Radical Acceptance

Posted on Wed Mar 6th, 2024 @ 4:48am by Lieutenant Evelyn Stewart & Captain Stryvek

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Year One: Whispers in the Wind
Location: USS Moore - Brig
Timeline: MD 034: 1900 hrs

Evelyn laid back on the slab that doubled as a bench and a bed, staring at the ceiling in boredom.

She had had sufficient amount of time to go over her actions that landed her here multiple times. She knew she was out of line, saying and doing things she shouldn’t. The first day in the brig she spent mostly pacing in her fury at Greco and Stryvek. If she was honest, what really angered her was the fact she couldn't believe Stryvek would actually order her to the brig.

Eventually she resorted to trying to meditate. It marginally helped calm her anger and she was able to stay relatively still, seeing her actions at Commander Greco for what they were. She knew she went too far with the first officer, that she did was wrong, it didn't make the situation any easier to swallow.

Now she was counting the seconds before the warp core recalibrated to maintain the stable warp field. One….two…three….four…and calibrate… she thought to herself dully. She heard the shift in the engines right on time as the calibrations occurred. Stewart stared bored at the ceiling and was just waiting for Kei or Greco to show up and give her the formal reprimand before sending her to her quarters.

Evelyn had the smallest hint of a smirk when she heard the doors to the brig open and she started to sit up. "You know, solitary confinement is considered an extreme form of abuse and prohibited in twenty seven star sys...." She trailed off when she saw who had entered. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked. Her tone shifting from confusion to anger.

"I am here to pass judgement upon your actions. As this ship's Captain that is my duty." Stryvek began and if one did not know any better one would have thought there was anger in his voice. "Ensign you stand relieved. The prisoner is mine." He said to the Tellarite Ensign that was the Brig Officer on duty. "Aye sir." The Tellarite's almost snorting voice said as he walked from the bridge. Stryvek did not speak again until he heard the doors hiss shut.

"Lieutenant Evelyn Stewart you are charged with conduct unbecoming an officer, and assault on a superior officer. How do you plea?" Stryvek knew that she would have thought that she would have gotten off easy, perhaps because she is his mate. However, he would show her that the uniform, the principles, this fleet and all it stands for were no laughing matter. It was time that Evelyn learned a lesson that she was long overdue for.

Stewart kept her face passive as she waited for the Tellarite to leave, her eyes watching the Vulcan. Once they were alone and he began reading the charges, Evelyn rolled her eyes and began pacing in agitation as the captain read the charges, waiting for him to finish. "Cut the crap, Stryvek. We both know if Greco was pressing charges you wouldn't have had me sitting here for three days before presenting me with them." She said hotly, having more than enough experiences to know how Starfleet handled formal reprimands while also dropping formalities with Stryvek. As far as she was concerned, this was about their relationship as much as it was about regulations.

"Your knowledge on how this proceeds is sorely lacking. You were held for this long not because Commander Greco is not pressing charges. But because the charges had to be filed with Starfleet Command, and JAG Officers assigned." With slow and deliberate movements Stryvek produced a PADD that he had been holding behind his back. He keyed a command into the console that was next to Stewart's cell and a small opening, just big enough for the PADD formed in the forcefield of the cell. Stryvek handed the PADD to Evelyn. "This contains a list of three JAG officers all of which can perform your defense. It is your right to select which one you would like. However, I need to know within forty eight hours so it can be processed. You will remain in this cell until you enter a formal plea to your charges. I will ask you again, and I hope that your answer is of a more serious tone then previously. How do you plea?"

Evelyn took the PaDD and quickly read through it. Clearly by her stunned facial expression she didn’t expect Stryvek to go so far. She looked up at Stryvek from reading the PaDD in confusion. “You are having me court martialed?” The hurt coming through in her voice as much as her disbelief.

With a sigh, she paced around the cell to compose herself, before throwing the PaDD behind her. Her agitation and anger winning out again. “Greco put his hands on me first.” She pointed out in her defense, walking up to the forcefield to glare at the Vulcan, lifting her chin in defiance. “But protocol only matters when it serves your purposes, right?” She asked sarcastically, shaking with rage. “Just like ordering me to the ship from the colony during the attack!” She shouted at the Vulcan, temporarily losing control of her anger for a moment.

"Protocol is all that matters Lieutenant the sooner your realize that the better off you will be. What you fail to see here is that YOUR actions and no one else's has brought you this place. This is the place where you land when you do not behave rationally, or logically. If you cannot handle this calmly, rationally, and logically, then I have no choice but to end this here and now. I will end this bond, and your time in that uniform. Now I will ask you one more time and then I must act upon what you have done. What... Is... Your... Plea?" Stryvek stood motionless as he spoke. If it bothered him in any way no one would know. If truth be told he did not know much at the moment, other than her lack of caring for anything he stood for would end here and now.

Evelyn held Stryvek’s gaze defiantly for another moment before reality set in. As angry and petulant as she was, she wasn’t going to lie about what she’d done. With a sigh she stepped back from the forcefield and glanced around the cell, pacing around as she thought about the situation. She didn’t doubt for a second that Stryvek would keep to his word and not only break the bond but drag her in front of a court martial. It was the last thing she wanted.

Glancing up at Stryvek, she made her decision. Shaking her head softly, she looked at the Vulcan. “I don’t want this.” She admitted softly, as much as to herself as to him about her options. “How do I make all of this stop?” Evelyn asked with genuine humility, speaking of both the court martial and his unbonding of themselves.

