Moments before action

Posted on Mon Apr 27th, 2026 @ 1:47pm by Lieutenant JG Tuhjer Mil & Petty Officer 1st Class Alexis Aenera

1,641 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Flight Of The Valkyries
Location: Main Engineering
Timeline: Current

Tuhjer was stationed at the console directly beneath the Master Systems Display. His eyes, constantly scanning the vast cutaway display of the ship, reading various readouts. He was ready for whatever might happen once battle commenced. It was up to him to ensure the damage control teams were available and able to go wherever they were needed at a moments notice. He had done this before, just not on this ship.

He was so focused, he wasn't aware that someone was stood next him, looking for the opportunity to say hello without startling him.

Alexis glanced back and forth as she stood next to him, facing the console as she awaited the orders that would be given shortly. As one of the most senior NCOs in Engineering, she knew she'd probably be given a section of the ship to watch over the damage control response to under Mil. But the wait was one of the hard things to do and she focused her eyes on the nacelles before she cleared her throat gently to try to gather the attention of the officer. This itself was a bit odd for her, since she was confident enough around people in power.

He turned to look up to his left. "Oh, hello there. Sorry, I didn't realise you were there. This is the period before battle that no one likes. The waiting game. There isn't much anyone can do about it and you can never tell whether the wait will be broken gradually and gently or suddenly and violently. I have experienced both and neither are good." He looked into her eyes. "We will get through it though."

"I know we will." Alexis hesitated before giving a very slight smile to him as her eyes flicked over the console again, "This isn't my first combat, but definitely my first against someone who'd be considered an existential crisis. The last one of those was back when I was eight at the Imp-" She stopped for a moment, reaching up to brush back a stray few hairs, "At home when the Dominion attacked. It does seem to be a bit different from this perspective, that's for sure. And definitely not like going up against some Tzenkethi or pirates."

"I have yet to go up against either of those two groups. At least with the Tzenkethi, they follow a code in battle, where as pirates seem to do whatever they want and to hell with the consequences."

"I hope you never come across the results of a pirate attack." Alexis said solemnly, "In that regard, I definitely support the Navy's method of dealing with them over Starfleet's. Don't get me wrong, I'm a believer in due process, but some people don't deserve it." Her voice was firm and intractable, "But until we go up against those sorts again, we won't know what the Captain will do with them in the end. But if she wants to space them all, I'll happily push the hatch activator."

Tuhjer was somewhat taken aback by her bluntness about not being remotely bothered by killing someone by venting them out into space. He did wonder what she may have previously experienced at the hands of pirates that made her feel so coldly towards them. Now wasn't the time though to approach that topic.

" Yes, well, have you been assigned your duties for the upcoming battle? I have been assigned as the Damage Control Co-ordinator. " Tuhjer advised.

“I’m on damage control team three, under Ensign Bygrene, but that just means I’m taking the lead since the kid is so new. Buuut…” Alexis gave a slight shake of her head to go along with a slight smile, “He forgot where we were supposed to be stationed in the meantime, so I came over to figure that out so he doesn’t have to look like an idiot for forgetting something so simple. He’ll learn ways to double check without getting embarrassed one of these days.”

" We all learn things the hard way sometimes." Tuhjer tapped into the console, bringing up the damage control teams. He brought up team 3. " Here you go. Those are your stations for all of team 3.”

Alexis’s eyes flickered over the display and saw that there were two designated rally points for the team she’d been assigned to, both in the forward part of the ship and three decks apart. An additional pair of secondary points were illuminated as well. An involuntary shiver ran down her back that happened whenever she was about to go into combat as she realized it was one of the more vulnerable areas of the ship, most likely to sustain any initial damage from enemy fire. “Looks good to me… I’ll convince the Ensign to stick with me and have PO Jaslicz take half the team to the other. I’m getting that niggling feeling that we’re going to be awfully busy.”

