“You haven’t changed much, Rowan.” Captain Alexandra Pantuso eyed Commander Rowan Hale from across the desk in her office. “I suppose I should be thankful for that.”
Rowan shrugged. “You tagged me for this gig, Alex. I’m grateful for being pulled out of the never-ending cycle of starbase engineering and operations assignments. You haven’t changed much either, if we’re being honest. It’s a bit odd seeing you as part of a command team on a station.”
Pantuso scoffed, mildly annoyed. This was Hale’s usual effect on her, and as good as it felt to have him back within reach, she was also ready to get him back out her door. “I don’t have a desire to be back out there in the stars anymore. You see our old girl out there?”
Rowan smiled thinly. The ‘old girl’ was the Mackenzie, a ship he was intimately familiar with. He had served as deputy chief of operations for a year before being promoted to chief. All under Pantuso. “Brings back plenty of memories. Some good, some otherwise.” His smile widened. “Mostly good times. You helped straighten me out.”
“You needed it.” Silence descended on the room. She leaned forward, eye softer this time. “Are you going to see Miados?”
Hale cringed. Shealynn Rhodes Miados. She was the chief engineer to his deputy and eventual chief operations officer. They had shared time together, and a little more before he left for this next assignment. They had spoken little since then. “I don’t know if I can dodge her. She’s director of engineering operations. I’ll have to darken her door as XO to verify Mackenzie’s readiness.”
Alexandra kept her eyes on him. She had secretly hoped they would work out in those early days. There was something in his eyes she couldn’t quite place. She chuckled, understanding the look after a moment of thought. “You still have a thing for her, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
He let out a long sigh, as if the pressure from his lungs was released after a long underwater swim. “You know me too well, Alex. Could never hide from you. Thank goodness you’re not my CO this time around.” He tapped his fingers on the arms of the chair, wishing to end the conversation as quickly as he could. He sensed she wasn’t going to let him off that easily.
He was right. She pointed a finger at him. “You should grab dinner with her.” She tapped at her console and a few beeps later she said, “Her schedule is clear. We were supposed to do a month in review with the shipyard and engineering operations. It can wait a day.”
Rowan rolled his eyes at her, annoyed and thankful. “You always get what you want, don’t you?”
She stood, and he followed her lead. “It’s not about me this time. This time, Rowan, it’s about you getting what you want. I’m just incidental. Take her to dinner. Then we’ll both know if I was right.”
He stood at attention and turned towards the door. As it opened, he turned to her. “You sure you don’t want the center chair back? Kinda felt like old times there for a moment.”
Pantuso shook her head, confidence filling her face. “I know where I need to be, Commander Rowan. It’s your turn to figure that out.”
He nodded in reply and walked out of her office and down towards the large corridors.
And dinner.
