Housekeeping
Posted on Sun Jun 28th, 2026 @ 6:52am by Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble & Lieutenant Jayna Tremble & Staff Warrant Officer Rommie
Edited on on Sun Jun 28th, 2026 @ 5:33pm
2,415 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Episode 18 - The Edge of Darkness
Location: Holodeck 2 - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD001 2000 hrs
Neither Neil nor Jayna had a lot of stuff, but still the idea of finding where to put everything in their combined quarters was a little daunting. Or, rather, how to fit what Jayna had into Neil's quarters without it looking out of place.
A second closet was easy enough, but some of Jayna's prints and her drawing and carving supplies needed to go somewhere.
So, they decided to meet on the holodeck and work through the logistics virtually, and see how they could merge their stuff as well as they were merging their lives.
Neil paced into the holodeck, momentarily distracted by his artificial leg's updates to his HUD. According to the feedback, he was getting used to it.
Good to know the tech was getting along and was feeling at home at least.
Walking up to Jayna, he kissed her and grinned, "Picked out hammocks or a bunk bed yet?"
"Hammock. Definitely a hammock. In the main room. I'm going to have a nice big bed." She grinned at him. "That way, I can always rock you to sleep at night."
"In a hammock or with a real rock," he smiled at her. "Lieutenant Davi did throw one at me and the doctor aboard the Valiant.
"A rock? That doesn't sound like the person I met. Now, something soft and squishy, yes." She cocked her head to one side. "Maybe I should start using a stress ball just to have something to throw at people." She kissed him again and grinned. "Better than knives as it won't damage the furniture."
"Most furniture is pretty easy to replace," Neil commented as he glanced at the empty suite. "Which is kinda why we're here. Rommie," he said, bridging them toward their purpose. "Basic layout of executive officer quarters for USS Pioneer. None of my junk present, please."
The AI's name always keyed her presence and the data stream she used to announce herself appeared near the holo-deck's entrance/archway. Stepping forward, she crossed her arms and said, "Aye aye, Colonel."
Around them empty quarters appeared. As an afterthought, Rommie removed the current separate bedroom dividing wall that the Colonel had opted for leaving only the head as a separate area.
"Your blank canvass as it were," Rommie stated. "Roughly one thousand square feet, though adding bulk-heading like the separate bed chamber will reduce that overall to eight-fifty give or take if it is safe-room configured."
"I like the separate bedroom," Jayna said, slowly looking around. "If Neil gets a call, I can stay back there and listen to music." She flashed him a grin. "Especially as I won't have to get dressed."
She paused. "Or an accordion wall so we can choose if we want the room open or divided." Jayna looked from Neil to Rommie. "What do you think?"
"An accordion wall does lead to the aesthetic, but you lose the separate contained safe room options," Rommie advised. "Not that it's the primary safeguards would rupture past the standard room's safeties.
"From my paranoid phase," Neil shrugged. "But I do like the idea of you not having to worry about getting dressed. An open layout is slightly intimidating."
Turning to his aide, he said "Rommie. Give us a standard Fleet configuration. Include the separate bedroom with the stand alone life support module, please."
Rommie nodded, and around them, standard fleet furnishings appeared, though the room was still plain. The door leading to the bedchamber slid open automatically.
"So, more or less same configuration," Neil commented as he dropped onto the standard issue sofa. "Jayna. You mentioned works station... and do you want just the replicator or more of a kitchenette?"
"I don't cook much, but I'm not opposed to a kitchenette if you want one." She'd never really had an opportunity to learn to cook. Most of her life had focused on intelligence in one form or another. She sat on the sofa, facing him.
"Built in replicator cubby. Another booze and wine cabinet next with room for good glasses," Neil said.
Rommie adjusted to add those to the current configuration without asking, her uniform piping shifting to an Operations gold color.
"Two person dining table till we dine someone in? Any thoughts on chairs? Or we could just get couches like roman senators." He grinned as Rommie added both, wire gridded that phased back and forth.
"No Roman couches." Jayna didn't think the position would be that comfortable for dining. "Do you want wooden chairs and a wooden table, or formed plastic? Those could be in any color you like. And yes. Two chairs with an option to add two more. I doubt we'll need more than that. And I'd like a shelf unit with cubbies for my origami, flutes, and knives."
As she spoke, Rommie flashed up more wire gridded options with a shelving unit's that ringed the upper portion of most of the living quarters like hanging shelves. A singular floor to ceiling shelf with metal framed glass doors displaying holographic weapons on gold velvet reached from approximately table height to the ceiling, with the lower part broken into drawers while the upper part folded down to to form a work table and revealed carving tools and storage for other areas. The image of a partially carved wood duck looked back at them, before winking slightly and going still.
"A work bench," the AI said, "Something of a Murphy configuration that functions as a standard display case, but folds down to be a work bench for both you and the colonel's projects. The tabletop can have a felt insert suitable for working on weapons as well." Rommie pulled images from both their quarters of various decks, flutes and other items both officers had collected through the years.
"I like it." Jayna turned to Neil. "I think the only thing to decide is color and art." She thought about the art in both their quarters. "The one that matters most to me is the print of the Bajoran woods." It was a recreation of where she lived and it was the only thing she had or wanted from her childhood.
Rommie's programming decided a slight smile and nod was appropriate and she brushed aside her bangs with a turned. "As you enter, the replicator table and chairs on a slight rise, seating for two with easy expansion to four. Smart frames and display cases along the upper parts of the bulkhead to make use of the space. Along the wall, as it forms an L there is a ledge for other items or possibly plants provided by the arboretum in gravity containers framing a digital chair-rail to ceiling aquarium with various fish and a representation in the style of Van Gogh of your camp at the waterfall on Risa."