Tuhjer glanced over the display. "I would have to agree with your assessment. It does look like you will be kept busy. But then, so will we all, until this is over." He sighed.

"I'll tell you what: Once we get out of this one, in one piece mind you, I'll make some strudel for the entire department." Alexis gave him a nervous smile, "Just need to decide what sort of fillings for it. Unfortunately, I may have to replicate the fruit before I make it, though, not enough room in hydroponics to grow everything I use."

"Strudel? Forgive me but I'm not familiar with that term. Is it a dessert of some kind?". Tuhjer asked. Despite having three lifetimes of memories and experiences, strudel was not something any of his previous hosts had come across.

"It's a flaky pastry, typically filled with a fruit compote or a fruit and cheese mixture." Alexis smiled wistfully in this case, "If done right, which I tend to do, it basically melts in the mouth. You see, the pastry dough itself gets folded over itself several times to make the right texture."

"It does sound very nice, I must admit. What fruit normally goes into a strudel? It sounds little bit similar to a Trill dessert called a Cglajor."

"Really you can put most anything in it, just according to someone's taste." Alexis thought back to her own preferences, "I've always preferred more of a cherry and cheese myself, but I'm working on perfecting an orange-pineapple compote that just hasn't turned out yet. I've got it settled down to adding a bit of vanilla to it." She raised one hand a bit, but dropped her other hand, "Of course, technically you can use the same dough to make something savory, too."

"Indeed, very similar to a Cglajor. I look forward to trying your Strudel. I enjoy trying different foods from different races. The only race who's cuisine I have yet to find something I like, is Klingon. Have you ever tried any Klingon cuisine?" Tuhjer asked?

"Far too much for my own liking." Alexis shook her head in disgust, "Too much live foods going on with them and I don't get why people like that Raktajino stuff over actual coffee. Not that I actually like coffee itself, I'm more of a tea person myself. Don't get me started on how people can enjoy Gagh. I've found that Romulans are much better with their spices, but I still don't go out of my way for their stuff either."

" I will be honest, I haven't tried any Romulan cuisine. Unless of course you count Romulan ale, which I do like, but in moderation of course. It's a very potent drink. As for coffee, I do enjoy a good cup of coffee now and then but, like yourself, I do prefer a cup of tea. There is a very popular blend of tea on Trill called Rhensa. I think you will like it. I have some in my quarters so perhaps, I could make you a nice fresh cup sometime. "

"That sounds like a plan, we can make it a date for after we get out of this alive." Alexis gave him a smile and glanced at the chrono, "I'll make sure to bring some munchies to go along with it. But, now to be the party-planning-pooper: We've only got a few minutes before we drop out of warp, so I'd better get to my station, sir."

" A date it is and yes, you probably should get to your post. May fortune favour the bold. "

She brought a hand up to her chest in automatic salute of the Imperial Navy, something she'd never lost but never wanted to, "Fiat justitia ruat caelum." She said solemnly, "See you after everything is done." Alexis started to reach out to touch him on the elbow, but withdrew rapidly long before reaching it.

Tuhjer straightened instinctively at the old Imperial motto, giving her a small, steady nod. “Then let justice be done,” he echoed softly, “and we’ll both still be standing when the sky decides it’s finished falling.”

He noticed the way her hand hesitated, the almost‑touch, and didn’t call attention to it, just offered a faint, reassuring smile instead.
“I’ll see you after,” he said, voice calm but carrying more meaning than the words alone. “Count on it.”

Alexis blinked rapidly a few times as he translated the quote she'd spoken, albeit with commentary. She nodded to him with a smile, then hurried off to where her Ensign would be waiting for her. as she whispered under her breath, "Festina lente, Alexia Aurelia, festina lente."

He watched her leave, hoping he would see her again. He liked her.

End.

In order of appearance.

Lieutenant JG Tuhjer Mil
Engineering Officer
USS Tokyo

&

Petty Officer 1st Class Alexis Aenera
Engineering Officer
USS Tokyo

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