The Grey Area

Posted on Mon May 22nd, 2017 @ 2:24am by

1,060 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Unknown Life, Unknown Dangers
Location: Hanger Bay
Timeline: (Backpost) while in orbit of Earth

Having spent most of his time at Starfleet Aeronautical Command, otherwise known as Fighter Command things between Amanda and him had been pretty flatlined. He hoped she understood but at the same time would totally understand if she threw the 'not spending time' together card at him and called everything off.

He'd tried to make time for her but every time things seemed to die down Fighter Command would want another briefing, or another explanation to some other problem. He felt like it was pulling teeth just trying to get the wing resupplied, he almost didn't get replacement fighters to cover the losses from an earlier mission.

The evaluations he was asked to do didn't meet any of the questions the design teams had and Zan resorted to offering them to inspect the crafts on the ship for themselves and all the data they had collected in combat and routine flight. They were keen to do it, even if they were judgemental during the entire shuttle flight to the Dreadnought about how they were used on such a ship.

*** Two Hours Later ***

Zan walked through the Marine deck with a pocket full of hope and a hell of a lot of worry. Even the guard to the barracks gave him a very unpleasant look. He doubted Amanda said anything, she wasnt the sort but perhaps his absence recently because of his frequent visits to Earth had been noticed by others.

Amanda sat in her cubby-hole of an office in the Marine Section, finishing up last of paperwork and was ready to call it quits. With garrison duty came the catch-up on the records of the troops and majority fell upon her since she knew the troops better by overseeing their continued training to be at their peek at all times.

A Private peeked his head into her cubby-hole and spoke, "Flyboy looking for ya, Sarge." And disappeared down the hall. She glanced at the time, sighing softly as she stretched as she stood.

Amanda left the cubby-hole office after saving her work. She strode down the corridor towards the CQ area where some replacement Marine had him cooling his heals. She had missed him while he was away taking care of business.

"Hey," She said softly as she approached him. "Lets go someplace where we can talk without the ears around." Several of the Marines, that been around for awhile knew of their relationship, gave Zan some dirty looks. Then they returned back to their conversations.

"That would be great." Zan saw the looks, some he didn't remember while others were simply new but straight away everyone knew that some fleet officers just shouldn't be down on this deck. "I'm sorry about not spending much time with you, Fighter Command wanted a debrief on the mission, which is why we didn't get resupply until now."

"I'd been lousy company. Been busy with records updates for the troops that are remaining, transferred and going through the new troops dossiers." Grabbing Zan by the hand and leading him from the Marine Section, away from the hostile glares of both newcomers and old timers. "Lets get a snack in Ten Forward."

"Done deal." Zan said with some relief at being spared additional glares. "Going to take some getting used to. The glares and looks."

Amanda walked along side of him, "The good 'ole run around with fleet?" She asked, looking at him with a soft smile.

"Yeah, could say that." Zan answered as he followed Amanda, after a short walk, into Ten Forward. "Id have thought news of our engagement would have stopped a lot of those looks." He spoke. "Am I going to be kidnapped and never seen again if we got married?" He whispered looking over his shoulders for a squad of marines to leap out at him.

"It did when we was together a lot. With you being gone a lot for great length of time. The troops were thinking that you was probably cheatin on me." Amanda spoke softly hoping he wouldn't take it wrong. "I've had complete faith in you until proven wrong of course. But then I was extremely busy myself in putting in the hours of paperwork." Looking at him meaningfully.

"Everyone seems to have been busy since we got back to Earth, even a new CO it seems. I wonder what this one is like." Zan spoke as he looked around. "I've seen a few new faces too in the senior spots, going to be interesting, even a new Intel CO. If S'iraa was here he'd flip." Zan chuckled as everyone knew S'iraa's loathing hatred for Intel.

Amanda laughed softly, warming her expression up. "Yeah and he mated with her to. So Intel must not be so bad. They have their uses. Besides, I think our new captain is a skirt chaser as he was seen leaving one of the ship's lounges with an Orion."

"Ohhhhh." Zan remarked. "Well I guess he will get the same warm welcome I got when I first got near you from the others then?" Zan chuckled before taking a pause. "It's good to see you again. I wished it was when we were at Earth to get off the ship."

"It's the newcomers that frown in inter-branch relations. But.." Amanda shrugged. "They'll understand when they fall for someone." She smiled looking at Zan. "Anyway, who cares. We're together again. Ready to get out from port?" She settled into a booth, making room for him to sit next to her.

Zan sat next to Amanda. "Yeah, I am." He knew it would be good to put some distance between Starfighter Command where he spent most of his time battling for resupply and himself. "Did you fancy something in particular to eat?" He asked lifting the menu.

Amanda leaned against Zan as she looked at the menu he was holding. "Mmmmm..I'll have the double cheese burger with fries and strawberry milkshake." She smiled softly.

A waiter came over and Zan repeated what Amanda wanted while he had the same but a Vanilla shake instead. It was still sinking in to some degree that the two were engaged, the last mission brought forward some very dawning realisations that life is too fleeting to let opportunities, or love slip by.

Amanda relaxed as they talked about their jobs till their meal arrived.

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