Fellow B-Drama Enthusiast

Posted on Fri Feb 27th, 2026 @ 8:57pm by Lieutenant Commander Elyse White & Lieutenant JG Aiden Poe

1,457 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Forgotten Wounds

ON:

Poe walked around the full mess hall looking for a place to sit and he found it with a familiar face. Elyse White. He walked over. "Hello Commander. May I sit with you?"

Elyse looked up from a small screen and smiled, "if you're just sitting, I assume that means no hug?" The smallest of humoured smirks crossed her lips. She gestured to the chair opposite, a clear indication that she was ok with the company.

He laughed nervously. "No hugs. People are not...open to them on this ship. Kind of feels lonely but I guess I will adapt for my dream job!" He plunked down. "How's your first few days been?"

"Well, I'm not a touchy-feely person unless I know someone," Elyse replied, "experience made me a little less trusting, but you seem nice enough-- give it time and maybe you'll get a hug off of me before this mission is through." The woman smiled, seemingly genuine. She then shrugged, "Baciami did the majority of the onboarding for me, so it's not been overly busy. Great way to start off my first post on a ship-- I've always worked on stations. Also, it seems we have something in common-- a lack of persons to 'write home' to. It surprises me-- you seem too... People-y to be alone."

"Glad the outgoing department head helped. Science has been sadly neglected. As for the hugs if they come they come. I'm just happy to here. Oh! Stations! Those sound fun! The possibilities are endless. You have to tell me what that's like to be on a station that's huge." He sighed and shrugged. "Well been on my own since I was 17 ish. I left my planet early. My family well they won't speak to me I'm the disappointment of the batch of kids so." He shrugged. "As for friends everyone says I'm a bit much and the way I FUBARed it with the XO I don't know if they will keep me here."

Elyse chuckled softly, "firstly-- stations are way too busy. And there's never a department head role that comes up. It's a 'death in service' kind of role. So you have to wait for someone to retire before ever moving up. Frustrating, really. The hours are longer than usual shifts too." She raised a brow and grinned, "I'm not a hugger, but I will high five to being the disappointment of the family. My family picked my ex over me and also hated the fact that I didn't become an engineer. I just don't like the smell of the warp core or getting my hands too dirty." She looked at her well manicured hands as if to prove a point, "as for the XO... Nothing is royally FUBAR-ed until someone is dead. I'm sure some things can be fixed. I heard from Baciami that he's grieving anyway, so perhaps he needs time."

"Yeah well I can attest to the grieving. I was walking by his quarters and heard this cry I thought he was being attacked and kind of broke in. I had no weapon and kind of used my shoes as nunchuks....um... so yeah FUBARed. As for your family how dare they! You're blood not him! I'm mad on your behalf. Yeah engineers have a smell about them. The Station gig still sounds nice." He paused to take a breath. "Sorry I talk a lot!"

Elyse could help but chuckle at it all, "I'm not a person that talks a lot. I'm a better listener. But, please, continue... Tell me how you used your shoes... Like... What? Also, what was the cry about after?"

He blushed. "Yeah I had to think fast so I kind of brandished them like a martial arts weapon...I don't know martial arts but hey! I thought someone was in trouble. As for the cry...I think I interrupted a counseling session. The XO recently lost his mate...it was." His eyes filled with tears. "It was so sad and like someone who'd had their entire world shattered. I thought the XO was dying and broke in. That sound....it was horrible."

Elyse nodded, Sabastian had explained at the party, but this was different coming from Poe. "I can only imagine what that would feel like," Elyse shrugged, "for what it's worth, I think you did the right thing. If the cry was that... Big... Then he could have needed help. Perhaps next time, just check in with the computer before bursting in with a shoe-chuck."

He blushed more. "I was mortified!" He sighed. "But it did make him laugh so I guess that was a bonus?"

"Laughter is the best medicine," Elyse shrugged, "I'm sure that means you're not getting fired."

He sighed. "So! Tell me more about yourself?"

Elyse playfully cringed, "gawd, I hate that question. There's not much to say, really. Just from a small town in England, Earth. I'm the eldest of three. Only one that went through the Intel programme. Decided I was more a decryption and translation girl that full blown ops. I-- I don't know. What do you want to know? I'm an open book, mostly."

"OHHHHH England! I went there on holiday once. Amazing place! WOW intel! That's impressive. Okay well I do have a hard question for you." He paused, "Ready? Are you a movie person I need a movie person to watch movies with so I'm totally being selfish."

"Depends on the movie genre," she replied, "and she of movie. I'm a sucker for the classics, but lately I've been getting into b-dramas-- you know Betazoid dramas. They are so emotional. Literally, the best rom com maker."

He squealed. "Me too!!!!! Okay so you're my B-drama buddy!" He paused and looked serious. "I am soooo trying hard not to hug you."

Elyse snorted, and shook her head, "sit on your hands or I will talk to engineering about getting you a shock collar. I know the lower deckers were working on one for the last Comms chief."

He laughed. "Shock collars can be fun." He waggled his eyebrows. "Ewww no that was too much. Sorry I have a run away mouth sometimes and a weird sense of humour."

She snorted in amusement again, "were going to be friends."

He grinned. "This ship is going to be fun. I was just reading the boards from the lower deckers and oh my goodness. There is a book club I want to join and the funny stuff they right I love this ship. And now I have a bestie for life." He grinned at her.

Elyse raised a brow. She could let him know that she was an anonymous reader of the board. There was too much at stake. She needed contraband whereabouts and to keep an eye on the Gary situation, "well... We'll see. But at the least, for now, you have a B-drama buddy. Just don't hug me yet. Like a stray dog-- let me come to you."

He snorted. "Your analogies are as bad as mine." He finished his meal. He groaned. "UGH now the big task cometh."

"Mm?" Elyse asked, "What's that?"

"I have to present an idea to the Chief Engineer. The Captain asked me to run it by him and he's not in the best of moods these days. Normally spending time with a supper attractive man wouldn't be a train but...." He shrugged. "Feel bad for the guy. All of engineering is talking about it."

"Isn't the chief engineer the guy that you shoe-chucked?" Elyse asked before waving her hand, dismissing the question, "look, word of advice, treat him like any other chief-- no sympathy, stick with why you are going to see him and you'll be fine."

"Yeah I guess." He snorted. "Did you know he's in the unofficial calendar?"

Elyse went to speak but shut her mouth, "not sure that I want that image. I'm on a hiatus from men."

He laughed. "Yeah I am too I tend to pick the bad ones anyway. I'm crappy at picking men." He sighed. "But a man can dream!"

Elyse nodded, "same. So, I'll go on a break until the right man magically appears."

He snorted. "Right now all we have to do is find a magic lamp and that might help." He laughed. "You are fun!"

"I will restrain from making a comment about rubbing something in order to have wishes granted," Elyse commented before going back to her food.

Poe threw his head back and laughed. "OH! You are amazing." He sighed. "Okay time to go face the Chief." He grinned. "Thank you for letting me sit with you!"

Elyse nodded and smiled, "let me know when you want a movie night."

OFF:

 

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