At The Green Kiss

Posted on Mon Aug 31st, 2026 @ 10:27am by Major Blez Dralis & Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Moriarty & Lieutenant JG Elen Rell

2,377 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Prologue
Location: The Green Kiss, USS Guinevere
Timeline: Early 2389

Elen Rell gestured wildly with her hands as she walked beside Jesse with a warm smile and a cardigan that rippled in soft waves with her movements. Soft grey yarn, streaked through with copper and rust, swung against her knees as they left the Ground Forces deck behind. She hadn’t dressed up, not really, but the red tunic and black leggings said off-duty loud enough. This wasn’t a summons. It was a choice. Her eyes darted to the man beside her, knowing full well she had shown up and refused to go because he had said he'd come. It had been...tactical.

Elen could be tactical. Sometimes. If she wanted it badly enough. “I once had a Flaming Vulcan,” she said as they passed a junction, fingertips brushing the wall like always. The panel didn't budge. “It was less cocktail, more chemical experiment. Don’t worry, we’re going safer tonight. Probably. I think I did it for a dare....” She glanced sideways, the smile almost innocent. "But Rook makes brilliant cocktails and I think it is a crime for people not to at least try them once. Besides..." she lowered her voice dramatically. "You get to observe the regular 'fleet personnel in their natural state....confused and under the influence of something..."

Jesse glanced to Elen with an arched eyebrow and a small, wry smile. She was a bundle of energy, which made her hard to keep up with at times. It also made her oddly formidable once she got something in her head. "You win, Elen...I'll drink something that's a dubious colour for consumption."

"Fantastic! See, doesn't take much," she said and nudged him, her eyes shining with east warmth. "And we can get some snacks too, to line the stomach. Just, you know...small things. Or all protein if that is what you are into."

"You know, I've heard people say that their body is their temple, but over the years, I've learnt to eat pretty much anything," Moriarty shook his head with a small smile...because it was absolutely true. He glanced around as the door opened, taking in the bar. It wasn't too busy at least; he'd seen it pretty packed, and it had gotten messy real quick.

Elen laughed at that, nodding as she watched him. "Same. Like...I like salty, or sweet, or spicy, or sour...all the feels..." she led him to a table by the bar, rather than the actual bar...which could be a bit of a hunting ground if you were into this. So...this was the half-way point. She took a menu, holding it up. "So I think I am basically going to order the platter and if you have some of it...well...half of it...I won't stab your hand with a fork. Deal?"

"Deal," Moriarty nodded firmly as he took a seat. Because as much as he didn't trust her not to stab his hand, her ordering a platter made it a hell of a lot easier. The amount of choice and decadence that was available in some parts of the Federation still caught him off guard some days.

Not quite sure of anything, Blez walked in with slumped shoulders. He sighed that he was now free. The boys had resisted going to bed, he couldn’t blame them for it was a new ship and they wanted to explore.

He’d allow it tomorrow but they had to get climatized to the new timetable first, starbases rarely had drastic changes in their timetable that it was mostly easy to adapt but starships had smaller shifts in when things happened.

Blez forgot all about the future for he spotted Jesse and Elen. He walked up to them, “hey can I join you?” His voice still tired but he brightened at a chance to get to know them better.

Elen's eyes widened with surprise, recognising Blez as the man who had been speaking to Jace. "Sure," she said, glancing at Moriarty to sort of judge it. But she guessed it wouldn't hurt them all to hang out outside of...duty. "Come and sit down. I am going to get us a platter of deep fried stuff, but let me know what you want? Not everyone's for sharing so...you know, if you'd rather have your own meal...totally get it!"

Moriarty shifted his chair around the table to make room for Blez, his hand indicating he should join them. "Happy to share with you, Elen, just don't under estimate how hungry I am..."

“That sounds just perfect, Elen, though might want to order double,” Blez suggested as he sat down and visibly relaxed into the chair as if his body deflated. “So good to sit.” He sighed.

"We've worked you to the bone already?" Moriarty chuckled softly, shaking his head lightly with the flash of dark humour as he sat back. He knew how tiring it could be getting into a new routine on a new ship.

"I mean, it's what I remember from my childhood...my parents, exhausted by the Ground Forces..." Elen teased, her eyes warm with it. She tapped the table before she pushed herself up to kneel in her chair. "And what do we think, pitcher or cocktails?" She was already bending forward to scroll the menu, chin in hand and elbow on table.

“Not only that but the shift from being in Starfleet Security to Ground Forces is quite the change in procedures and regulations.” Blez added, he gave a chuckle, then sighed, “added on top of that is raising 3 boys and I’m just glad that they are so far willing to listen to me.” He smiled despite the level of tiredness his body had him hunched.

"Oh sweetie...not sure if you need a drink, some food or a nap," she said with a small smile, reaching to lightly pat his shoulder. "I'll get us a pitcher. And some food. Don't worry, I got this covered..." she pushed herself onto her feet, stretching her back before she headed to the bar to order.

“I really want help, and some friends for my boys.” Blez said, “thanks Elen, you are a gem.” He smiled as he too held onto the bar bench while he leaned back to stretch. A few cracks could be heard as he got to just past quarter the way of the expected range of motion he thought he had. Immediately a groan of relief came out of his mouth. “Oh my spots, that felt so goooood.”

Jesse chuckled, shaking his head lightly as he watched him, able to understand how it was piling up on him a bit. "Sounds like on top of all that, we need to get you some physio booked in..." he teased.

"I take it you have a good one aboard?" Blez leaned over to Jesse with wide eyes but a smile on his lips.

