Let's Give This One More Go.... - Part 3

Posted on Mon Apr 27, 2026 @ 5:46pm by Commodore Kate Banninga & Commander Richard Fitzsimons
Edited on on Sat May 2, 2026 @ 7:40pm

1,098 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: S03E01 - Something about Tribbles
Location: Langley Station - Arboretum
Timeline: MD03 - 19:00hrs

ON:

Richard shuffled a little in his seat as the arm holding Kate close never loosened but his free hand moved to take her hand in his. "David mentioned how you've been through so much in a short period of time. Some of it I already know the glancing details of. I know you were once assimilated, your arm told me that. I know you guard your heart from obvious past loss. But here's the thing...I want you to tell me it all when your ready. If it's little bits and pieces when the timings are right I am ok with that. I'll spend a lifetime learning more about you with each passing day. We all have things in our past that shape who we are today and make us who we are. And the woman you are today Kate is...is you. I want you for you; past included."

She had planned on telling him all, but hearing him telling her she could just tell one thing at a time sounded heavenly. She was already feeling very emotional. Telling him about her history with the borg was needed, but also difficult. "I want to tell you, hell, certain aspects you really need to know." she started. "But i think its better not now. One thing at a time. Just remember I really want to tell you, I don't want to hold anything back."

At this point Richard allowed himself a soft laugh as a smile settled on his lips. Pulling up her hand to his lips, he placed a gentle kiss against the knuckles. "How about if at any point I feel that your holding back is being to impact us; I'm allowed to push for you to talk? I can help you manage the effects of your past...I don't need to know the information to still be able to be there for you when you need someone to have your back."

She returned his smile. "Of course you can push. You already have my back, and you have no idea how much that means to me. And why the last few days were so damn difficult. I understand why you pulled away, and I clearly needed the wake up call. You still supported me offcourse, but it felt like something was missing." she took a deep breath. "I missed you,"

Richard pulled the woman in as he wrapped his arms around her tight, holding her in a hug like he would never let go. How many days and nights had he spent waiting for this. Waiting for her to realise that what existed between them both was worth letting the guard down for. "I'm not going anywhere doll. We have alot of time to make up for."

She leaned her head on his shoulder and chuckled. "We kinda do," she said. She just sat there, enjoying their closeness, finally. "How are we gonna do this with our positions?" She voiced her concern out loud. "People already suspect there's something between us, apparently. Not that I want to hide us, but just how are we going to balance the two?"

Richard let out a slow and steady breath as he realised Kate was knocking on the crux of their issue. She didn't lie...it was easy to see in their senior staff and others in the station that people had a faint idea something could be happening between commanding officer and executive officer. "How about we take it as it comes? I think right now the priority is you and I figuring out how this works. There's no point in rocking the boat just yet if after giving things a try maybe we are not compatible."

She sighted and didn't say anything at first. Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut. "Easier said then done." Sitting upright she said with a smile. "You do know I'm kinda a control freak, right.

Richard smiled a little at her choice of words; cocking his head a little to the side as he studied her face. "I might have noticed it once or twice...why would that be a problem in this case?"

She looked at him with laughter in her eyes. "Let's just say that taking it as it comes is not really something I excel at." She said with a chuckle. "I'm willing to try though,"

Richard reached out to rub his thumb along Kate's cheek. He still had a little disbelief in him in how this has turned out. Every wish of his has come true but part of him kept wanting to pinch himself to ensure that this was not just a dream. "I only meant it from the sense of how long it's taken us to her here. We could try to analyze our situation from top to toe and inside out but...havent we already lost so much time? Time is on our side now; we can't let it go again."

She understood what he was saying. For so long, she had kept her distance. She acted as if those feelings didn't exist, purely out of a fear of opening up and facing the weight of it all. "No, we cannot. I will make sure we will not."

Richard allowed his thumb to move from Kate's cheek to brush gently up against the woman's lips. "There is something...." Leaning in closer, the man replaced his thumb with his own lips as he softly kissed Kate, allowing himself a taste in those moments before pulling back a little. "...there's some unfinished business..."

"Hmmm,"she hummed as she answered his kiss. "There is indeed."

"So...how about..." Richard leaned back in, stealing another kiss as his arm moved to pull the woman in closer. "You relinquish some of that control Commodore and we play some catch-up.."

"Ah-ah-ah... no ranks." she said, a smile playing on her lips. While she was proud of her rank since it was proof of her hard work oer the years, she hated using rank in any kind of personal setting. With friend, but especially in the current situation. She just wanted to be herself, not not the image she had crafted over the last years.

Richard smiled against Kate's lips as ideas played in his head and his arm tightened more around her waist. They had the arboretum to themselves with no meetings scheduled until later. There was time to be caught up on and he intended to take advantage when they could.

OFF:

Commodore Kate Banninga
Commanding Officer
Langley Station

Commander Richard Fitzsimons
Executive Officer
Langley Station

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