RJ froze for a fraction of a second at the comment from his companion. Her delicate eyebrow was arched slightly, a slightly confused look on her face. She had tiny little frown lines between her brows and all he could think about was stepping closer and smoothing them away with his thumb. Gently.

“I am,” he inclined his head, getting himself together, fast. He watched her expression carefully. She didn’t seem to be angry and if he’d ever slept with her, he would have remembered. She was beautiful, utterly beautiful. He wouldn’t have forgotten her. No way, no how.

A thousand questions crowded into his brain, chief among them was the need to touch her and find out if her skin was as soft and delicate as it looked. But his momma hadn’t raised an idiot (despite what his sister thought on the matter). He had absolutely no idea what species she was, and without more information, he was in a cultural minefield and could find himself in hot water (again) if he touched a member of a touch-averse species.

“Welcome aboard the Resolute, Commander Zale,” he added with a smile, offering his hand to shake. Okay, there, that was normal. Polite even… he couldn’t be accused of anything inappropriate with a handshake, could he? “I don’t believe we’ve met before today?”

“We have not, no.” She shook her head and offered a smile, a distinctly cooler one than before, as she took his hand and shook it. It was a good, firm shake… she had a stronger grip than he’d have expected for her height and build.

He waited for her to elaborate but she didn’t. Instead, she held out her hand for her pack. “Thank you for the welcome, Captain, but I need to report in so I think this is where we part ways.”

He wasn’t having any of that, his hand tightening around the strap of the pack over his shoulder. “Oh, I have to go see Mason myself, so we can head on up there together. Come on, it’s this way.”

Turning, he headed up the corridor before she could argue, leaving her trailing in his wake. The trip up to the bridge would give him more time to get to know her… should have. He hadn’t counted on the fact that the Resolute was as small as it was and the lift was less than ten feet down the corridor.

“So?” he asked as they stood side by side in the lift. She even stood neatly, hands clasped in the small of her back. It was a parade rest posture but she didn’t strike him as a soldier. He’d met many soldiers and she was too softly spoken for that. Not abrasive enough by far. And way way too delicate. “What ship did you serve on before?”

“The USS Demeter,” she replied, her lips compressing slightly as the lift came to a stop and opened out onto the bridge. “Yourself?”

“I was on administrative leave for a while,” he replied absently, glossing over the events of the last few years as he looked around the bridge for Mason. “Then the Lost Fleet and Frontier Day happened… I’m waiting for news of a new command assignment, though. Helping the big guy out in the meantime.”

The other door to the bridge opened and RJ smiled as Mason walked through it. “Think of the devil, and he shall appear.”

His quarters arranged to his liking, Mason picked up his padd from the desk in the corner of the room and flicked through it. Most of the crew transfers had reported aboard so it looked like they were on track for getting underway.

“Captain,” the computer announced. “You requested to be informed when the ship’s new executive officer arrived. Commander Zale has just passed through security and is now aboard. It appears that she is headed up to the bridge.”

“Excellent,” Mason flicked the padd off and headed for the door. “I’ll meet her there. Has Rennox reported aboard yet?”

“No sir. Ensign Rennox is not currently on board the Resolute.”

Mason frowned, his long strides eating up the distance between his quarters and the door to the Bridge. “That’s odd. He’s usually the first aboard. Can you track him down for me please.”

“Of course, sir.”

Mason stepped through the door, his gaze cutting across the space to the two officers who had exited the turbolift and almost ended up blinded by a mega-watt smile from the tall, handsome captain walking toward him. RJ looked like the cat that had got the cream and Mason bit back a sigh. Why was he not surprised that RJ had managed to meet the Resolute’s new XO already?

He transferred his attention to the woman beside RJ and tried not to let his surprise show on his face. There was petite and there was tiny. Commander Zale definitely edged toward the latter. If he didn’t know what she was, then he would have been worried about her with how delicate she appeared.

“Commander Zale,” he said, offering his hand with a smile. “Welcome aboard the Resolute. I see you’ve already met our official observer for the next little while, Captain Reese-Riggs.”

“Thank you, sir, and yes.” She shot RJ a sideways look as she shook Mason’s hand firmly. She had a good grip, no-nonsense. “He was kind enough to escort me onto the ship.”

“Was he now?” Mason couldn’t stop his eyebrow winging up slightly as he looked over at RJ. The last thing he needed was RJ trying to charm Zale into bed, especially given the open look on RJ’s face said he had absolutely no idea what he was dealing with. The little devil on Mason’s shoulder chuckled. On second thoughts, perhaps he wouldn’t warn RJ. It would be a good lesson for him.

“Captain,” the computer broke into the conversation. “I have located Ensign Rennox.”

“Excellent. When will he arrive onboard?” Mason asked.

“Unknown. He is currently being held in the brig on the station, along with Lieutenant Kovash. The security report states that they were involved in a bar fight.”

“For god’s sake, it’s usually Dayne…” Mason closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. He knew things were going too well.

Snapping his eyes open, he looked at the two officers in front of him. “I apologise for this when you have literally just stepped aboard, Commander, but I’m going to have to deal with this. RJ, you’re with me.”

“Of course, Sir.” Zale inclined her head and held out her hand to RJ, who gave her the pack he’d been carrying. “You do what you need to. I’ll just drop my belongings off in my quarters and head right back up here.”