#8 Staying Aboard

Posted on Mon Mar 30th, 2026 @ 2:27pm by Lieutenant David Montgomery & Lieutenant JG Kalina Johnson

Mission: Echoes Of The Past-4
Location: Mess Hall

Kalina and David were going through the mess hall line, when Kalina decided to to start up a conversation. She had something on her mind that was bothering her. "I am not sure how I feel about Commodore Song going on the away mission." Kalina said, as she sat down.

“I’m not happy about it.” David confessed. “Having both the commodore and first officer off the ship isn’t a good thing.”

"That like there's anything we can do about it, we're just a couple of little rank in lieutenants. Nobody's going to listen to us. But hey it does give us more time for evening activities, so what's a girl around here got to do to get a date with a handsome guy like you?" Kalina insisted with a big playful loving smirk.

David grinned. “Just say yes and we will be going on that date.” He replied with a smile. “As soon as we are off shift I’ll clean up and come get you.”

"I see, and where do you plan on taking me on this date? It better not be to the replicator." Kalina said with a big teasing smile on her face.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead.” David said with a smile. “I do have a plan however.” His eyes met hers. “It will be a surprise.”

"I don't know if this is supposed to be charming or should make me nervous." Kalina said thinking to yourself this might be a little of both.

“It should be charming.” David said with confidence. “I want to make sure it is special.”

"I hate surprises but I'm willing to go through the pain of one for you." Kalina said with a big teasing grin on her face. "Okay I might be teasing, I just don't normally like surprises because of my past I've always been bad news but maybe you can change that for me."

“It is a good thing.” David promised. He had no clue what it would be but he was determined she would like it.”

Kalina smiles, "any hints? You know I am curious." She said trying to butter him up.

David thought for a moment. “It may remind you of our trip to Earth but nothing replicated.”

"Now I must admit you really have me curious, are you taking me to Paris? Or maybe to Dubai? There are a lot of beautiful places to go to on Earth." Kalina suggested to him hoping to get some kind of insight.

David grinned. “Maybe…then again maybe not. It won’t be a surprise if I tell you, now will it?”

"Did I tell you how much I hate surprises?" Kalina reminded him with a loving grin on her face.

David laughed softly. “I don’t have a full evening planned yet so it’s going to have to be that way.”

"Well either this is going to go really well for you or this is going to be a huge learning curve for both of us." Kalina suggested to him.

“Really well.” David said. “Because I care enough to want it to be special.”

"Yet you are not willing to give any hints." Kalina said, with a big teasing grin on her face. She hated surprises.

David wondered if she had even been listening. “Like I said, I don’t have all the details worked out yet. It’s not so much a surprise as I am working on it.”

"Well I guess I have to be patient." Kalina insisted to David. She knew she knew needed to be patient.

“If it makes you feel better I will let you know my plans as soon as I have them set.” David murmured.

"It could possibly make me feel better, but I probably need to work on patients, a little bit." Kalina suggested to him deciding to give a little bit of vulnerability.

“You aren’t that bad.” David murmured. “To be honest I think all of us could stand to learn some.”

"Are you sucking up to me, Mister Montgomery?" Kalina said with a big grin on her face, she was teasing him.

“Is it working?” David said with a grin. He was teasing of course.

"Oh ya, it is working." Kalina grinned as she went on to say. "How are you going to capitalize on it?"

"Now if I told you the end game." David replied. "What would be the fun in that?'

"Oh I can think of several things, but I'll trust you in this matter." Colina said with the big smile on her face, wondering what he had planned. The scene starts to fade away.

David knew he would have to up his game. He had a few things in mind as he thought over their dinner together.

End