not much to report on with the exception of a few tiffs among the new members of the crew.  Three months in and people still found it difficult to be around each other. Orion tried to be lenient in such matters knowing there would be an adjustment period.  When everyone stood up for dismissal by Orion from the meeting, Orion gave the word with the exception of Malcolm.  Lifting his fingers, “Ellis would you please stay behind? I have some matters of the ship to discuss with you.”  Orion waited for the officers to flow out the door and remained silent until every last one exited the room.

“How are things Malcolm?  You are the Chief Security Officer and I want to get your assessment on the crew along with some other things.”  The Captain motioned for Malcolm to sit across the table from him. “Please sit.” @mxlxllxs​

Over this time together on board the Virtus, Orion each week went around to different crewmembers to discuss their responsibilities and inquire how they are handling their job.  It was important to know everyone’s mental health, but it also gave him the opportunity to know if there were suggestions to take in consideration and just overall be familiar with his people.

“Thank you for making the time to meet with me,” he greeted the person as he stepped into the area.  “How are things?  Is everything running smoothly?”

Practically able to feel the chill in the man’s eyes, Cassandra still didn’t back down from meeting his gaze head on. She understood where he was coming from, but surely he also knew that everyone had a breaking point. Then again, perhaps if she were a typical sort of Companion, he would have already sought her out. No few of the Alliance members asked why she was traveling with a known browncoat crew, but none of them pushed when she brushed off their questions. It certainly didn’t stop them from seeking her services. Still, at this point she had made herself more than available for the man. Whether or not he chose to come to her was up to him, she wouldn’t push.

Her shoulders rose in a shrug that was halfway between resigned and unbothered. “It’s my lot in life to feel concerned about almost everyone, Captain. It’s the whole reason I chose to be a Companion in the end.” Most people thought it was the prestige, but that hadn’t ever been Cass’s goal when she went to the academy at a young age. She’d always been more empathetic than most, and her grandmother had suggested the academy to her parents. Cassandra had always had the final decision though, once she reached eighteen. “You’re doing admirably thus far, sir. I have faith you can keep it up for as long as necessary.”

Pride, it had always been one of Orion’s downfalls. Even now, in the midst of a crisis he could not reach out for any form of comfort.  Not even with a woman who offered several times, who was trained in the arts of a variety of things to aid in stress relief.  And even if he wanted to seek out help, he still had his suspicions when it came to Cassandra.  What kind of high ranking companion settles on a ship such as The Themis? Clearly, the woman was a riddle he was curious about.

Orion nodded, “it must be a heavy burden.” Although it was different, Orion could understand the weight on the woman’s shoulders as well.  He cared about every soul on board this ship, he wanted things to work smoothly for the sake of everyone and it was a lot of pressure. At her words, he softly smiled acknowledging them.  “Thank you, it is kind of you to say.  I do want to meet up with you though here and there, not on anyone specific because I know your code.  Just more of a check up if you will on the ship’s morality unless that crosses lines. Just let me know.”

“I never doubted your decision making, Captain. I don’t think you would have given her the position if you weren’t a hundred percent sure she was the right person for the job. Her crew may not know this about you but all of us know you care about what happens to your crew and you wouldn’t risk them. So, I didn’t doubt that she was capable. Or that you believed it was the best choice. I just know that others are curious and cautious; they aren’t sure what to think and some of them are probably still scared. So much has changed in such a short period of time. And not knowing much of anything about the new Commander hasn’t put some of them at ease, I’m sure. And what they do know? Well…”Nova trailed of deciding not to point out that the knowledge they had was less than favorable. Her captain knew that all too well.

“Combining the groups will take a lot of work from everyone.It’s just a question of who is willing to put in the work. I do believe that once they get more acquainted with the people from the Themis and the new commander they will be slightly more at ease. The unknown can be frightening, especially given the circumstances. But hope? Hope isn’t the issue at all.” The brunette turned to look at Orion, head cocked slightly as her dark gaze fixed on his face. “Because I have faith in your choices.”

Truly, it was nice to hear she didn’t question his decision.  Orion knew a lot of people were not thrilled with the fact he placed Ophelia in such high command.  A part of him could not blame people for doubting his judgment.  And he was okay with people questioning things, as long as it was not in a public forum.  To themselves, they were entitled to their opinion but to undermine and cause division was not okay.  “People have every right to be curious and have their suspicions.”  He sighed.  “Hopefully with time, people will understand my decision and why I chose her.  I know Commander Blackwell will do everything in her power to protect this ship and move us forward.”