"As for me... You start acting like a mate and less like, how do humans put it... Ah, a one night stand. Start respecting what I believe and stand for instead of laughing in the face of it. As for these legal proceedings I believe if you have a chat with Commander Greco and apologize, and start showing the appropriate respect while on duty, he may be persuaded to drop the charges. You have been on a rocky and winding path. Living your own life on your terms. However, you are not in a place where you can do that. So, you need to make a decision: either remain in that uniform and join me on a new path that we can walk together or continue on the path you have made for yourself and leave this ship and by extension this fleet." Stryvek knew that she would need a lot of guidance and help should she choose the former. He would be there to guide her through all of that if it was the last thing he did.

Stewart sighed as she looked at the man, considering her options. She didn’t want to leave Starfleet. She had no where to go even if she did want to leave. It was the only thing she had anymore. She had already ended her situation with Koaruh because of her feelings for Stryvek several days earlier but he didn’t know that.

Taking a breath, Evelyn made a decision and walked up to the forcefield, holding her ground as she looked up at the captain. “All right. But one thing we need to clear up now between us, I am still an officer on this ship. You cannot prevent me from doing my job simply because of our…relationship.” She said awkwardly, still not comfortable with being in an intimate relationship with a Vulcan. “That includes when I'm on duty, on an away mission, whatever. I am my own person. I earned my uniform and deserve to be treated like the officer I am. Understood?” She asked him, curious at his reaction.

"I would not have that any other way." Stryvek began with his usual even toned voice. "I have not treated you otherwise and would not in the future." He added, only he knew that he recalled her back to the ship because she was his mate. He did have protocol to cover that up.

Evelyn gave Stryvek a suspicious eyebrow. She didn’t believe him, not fully. The fact he called her immediately after the bombing and not Greco or Keishara, the highest ranked officers there, was telling. She knew the Vulcan would never admit it though so dropped the matter. Instead she made a brief “uh huh” to express her doubt before she glanced around at where the invisible forcefield was separating them was. “So, ehhh when exactly are you lettin’ me out of here?” She asked nonchalantly about her confinement. She couldn’t keep the restlessness from coming through in her voice.

"Well that depends upon you. How soon are you willing to have the talk with Commander Greco and give him a genuine apology?" Stryvek knew that the apology would be hard for her. However, he also knew that it would be helpful on her path to bettering herself.

Stewart looked at Stryvek with annoyance at his condescending tone, intentional or otherwise. She didn’t appreciate being talked to like a child but had the sense to say nothing about it. “I’ll see that it’s done.” She said, looking at the ground as she became more self conscious. “And I um…I’m sorry…for the things I said to you. And what I did. They were wrong and inappropriate. I was out of line. I shouldn’t have said or done those things.” She said honestly, being vulnerable with him. “I do respect you and I want this to work.”

Stryvek stood still and stone-faced as what she had said processed through him. The fact that this had progressed from her saving his life as it were, to something that she would be willing to dedicate her life to was not lost on him. She had taken a big step in the past few moments and he knew it. Without a word Stryvek typed in his command code on the panel next to her cell and the field dropped. "You are released. See that you have that conversation with Commander Greco. Your apology is accepted. Now, if I remember my human customs. This is where you hug me. So, you may do that if you are so inclined."

Evelyn looked at Stryvek as the forcefield went down and considered his words. She was a physically affectionate person and knew it. But like many things in her life, was selective about who she shared it with. She knew it was even more complicated for Vulcans.

The concept of touch was valued so much in Vulcan society, it was how telepathy worked after all. It was done so sparingly and only with whom they felt a deep connection. Spending an entire childhood in such an environment meant it was similar for Stewart as well, but she knew not in the way it would be for Stryvek. While she was often uncomfortable receiving affection from others, she had no issue with expressing her emotions in such a way. She knew first hand that Vulcans did have such reservations.

Considering her options, Evelyn stepped out of the brig made a decision of compromise. After a moment of awkward hesitation, she sighed and surrendered to the moment. Resting her forehead against the front of Stryvek’s uniform and against his chest as a simple display of affection. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed as best she could and lowered her guard to him in a gesture of trust, allowing him easy access to her mind. It was something he know doubt knew was not easy for her, given her distrust of telepaths.

Being the hypervigilant Captain Stryvek glanced over his shoulder to make sure that no one was coming. Once that was confirmed he wrapped his arms around her. For a brief moment he not only reached out to her mind and sensed everything she felt, but he allowed her to step into the recess of his. To the place where he kept all that burned in the Vulcan heart at bay. For it is here that she can truly see the feelings he had.

This moment was precisely that a moment, a blip in time. Just as quickly as he let her in, the walls went back up. "I believe we have taken this first step together. Taluhk nash-veh k’dular (I cherish thee)" Stryvek never actually spoke his mother tongue. He felt that there was never a reason for it, as Federation Standard was what everyone in Starfleet spoke. However, for this moment he knew that regardless of her feelings for Vulcans as a whole, she would understand how much it meant.

Evelyn let out a deep breath as she relaxed further with the feel of Stryvek's soothing presence in her mind. His presence was calming and their being together felt right. She didn't respond to his words and simply stood with him for a long moment in comfortable silence.

"We should go." She said quietly. Eventually, with a disappointed sigh, Stewart reluctantly pulled away before letting him lead them out of the brig.

 

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