Oh, Lucccy!

Posted on 14 May 2017 @ 8:23pm by Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler & Commodore Harvey Geisler

3,400 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: The Finnean Crisis
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 2 || 1700 Hours

Joey arrived at the Captain's Ready Room still dressed in her workout gear... a black fitted tank top, black yoga shorts and a pair of sneakers on her feet to complete the ensemble. If she had to bet, Harvey had likely never had anyone come to him dressed in this kind of attire before, but she was technically off duty, and had been for a few hours already. She adjusted the gym bag on her shoulder and reached out to tap the chime and alert him there was someone waiting to see him.

Had it not been for Mila, she wouldn't even be here now. Joey was more than okay to let things ride and see how they panned out, but if there was something bothering her fiancé, she wanted to know about it. Getting him to tell her what was actually bothering him was another story entirely. And she knew that there was.

His inspection had ended only four hours ago, but Harvey had yet to return to the bridge, much less check a chronometer. He'd opened the PADD Mila gave him with the crew profiles and inserted the isolinear chip it contained into his terminal slot. The reports she'd given him remained where they were placed, completely untouched. Harvey wasn't sure when he'd get to those reports, but he was very interested in the nearly eight hundred souls aboard the vessel. He'd also replicated a couple new PADDs to take notes on, one PADD per department. It was this clutter that occupied the desk when the door chime sounded.

Harvey looked at terminal's chronometer, noticed the time, and then to the pile of notes. In the last few hours, he'd completed his review of the senior staff and was only halfway through the dossiers for the Security detachment. This was going to take far longer than expected. Still, with a quick motion, he shut off the PADDs scattered before him and hid what was on the terminal. "Come," he beckoned.

Corwin walked inside and immediately stepped out of the way so the door closed behind her. Joey studied the man behind the desk for a few seconds before she crossed over to it and set her bag on the floor. "I'm going to cut to the chase. Something's wrong. Mila told me you've asked her to bring all personnel files, mentioned something about rumors, and said you asked her to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary," she said with a frown. "And before you try to play the personnel files off as getting to know your crew, most of us came from the original Black Hawk, and I doubt seriously those records have changed much in the two and a half months we were all in shore leave. What's going on, Harvey? I can't help you if you don't tell me."

Harvey was over forty years old, long enough in his lifespan to know better than to return a blank stare. Instead, his eyes narrowed, wondering where the hell this confrontation had come from. "Most?" Harvey repeated. "Barely two hundred people aboard this ship came from the original. Not even the entire senior staff came over." As for the other questions, he left them alone, knowing they'd be thrown back at him momentarily. "And hello to you too."

"I'm sorry, Harvey. Hi," she said, managing not to frown. He'd proven her wrong, and Joey was woman enough to admit that. "I didn't realize that so many of the original crew didn't return." That was something she would have to check up on herself when she had time. Now, she decided to approach things the way she should have from the beginning. "Is there something wrong? Because, if there is, you know I want to help you."

Unlike Joey, a frown appeared on Harvey's face. Yes! he wanted to shout. My future self sent me a letter and I don't understand a damn bit of it. This, however, was not the time or place for this discussion. So, instead, he simply shook his head. "There's nothing wrong," Harvey said. "There's a lot of ship to learn and understand, and only three more days to do it in."

"Okay," she said simply, even though she didn't believe a word of it. "I know you're busy, so I'll let you get back to that. I'm sorry again. For coming off as confrontational, for interrupting, and for bothering you in general. I'll see you later." Joey reached down to grab her bag and turned to head back out. All of this seemed to be a complete waste of time, but at least she could say she tried.

"You don't have to go," Harvey said, getting up from the table, hoping to intercept her before stepping out onto the bridge. "You're no bother," he assured, crossing the room to get to her. "Where's this all coming from?"

"Since the night we met, we've spent a lot of time together, and once we became official, just about every second of our free time is spent with one another. I'd like to think I've picked up the ability to know when something is wrong," she said, now taking the opportunity to frown. Joey was more than willing to let it go. "When you came home last night, you weren't yourself. You were someone else entirely, but rather than nag you about it, I decided to let it go."

Joey took a deep, calming breath before she continued. "But now... especially after talking to Mila, it only leads me to believe that there is something wrong, but you either can't tell me, or you don't want to tell me. That's your choice, and I'm not going to push it. I just hope whatever it is... if there is something... you find someone you can confide in about it. Maybe Mila or Teixera... even Jayla."

Harvey was forced to frown again, something very obvious as he now stood beside her. Had he become so transparent to her in just a few months. He could only assume as much since he'd begun to know her quirks just as well as she knew his. Still, he couldn't bring himself to tell her the real truth. He had to tell her something.

Sighing, he turned and took a couple steps towards the couch. He thought about what to say and how to say it before turning back towards Joey. There at least was some truth that he could share. "I'm nervous as hell, Joey," he told her. "Yesterday... on Deep Space Nine... Listening to recordings from the past is one thing. But listening to something that I haven't done yet..."