Elen smiled as she came back, carrying a large jug by the handle with three glasses somehow pressed between her body and her arm. "Okay...I got us this..." she said and smiled as she put the jug down and grimaced as one of the glasses slipped and hit the table. Not enough to break it, but a few ice cubes made a run for it. "Slipstream. I think we have to be careful what we ask for a jug of, or else we might never be allowed back in..." she winked and plonked herself down in her chair. "What did I miss?"

Jesse laughed as he reached to right the glass for her before pouring the drink that shimmered with silver lustre. "Just the harsh realities of fleet life. I think you brought us just what the doctor ordered..."

"I'm in," Blez said, "though only a few."

Elen smiled as she poured the glasses for them, handing them over. "Okay one for you, Jesse...one for you, Blez...and one for me," she sat back, pulling a leg up a little bit, fingers tracing the sleeve of her cardigan. "So, gentlemen...you both settled now? Ground Forces Country treating you well? Showers obeying...?" she looked over at Jesse and winked. They had met when his sonic showers had...well, decided not to work.

"Hah!" Jesse shook his head with a grunt of something between humour and disapproval. "That shower has it in for me. It's still working, but makes some pretty threatening noises. Always has to have the last word..."

"You need to order it. Be stern," Elen said playfully and looked over at Blez, winking.

"Surprisingly the one I use is good. That said, I do hear odd noises from others." Blez supplied, he smiled at Elen before turning back to Jesse. "You could always caress it and whisper sweet nothings to it." He couldn't help but start chuckling.

"Definitely not my style," Jesse laughed softly, shaking his head as he sat back with a sigh. "I don't do sweet nothings. I've never been convinced that it's all it's cracked up to be. Besides, sweet nothings don't really get you very far in the Forces."

Blez raised an eyebrow. "You know this because you have used it many times?" He challenged.

"I know this because of the 16 years I've served in the Ground Forces so far," Jesse pointed out, quirking his eyebrow with a small smile as he took a deep drink.

Blez laughed and his free hand went to his stomach while the other held firm his drink. "Nice," he said between breaths.

Elen looked at Blez, tilting her head a little to the side. "Now, now..." she said, smiling as she sat back with her glass. "We're here to relax, not get dragged back into duty reports...or play awesomeness top trumps. This is bonding. Ship's bar, music, food, drinks...everyone pretending very hard they are more than their uniform." She took a deep sip of her drink, then looked between them both, eyes narrowing with dramatic purpose. "So. I'll go first. I once replicated duct tape to fix a leak. It held for seventy-three minutes before the seal gave up, and when it went, it made the exact sound of a fart." She sat back and pointed at them both. "Top that."

Jesse chuckled lightly at the vivid description, shaking his head slowly. "Maybe we should make it into a drinking game?" he suggested, taking a swig of his own all the same. "Alright, alright...I..." he let out a long breath as he tried to think of what he didn't mind putting out there. "...like climbing buildings with just my hands and feet, no equipment."

"You are right, Elen." Blez agreed. He had to think of anything vital that he'd want to share. "Let's just say I don't have any regrets of what I have done in my life so far." He grinned. "And she probably won't forgive me, frankly I'm not concerned."

Elen stared at Blez for a couple of very long seconds, glass paused halfway to her mouth. “That sounds suspiciously like lore, and I am going to be very brave and not pull that thread until there is either more food on the table or a counsellor within sprinting distance,” she said slowly, raising an eyebrow. She took a sip, then pointed at him with the glass. “The category was ridiculous, not ominous. Farting duct tape. Terrible hobbies. Weird talents. Things that make us look mildly stupid but still able to function in Starfleet....” Her eyes slid to Jesse then, narrowing with delighted disbelief. “Which brings me to you, Colonel Defying Gravity...Climbing buildings with no equipment? Is getting shot at professionally not high stakes enough?” she winked to soften it, because she was amazed, awed and absolutely terrified on his behalf.

"It gets old after a while..." Jesse replied smoothly...but followed it up with a wink to stop the comment from landing too gruffly.

"Point," Elen laughed and nodded, sipping her drink before she reached for more food. "Got to have something else...you're such a trooper..."

“Raising 3 boys, if that isn’t themed looking mildly stupid-boys are stupid during childhood let’s face it and I was no different.” Blez said with chuckles. “I must remember to send as much love back to my parents as I can, and gifts, somethings unique well consider we are in a new galaxy. Perfect for new things.”

Blez frowned. “I might have to go through my images database, as I want to make sure we did those things.” He glanced off away from the bar.

Elen watched Blez drift off into whatever internal inventory he had started running, then softened with a small, sympathetic smile. He was tired, she thought, and maybe already halfway into the next thing he needed to worry about. “Right,” she said, setting her empty glass down with decisive care. “Well...I think that was a great bonding exercise. To be repeated as and when needed.” She pushed herself up, stretching, before tucking the cardigan sleeves over her hands. She looked over at Jesse and smiled. “Walk me back to my quarters? Because I think I am two seconds away from ordering something strong and caffeine-laden, and we all know better than that...” Her gaze slid back to Blez, warm and checking. “You okay getting yourself home?”

"I'll manage," Blez replied with a weak smile. "I can just call for an escort," he added with a smirk.

"Be sure to get some rest," Jesse tugged his jacket back into place as he stood, moving for Elen's side at her request. "You...look like you could do with some," he nodded lightly. He'd send the man a nudge in the morning to touch base with a counsellor to help with the transition. "Come on Elen, let's get you home before you head back to Engineering for one last look..."

Blez waved at them, confirming that he'd see a counselor, and got to his feet, somewhat unsteady but after a moment or two he made his way out and back to his quarters.

OFF:

Lt. JG Elen Rell
Engineer
USS Guinevere

Major Blez Dralis
Provost Marshal
Ground Forces XO (Pre-appointment)

&

Lt. Colonel Jesse Moriarty
CO Federation Ground Forces
USS Guinevere

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