XO to XO

Posted on Mon Sep 21st, 2026 @ 10:31pm by Lieutenant Commander Sabastian Walker & Lieutenant Delix & Lieutenant Commander Elyse White

1,444 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Echoes in the Triangle
Location: XO's Quarters
Timeline: Current

ON:

"Come in," Delix called as the door chimed. He didn't bother to put on any clothing. Boxer shorts were enough. He smiled as the temp XO walked in. "Ahhh come to brief Sabastian for his reinstatement?"

Elyse saw Delix and instantly turned around, "good grief! Woman present. And yes, where is Walker?"

"Shower. Oh come on. Seriously?" He sighed. "Hold on." He walked back in the bedroom and back out in a robe. "Okay there Mayflower Maiden. You can turn around."

"Mayflower? What?" She asked, turning back around, "look, I'm all for comradery but I have no intention of getting to know all of the crew quite so intimately."

"It's just boxers. Mayflower Maiden as in old fashioned and prudish." He smiled. "Hey this is great if you had that affect now I just have to wait until Poe shows up and he may just run out the airlock screaming and make my life better."

"La-la-la, not listening," Elyse quickly interrupted, "look, I like Poe. Whatever issues you have-- not my problem. Just don't make it an 'HR issue'."

"I'm sure Sabastian won't mind."

Sabastian came in at that point, thankfully fully dressed. "Elyse. Welcome." He looked at Del. "Won't mind what?"

"If Poe saw me in boxers and ran out an airlock."

Sabastian sighed. "Enough. Leave him alone Del. I mean it. I told you I pick you, I am yours. Leave Poe alone."

"Fine." He looked at Elyse. "I'm going to get fully dressed and back to Engineering. You two are what Human's call Party Poopers of the highest caliber."

Elyse rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration but remained silent.

Sabastian shook his head. "Why don't you sit down and I will get us some tea or coffee while Del changes and hustles out."

"Zero complaints," Elyse nodded and sat down in an armchair facing the door out of the quarters, "strong black coffee, please."

"I'll join you."

Del bellowed from the room. "NO YOU WON'T. NO COFFEE WITH THE MEDS BABY."

Sabastian flushed red. "Get out Del!"

There was a laugh from the room.

Sab turned to Elyse. "I'm sorry. He's...special."

"I can think of a few other words," Elyse muttered.

He chuckled.

Del hurried out into the Livingroom area and walked over to Sab. He wrapped his arms around him and kissed the top of his head saying, "Mine."

Sabastian rolled his eyes. "Yes, yours. Now go."

Del waved at Elyse and headed out.

Sabastian sighed. "I'm really sorry about him."

"As long as he remains purely your problem and not the ship's, I couldn't care less about the walking red flag and HR violation."

Sabastian threw his head back and laughed. "Oh boy. Please explain. I have to hear this." He made her coffee and his and sat down again opposite her sliding her mug towards her.

"It took him," Elyse thought about it for a moment, "less than thirty seconds being on board this ship before he started upsetting people. Honestly, if the guy 'went missing' tomorrow, I wouldn't start searching. That said, he did help me out when engineering decided to 'help' myself and Tholos."

"He's a good officer. His heart is in the right place but he's just...had a rough life."

Elyse shook her head, "good life or bad life, I don't care. What I do care about are the people on board this shop and he is a walking HR violation. You're clearly involved with him. Don't let it cloud your judgement."

"Oh I won't. I'm giving him some room to get used to things but I've already written him up once and he's taking sensitivity training...that was a bit of a fight."

Elyse nodded, "good. Keep him reigned in or I can see airlock malfunctions in his future."

"Elyse, please. Leave Del to me. He's not as bad as people make him out to be."

"I like to see the best in people, Walker, but he is a man that I struggle with," she shrugged, "I hope he proves me wrong."

"Years of being under an Orion's thumb has his guards up. Just be patient with him."

"I don't do excuses like that, Walker," Elyse shrugged honestly, "he's been here long enough and my desk still has reports about his behaviour on. On the plus side-- they're now your problem."

He laughed "Which is why we're both here. I need you to catch me up."

"Well, it's your team too. Seems engineering aren't fans of his methodology. That said, the place has never been more efficient," she said, "he is itching for me to press for him to punish both th'Keal and Ella after a lift was manually broken in an elaborate prank. Frankly, th'Keal was innocent in the matter, to a point. He didn't know it would actually happen. I want the issue dropped. Completely."

"It is dropped but I did speak with Ella. He filled me in on it. They are more efficient Del was always good at that. I knew he was special when I met him and getting him out of the Orion clutches was the best thing I did."

Elyse nodded, "thank you. It would just look bad for all of us, myself included. I didn't want that on my record." She thought for a moment, "otherwise, nothing major to hand over in person. Everything else of just paperwork."

He groaned. "Now I remember the negatives of the job. Have the departments been regular with the departmental reports?"

"They've not been bad, if I'm honest," she shrugged, "only engineering fell behind a little. But they've since caught up."

He gave a nod. "That tracks. Have you heard any buzz on the lower decks...I tend to keep an eye on the forums for any issues they have."

A smirk crossed Elyse's lips, but she quickly reigned it in, "they've been rather good actually. I've written two guys up for bringing some banned... Artifacts on board. I found them hidden in a panel above their bunks. Also, all 'home brews' have now been shut down."

"That's great. Ohhh you didn't happen to catch the next book club pick did you?"

"I did, Diary of a Solo Pilot by S Walker," she raised a brow in amusement, "they haven't picked a book yet."

He snorted. "Yeah...not a bright idea but I thought it was necessary."

"I'd like to say that you've learned your lesson, but I fear that I know it's not the case," Elyse replied.

He smiled. "Hero complex. The counselor has her work cut out for her."

Elyse rolled her eyes, "a hero makes everyone but the villain feel good. You tore this ship to shreds. Anyway-- not why I'm here-- did you need anything else from me that isn't in the handover report?"

He paused. "Indeed." He filed away the Tore the ship to shreds comment for later. "I do have a personal matter I could use your assistance with."

Elyse bit the inside of her cheek, thinking and considering what could be asked if her, "I will provisionally agree I til I know what you want."

He sighed. "Can you...keep an eye out on Poe. I haven't had a chance to talk to him but I think that I need to and he'll need a friend. He seems to be very attached to you."

Her jaw ticked, "if I may be blunt. I don't get involved in high school drama like this. I am friends with Poe, yes. We have a few mutual interests, but this is a problem that you need to fix."

"I will I just want to make sure there is someone there for him. Del is not receptive to me even remaining friends with Poe and until I can convince Del that he's wrong...well Aiden will need someone."

"Again, if I may be blunt, you are a grown adult, as is everyone involved," Elyse firmly stated, "you need to grow up because that sounds like the start of a toxic relationship-- trust me, I know."

"I am working on it. Del and I have to talk again but once things settle a bit." He paused. "Never mind. I withdraw my request." He would ask Ella or Thol." He gave a nod. "I think we're done."

Elyse rolled her eyes, "I may respect you because I have to as part of our job, but that kind of attitude really loses my respect of you as a person." Elyse was nothing if not honest. She nodded back, "if you need anything work related, let me know." With that, Elyse headed for the door.

OFF:

 

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