"And that's understandable. I think everyone is a bit nervous about it. Yes, those present heard your voice being sent, but the rest of us will have been there for it, too," she said, moving over to him to place a reassuring hand on his arm. All she could really do was offer him support. "There's going to be a reason it happens, and if you want my opinion, I think at some point we're going to make through to the other side of the Convergence Zone and run into trouble there."

"It makes sense if you think about it. If we were to make it to that side and were unable to make it back, why not send a probe where there's no risk of losing the lives of anyone?"

"It's the reason, or reasons, that trouble me," Harvey admitted, choosing to sit on the couch. It was his office, after all, and he needed to break all of the furniture in before long. "Even when you consider the damage the Consortium wrecked on the Gamma Quadrant, it still wasn't anything compared to the Dominion War, much less their centuries of dominance in the quadrant. What greater danger could await us that even the Dominion wouldn't be aware of?"

"That's what we're going to find out at some point in the future," she said softly, moving over to the couch to settle down next to him. Joey hated seeing him like this. In fact, she was a bit upset with O'Connell for ever bringing it to their attention in the first place. She placed a hand on his knee and gave it a gentle squeeze in an attempt to reassure him. "I know this is going to sound next to impossible, but try to focus your attention on something else for now. If you don't, this is going to consume you, and you've made such great strides over the months."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. There was nothing quite like not being able to help the one you loved when they were dealing with something this huge. "And just know that I'm here for you. If you want to talk, need a hug, or whatever the case may be, I'll be here. That's a promise I know I can keep."

Harvey smiled at her, thankful for the gesture. Attempting to put aside the matter for now, he placed one hand on top of hers, while the other moved to rest over her stomach. "How was the first day on the job?" he asked her, softly probing where he thought their child would be. He could tell there was already some tightening of skin. Somewhere, under all of that skin and muscle was a new life being knit into existence. In spite of everything he was feeling, Harvey felt both excitement and anxiety. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of fatherhood. He just hated the thought that his child could be born in the midst of a very difficult time in his career.

"It went well considering I've never set foot in an Intelligence complex before this morning, but I'm fairly certain I'll get the hang of it in no time," she answered, bringing her free hand to his one her stomach. Less than twenty-four hours ago, they found out they were going to be parents, and Joey couldn't help but feel quite nervous. What kind of mother was she going to be when she didn't know the first thing about babies? Shouldn't some sort of maternal instincts or something be kicking in? "How was your first full day back as Master and Commander?" If she could only take his mind off of everything for a little while... she'd consider it a small victory.

"Well enough," Harvey admitted. In his mind, all of the major bombshells had dropped the day prior. Aside from getting to know his ship and crew, today was multitudes of degrees above yesterday. "I wish I had some more time to get to know the new girl though. I guess if there's one thing we're good at... it's trial by fire."

"You should take some time to get to know her, then. There are still a couple days before we get where we're going," Joey stated. "Why not take a couple of hours and do just that? As a matter of fact, I plan to give myself a tour to get to know her a bit. I've been ordered to keep my workouts low impact, and walking can't be so bad."

Harvey nodded. "Walking's one of the best things you can do," he commented. "Especially in the last trimester. As for me, a lot of sitting is in order. I still have nearly seven hundred crew members to get to know."

"Feel up to some quiet company?" she queried, knowing there was a good chance he would decline that offer. If he did, Joey wouldn't be upset about it. She'd only end up taking her walk before heading back to their cabin to get some work done.

He looked over to the desk where his piles of PADDs lay, and then looked back to Joey. "Sure," he said, a small smile on his face. "I could use the company for dinner anyway."

Joey smiled. It still amazed her how much she loved him. "Done," she said, leaning forward to press a kiss to his forehead. "It's all going to be okay, my love. It may not seem like it right now, but it will be."

While Harvey wasn't so sure, he knew better than to press the point. Until they had more to go off of, there wasn't any more any of them could do. The real test would come once they got to Deep Space Fifteen. He rubbed her belly for a moment, giving a tender bit of love towards their child, and then patted her hand before standing. "Thank you for the fish tank," he remarked. "And for its occupants."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it," she said with a smile, looking toward the fish tank. This was the first time she was seeing it, and Joey had to admit, they'd done an amazing job. "It was the least I could do after everything that happened." It didn't matter what happened to her, as long as he (and soon their child) was happy, she'd be happy.

Harvey brandished a smile, a real one, for just a moment. She didn't have to do anything, but he did greatly appreciate... and love... the gesture. Many times now, he felt as though he was not holding up his end of their relationship. Joey had been the one extending hand after hand, gift after gift, and he very little in return. Undoubtedly she chalked it up to his non-stop career as a Captain. After all, life this high up in the command structure didn't allot much for a personal life. Judging by his first set of reports and personnel files to review, it was unlikely that they'd have a chance anytime soon for some alone time.