He nodded at her comment.  There was a long road ahead, but he knew they were up for the challenge.  “It is a lot that is for sure.  However, none of us really have a choice in the matter.  We are all stuck out here far from home; we all have to work together. We do not know what threats are lurking out there or what we might find.”  A soft smile formed at the corner of his lips as he maintained his decorum.  “Thank you Diaz, I appreciate the sentiment.”

“Most of the crew are working harder than ever. Keeping people healthy is one of the most important things right now, and I’m just glad I can help out in some way.” Although it was her job, most doctors wouldn’t have signed on thinking something like this was inevitable. Juliet had been fully prepared for a disaster from the get go. While she had hoped she’s never need to be prepared it was there nonetheless. “Indeed. I suppose if anything will bring people together it will be a dire situation such as this, but only time will tell.” The Captain had his own battle will the browncoats, at least from the rumors Juliet had heard. Something to do with the Captain of the Themis or something. Juliet did her best to stay out of any drama unless it had something to do with her job in some way. “Of course. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. Perhaps you could talk to the counselor? You need to be healthy - physically and mentally - so you can continue running everything,” she suggested. Of course she cared about him as a friend, but he was of no use to anyone if he became too stressed. “I’m alright. Busy, of course, but I don’t mind. Supplies are good for now. Miss DuBois has been a huge help, I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

There was no doubt people were overwhelmed with work right now.  “And I appreciate you keeping the crew healthy.”  Right now, he was asking everyone including her to go above and beyond in these times.  “One can only hope, there is a lot of scars that run deep between people.”  Again, another reference between Ophelia and him, but he knew she had Browncoats on her ship who most likely harbored bad feelings towards The Alliance.  “Thank you for your concern doctor, but I believe I have everything handled. However, if there is anytime you think otherwise I will take it in consideration.”  Mainly cause he trusted Juliet and knew if things were getting bad, she would be someone who would speak up to him.  “Hopefully it won’t be as busy in the following weeks.  Glad to hear Miss DuBois is doing well; please keep an eye out on her.  She is a family friend and I worry about her.  I know this is not what any of us signed on for, but she is still a child in many ways.”

Cass nodded her head, accepting his compliment as graciously as possible. Companions received more schooling than most would probably give them credit for, so knowledge was easy for them to come by. Wisdom, on the other hand, had to be learned from life’s lessons. Of course, the captain was probably more familiar with the training of Companions than most individuals were, so she needn’t tell him how it all worked. 

As well as could be considered, at any rate. Not that she needed to add that little tidbit on to her answer. They were all doing the best that they could given their situation. She watched as Orion tossed back the remainder of his liquor, arching a brow at his reply. “Actually you do have a choice, sir, if I may be so bold. After all, you’re only human, and even captains need to vent sometimes.” She understood where he was coming from, needing to keep up a cool facade in front of all of the crew - but she also knew he needed at least one person in his life that he could be totally open with, whether it was a friend or someone else. “You won’t do any of us any good if you run yourself into the ground, Captain Queen. And believe me when I say, without hesitation, this crew,” Cass paused, gesturing to the whole of the mess hall and encompassing the people from both ships, “needs you.”

Orion turned towards Cassandra, a serious expression still upon his face.  The man’s icy eyes stared as he remained quiet as she contradicted to him.  “Miss Cassandra, I am not afforded the luxury to discuss my feelings.  I am the captain of this ship and must maintain a certain appearance for everyone. In times of trouble, it is up to the leadership to remain in control and be the pillars for everyone.”  For the man, he had a lot weighing him.  There was a lot of guilt gnawing at him when it came to pursuit of The Themis, but something even worse ate away at him. When his best friend wanted to pursue other avenues, he pulled strings to keep her on his ship for anther rotation and now she was stuck there because of his decision.

“I assure you they prepare us at The Academy to handle our emotions and keep things in check.  There is no need to be concerned for me Miss Cassandra.  I appreciate it, but it is not warranted.” Another lie, but he still had no indication if he could trust the companion.  Although her records were good, he still found it odd that she traveled on the other ship, especially with her skill set.  “Thank you.  I only hope I can do everyone justice and be the captain everyone deserves.”