Dinner and Drones - Part V

Posted on Fri Feb 6th, 2026 @ 5:52am by Lieutenant Rynna Csira & Lieutenant Commander Rafael Montoya

1,343 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: A Day In The Life

[PREVIOUSLY]
David adjusted in his chair, "You are familiar with the legend of the Atlantis?"
[CONTINUED]

She thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. I heard about it in the Academy." There were a lot of stories she didn't know and had researched once she came to Earth. And a few places she visited, but there wasn't time to read about most of them.

"Ok, well the NEW Atlantis project first started 2376. Once the preliminaries got ironed out we got to work on the mantle directly. Why..." grinning as he shrugged, "...bring the myth to life."

Karmen, with a mockingly shocked expression. "That HAS to be the shortest explanation he has EVER given for that project."

Ryn grinned. "That means he either thinks I'm smart enough to understand the nuances, or unable to comprehend more than the basics. I think I'll go with the former."

Not picking either, David picked up a crumb from their appetizer and threw it at his smirking wife. "Hey... You are the one always complaining I go on and on and on." Nudging Raf, "I do what she wants and still get grief."

Looking across at Ryn, "Well, you can see where the boys got it from."

She laughed and picked up her glass. "I can indeed." Ryn's gaze met Raf's for a moment and she smiled. She liked this family.

Their food arrived soon after and Karmen and David hadn't been wrong, it was very good. He had had the brisket pad Thai, with a side of pineapple rice and devoured every bit of it. They had talked more about the project; David's work on the land itself and Karmen's work monitoring the impact on the marine life. While the development of the land mass was greatly accelerated it had been slow enough at first to allow the marine life to adjust.

Putting his second drink down, "Any room for dessert?"

Ryn had eaten more than she expected, but the food was excellent, as was the company. At the mention of dessert, she looked over to Raf and raised an eyebrow. She could always find room for dessert, but not if Raf would rather leave. "What do you think?"

Karmen put her napkin on the table, speaking up first. "Sorry, I wish we could but I'm stuffed."

David chimed in, "Plus, we really need to get back to the boys. They were supposed to go to sleep but they're probably terrorizing Jessica."

A bit disappointed Raf scooted his chair back a bit, putting his own napkin on the table. "Well, I guess that settles that."

Ryn pushed her chair back and stood so she could give Karmen a hug. "It's fine. Thank you for the invitation. I enjoyed getting to know you." She handed her the two drones. "I hope they don't cause too much trouble."

Then she turned to David. "And it was nice getting to know you, too."

Raf watched his sister and her husband head back the way they came and then turned to Ryn. "So, what do you say we check this place out? Wanna see if they have a club? Do some dancing?"

She grinned. "All of the above?" Ryn wanted to see more while they had the opportunity--and she would love to go dancing with Raf.

Turning back towards the complex's promenade he jutted out his elbow. "Well, we didn't get dressed up for nothing."

She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and smiled. She'd been doing a lot of that tonight. She silently blamed Raf.

Their night continued for several hours with a walk around the facilities promenade and dancing and drinks until they shut the place down. They transported back during gamma shift and were leaning into each other all the way down the corridor to Ryn's quarters.

"There you go. Safe and sound."

She turned and looked up at him. "Thank you. Tonight was..." Magical, but she hesitated to say it. "Wonderful." She thought about inviting him in for a drink, but then her eyes met his. For a moment she forgot what she was going to say. "Would you like..."

After all that dancing she had removed her sandals but dropped them as she stood in her doorway.

Still standing close to her he knelt down along her to pick them up. Rising back along her frame he held them out as they dangled off his fingers. "You dropped these..."

He leaned closer, slowly...inches away.

She reached a hand out to take her sandals, but ran it along the back of his and up his arm and she leaned closer.

But at that moment a loud group of Gamma shift folks heading off for their lunch came down the corridor. Some wore red, yellow, and even medical blue, but he was wondering what a bunch of lower decks where doing on this deck. They were probably heading to their 'lunch' which it was around 3 or 4 in the morning. Stepping back Raf addressed the group , "Ensigns".

The tone shook them from their conversation, "Morning Sir, Ma'am."

Ryn nodded to the group, wishing they'd come a couple of minutes later. Or maybe not. That might have been more embarrassing.

After the group passed, Raf turned back to Ryn, "Where were we?"

"Well..." she said, putting a hand on his chest and giving him an impish grin. "I think we were about here..."

As he started to move closer as voice broke shattered the moment. "Commander Montoya?"

Turning, he saw one of his staff, a Petty Officer working on classes towards his MD and commission, and had requested a late night shift so he could study. Nodding to him, "Petty Officer Esragg."

Lifting his padd. "Sir, if you have a moment I had a question..." Seeing the arched eyebrow on his superior and the look on the face of the woman he was with he stopped. "...excuse me. I.."

Raf raised a hand, "It's alright. Send me whatever questions you have and I will review then and go over them with you at the end of your shift tomorrow."

"Yes sir..." Looking to the woman, "...again, my apologies."

"It's fine," Ryn assured him. She couldn't take Raf away from his responsibilities for a private kiss. Hopefully, there would be other opportunities.

Turning back to Ryn, he noticed that the Bolian hadn't moved yet. Looking back. "You're dismissed."

"Ohh y-yes sir. Sorry." Unfortunately, as he left more people appeared in the corridor as gamma shift went to lunch. Of course, that meant they only had a few hours until they'd be up getting ready for work themselves.

Lifting his head he looked up shaking his head a bit. "Uhhh..."

She tried not to laugh at the situation, frustrating as it was. "It was a lovely night." She glanced past him to see yet another person. "And it looks like we should just...uh..." She shook her head. "I'm sorry...not for the night, but..." she waved her hand down the corridor.

He didn't need to look at things again. "Yeah... well enough of the impromptu. Let's get something set up." Taking her chin in his hand and letting it slide off, his finger tapping her chin.

Ryn took a long, slow breath and nodded. "I'd like that."

Stepping back he started head off as his quarters were on the other side of the ship. Walking backwards, "I'll call ya."

Ryn nodded. She should have invited him in. She almost called him back, but decided the moment had passed. Besides, she had to get up in a couple of hours for her shift. Still... She watched him go, wishing things had ended differently. But there was always tomorrow.

Turning the corner, he took a breath. Had she invited him in, they could of hidden from the crowd easily but while things had definitely heated he didn't want to assume anything. One thing was for sure...he needed a cold shower.

A Post by

Lieutenant Commander Rafael Montoya
Chief Medical Officer

Lieutenant Rynna Csira
Chief Operations Officer
USS Ontario

 

RSS Feed