And, no matter how small this gesture would be, it was at least something. Harvey returned to his desk and tapped a button. Within a few minutes, he'd ordered dinner for the both of them. Thankfully, the chef was among those returning from the former ship, so he didn't have to go into specifics on the order, especially since he knew that Harvey no longer roomed alone. Just after the comm channel closed and he prepared to sit down, a thought crossed his mind. He looked up at Joey and said, "You haven't had anything that makes you nauseous yet, have you? No smells or foods?"

"For a few hours after I wake up, everything makes me nauseous. Coffee especially. Just before the inspection this morning, someone was making some, and it set me off," she replied. For her, just getting to be with him as they were now was all she needed. Joey didn't need to be showered with gifts or catered to every second of every day. All she needed was Harvey. Anything else was just an added bonus, but was not necessary for her to be happy. "Mila suggested I go to Medical and get something for it, but I thought I'd give Jayla a little space. Maybe I should go anyway."

He blinked at the mention of the word coffee. "Coffee?" he asked immediately. Harvey relied on the black elixir to give him that jumpstart in the morning. Well, not immediately in the morning, but it was a habit for him to pick up his first mug from the Mess Hall before starting his shift, and that was generally after he'd been awake for an hour or more.

"Ironic, isn't it? The one thing I've come to rely on is the one thing that makes me queasy. It's just as well since I can't have caffeine anymore," Joey said, wondering how she was going to make it through the next seven months without it. She'd find a way. "Our little peanut deserves the best, and if that means giving up the things I like because they can be potentially harmful, then that's what I'm going to do."

"Hopefully that's the least of it all," Harvey remarked. As a doctor, he knew they'd be in for a rough next couple of months, and that coffee wouldn't be the end of it all. It would only be just the beginning.

"I think I need to do more reading when time permits. Someone at some point in time should have written a book for women about what to expect when they're expecting," she sighed. There was so much she didn't know, and probably should, but Joey had never been around babies in the past... except her new brother, but that was only for a week.

Harvey couldn't help but chuckle. As luck would have it, in the pile of PADDs, he had a couple that were still unused. It took him only a moment to access the ship's library and download a certain book. "Here," he said, walking over to her. "You're in luck." Harvey handed her the PADD, of which the title screen read, "What To Expect When You're Expecting."

Joey lit up after she took the PADD and saw the title on the screen. "You're a lifesaver, you know that, don't you?" She asked, scrolling through a bit. There were so many pages... so much to expect. "It looks like everything is organized week by week. This should be helpful." Suddenly, a look of horror crossed her features.

"What is it?" Harvey asked, a bit alarmed at the sudden change. He might have to find a medical tricorder or a kedkit to stash away in the ready room along with a phaser. "Everything okay?"

She looked up at him, the look of horror still there, but now she had tears in her eyes. "They're going to get bigger," Joey sniffled, unable to comprehend the back pain she was going to suffer from. "How will I be able to walk without a hunchback?" It might have been a minor issue to most, but to her, it was a big deal.

Harvey couldn't lie and say he knew what she was talking about. "Hunchback?" he muttered quietly before coming to a realization. "Oh," he said. Harvey might have mentioned that there were other parts of her that were going to swell and become quite large, but he was not that anxious to find out how comfortable the couch in the ready room was. "I'm sure we can figure out some sort of support. Something unobtrusive."

"That's not really something I can replicate, is it?" she asked.

"Probably not the first one," Harvey said, kneeling in front of her. "I think there's a tailor on board that could get the measurements handled for you. After that, we could replicate others."

"Can't you just take them?" Joey asked him with hopeful eyes.

"I can, but just remember that I'm a Captain, not a seamstress," he replied. "I can't guarantee how well it will fit... or work."

He had a point. "I'll go to Operations when things start to... swell," she commented, scrolling through the the book a little more. It was probably best that she didn't get too far ahead of herself. "Thank you for this. I think I'll end up wearing holes in the screen as time passes." She looked up at him and smiled. "Go ahead and do what you were doing before I stormed in here like a raging bull. I'm going to hang out and do a few things until food gets here."

"Stay as long as you like," Harvey told her. He was, after all reviewing crew dossiers. It was his notes that he intended to keep private for now. He nodded before rising and returning to the desk. Instantly, the bio of one of her intelligence team appeared on the screen. He tapped a button to shift to the Operations department. Like Science, it too was composed of mostly new people, more people that Harvey didn't know whether or not he could trust. Fighting back a sigh, he began to read about the team.

While Harvey was doing his thing, Joey stretched out on the couch and. Egan to read through the PADD he'd given her. She was rather surprised that the couch wasn't as uncomfortable as it appeared upon first glance, and as the minutes ticked by, she found herself growing tired. Before she realized what happened, Joey managed to doze off.

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