As she spoke, the wire framing solidified. A glass topped replicator table formed that was round and had two comfortable looking minimalist chairs with curving seat and back that neatly tucked neatly up against the table. Where the short interior wall stretched toward the bedroom, a slim door leading to the fresher appeared, before the internal bulkhead formed and ran to exterior bulkhead of the ship. The external bulkhead wall ran the length of the quarters.
In the corner opposite the fresher station Rommie moved the Murphy display/desk, which had a padded flip down bench seat padding along both bulkheads. In the middle of the far wall, opposite the bedroom door, a representation of Jayna's woodland painting took center space above a holo-fireplace and minimalist mantle. Before the fireplace, a low divan and coffee table appeared in wireframe. The interior bulkhead wall running back to the entry had displayed weaponry and representations of Jayna's drawings which flickered slightly indicating all of that was just Rommie's interpretation of the two officer's style.
Neil nodded, looking around the rendering and asked, "Do you want a workstation in here? I have my office and a dozen other places and intend to leave work there." His nose caught the scent of loam and he could feel the touch of a scented breeze as the AI added more affects from Bajor.
"I have access to a desk in the SCIF and a space with the Cure," Jayna said, looking over the additions. "I would rather just have a computer console here and leave the rest where it is." She turned her attention to Neil. "When you're home, I have no intention of working--if I can possibly help it." She waved her hand at the workstation. "This is for fun."
Then she leaned forward and kissed Neil. "When you're busy, that is. Or if we're working on different projects together." She knew how busy he was and wanted to take advantage of whatever time they had together.
Grinning, he kissed her back and said, "Speaking of fun, we really haven't set up the bedroom. Any particular requests? I doubt you've been hiding any kinks..."
"You've been there often enough, you should know," she teased. "A comfortable bed, maybe my Bajoran print, and..." She looked past him as she thought. "Blue bedding? I like blue. But I like other colors, too."
"Can start with Blue," Neil said. "Easy enough to change to suit moods. Your Bajoran print and maybe one of St. Johns and Sunflower House? You seemed to enjoy it there, which reminds me," he said innocently. "Mother sent this for you." He held out one hand and Rommie handed over a sheaf of papers which bore a seal and ribbons. "Apparently, she's deeded it over to you and me. Open to the family, of course, since we're rarely on Earth, but thought you met standards."
This last was said with a wry grin.
She took the papers with a raised eyebrow. She was both pleased and surprised. "I did like the house. We could go there if we get a long shore leave."
Then she had to grin. "But for meeting any standards, I don't think I had far to go compared to your brother."
"I won't say more about your brother. Yes to both prints in the bedroom."
"Hugos an acquired taste," Neil smiled, "But you're stuck with him, till you decide you want no more part. And on the house, it's to be held by a woman by tradition. Back in the day, men might not return from the seas. Mom likes you and Renae agreed. They'll use the house, as will any of the family, but we get first dibs. And have to possibly find a caretaker..."
Taking her by the hand, he looked around the quarters and asked, "Seems right, but I feel like I need to ask: You sure you're ready to give up your safe space for a shared one?"
She looked at him for a long moment. It was a serious question, and she wanted to give it a serious answer. "My safe space is with you. Wherever that is. There may be time that I need to take a walk, but we spend most of our free time together anyway. This just makes it...official."
But, in case the question came from his own concerns, she asked, "What about you? Are you ready to have me in your space every day?"
"I think so," Neil said honestly. "Who can say day to day. I know I want this... and you, as you say in my space every day. " He grinned, ghosting her a wink. "And if I need to take a walk, I can suit up and go outside."
"No, you can't," Jayna countered. "Not if we're at warp. But you can go to your office. Or I can go for a walk around the ship--on the inside."
Then she grew more serious. "Neil, I know things won't be perfect. I know there will be times we disagree. If it comes to it, I'm happy to sleep on the couch and let you have the bed. Or send you to Mic's gym."
She put a hand on his cheek. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you, and I plan to be with you for the rest of our lives, good times and bad."
Smiling, he traced above her ear, supposedly tucking a stray hair back behind her ear. "Now as to that, I do think following my parents advice, back when they were actually together is probably a good idea. My mother always told us, that we should never go to bed angry with our eventual partners."
Then he grinned wider and said, "And dad would whisper to me and Hugo: That's right. Tell her it's time you both take your clothes off and handle things like adults."
Jayna grinned back. "Excellent advice. Now that we've decided how to combine our quarters, I think we should put that advice to the test."
Touching his forehead to hers, Neil kissed her, then said, "I didn't realize we were fighting..." Looking over to where Rommie appeared paused, he said, "Rommie. Save and apply. Generalize anything not specified for now."
"Aye aye," Colonel," the AI said after her image shimmered out of privacy mode. Around them, the deck shimmered and the furnishings vanished back to the familiar black grid pattern. "Your quarters will be ready within fifteen point three five minutes."
"Thank you, Warrant," Neil acknowledged. "Sounds just about right if we take ten minutes to get to your quarters, and begin packing whatever you want my help with in the first go. Then four minutes to move things," he said, turning back to Jayna with humor in his eyes. "That leaves a whole minute to argue and make up?"
"Oh, I plan on making up for a lot longer than that," she teased, kissing him again. "Maybe we should just skip the fight altogether?"
"If you twist my arm, aye," Neil chuckled. "Good thing we cleared the afternoon for this."
"Good. Some things shouldn't be rushed," Jayna teased as they headed for her quarters to pack.
A joint post by:
Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Battalion Commander, The Cure
Lieutenant Jayna Tremble
Intelligence Officer, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Staff Warrant Officer Rommie
Artificial Intelligence, The Cure
USS Pioneer
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