USF Progenitor & Crew: Adventures in Cosmos 01

[#67] Solid Ground

Christina walked through the doorway swaying her hips with attitude as though displaying her independence. The entire crew, sans Ka'eo, was on the command bridge, having a deep conversation about the what-ifs that were coming up. Peter, Stavros, and Mana were also providing their stories and views on what happened back at MacKalla asteroid and H&G Diamond Drilling Corp.
A deep and crisp voice came from the entrance to the room. "Peter, are they already caught up with everything then?" Ka'eo asked, walking onto the command bridge.
Peter turned to look at the door and saw Ka'eo walking into the room, glowing and looking intimidating, presumably from his "fun" moment that had already been revealed by Matt earlier.
Matt shouted, "Heeeyyy, man of the hour!"
Veno greeted with his rough tone, "Ka'eooooo!"
Alec cackled and said, "Yo! Kay'eo, mah man!"
Peter stood up from his seat and fixed his shirt, sighed, then assumed a more active and assertive role in deciding the fate of the mission. Before bringing the mission itself up, he wanted to address the absences. He began, "Ka'eo, we've been waiting up here for you, and we were waiting for Christina to return. The word is, from the whole crew, that she was with you. What are you both really doing down there?"
Max laughed in wait for a valid social response.
Christina shushed Max then began aggressively putting her hair up into a tight bun, glancing up at Ka'eo. She looked like she was going to mean business.
Tiffany and Sarah both looked at each other and gestured hands off, letting the scene, whatever it would be, take place.
Kanoa found the long silence to be hilarious. He laughed.
Alec gave attention, "Kanoa," then started laughing with him.
Matt chipped in facetiously, "What were you guys doing? I want to know what you guys were doing."
"You took a long time to come back," Max stated outright, then laughing again, raising his eyebrows. Sarah groupied, joining Max in his laughter.
Ka'eo didn't want confrontation in front of everyone on the command bridge, taking on a feeling that he was supposed to feel guilty and ashamed. He didn't feel anything like that. Instead, he was feeling rejuvenated by his rendezvous with Christina. Ka'eo stayed in the rhythm of the group's awkwardness, having already pulled up and detached from the fun encounter.
Matt spoke up and said, "Oof! No response."
Tiffany shouted, "Guiillltyyy!" Christina eyed her and smiled, finally getting her bun up, bobbing it behind her.
Matt placed his hands on his hips and paced asking almost stoically, "What about our conversation we had Christina? Come on. We talked about this." Matt chuckled then sighed, and Christina ignored him, pulling her PCD up and checking it.
Ka'eo felt oddly interrogated by all the eyes of the crew looking on at him. He did his best and offered his rationale explaining, "I realize that I was taking a great deal of time away from the bridge, and my duties, as I had to use the restroom and then got engaged with a meeting." Christina cleared her throat, making Ka'eo twitch down and front. Ka'eo resumed, "Uhhh, I see no issue with being patient and giving all of you more time up here. Now. Why do I feel that you're all a little upset about this? Normally you wouldn't be. Would you be?"
Peter reacted back, "You're—."
"Ka'eo is right. I think he did a good job getting everyone set. I mean, we all did," Matt interrupted, while Peter subdued himself. Matt looked at Veno then Harrison, chuckling.
Veno shushed Matt.
Peter tried, "Nah, but... Ka'eo, you're equally as responsible as all of us, remember? You were the one who wanted to call a meeting up here, remember?"
Ka'eo said, "I know, that's true. You said to postpone it though... and wait for everyone to return and then I had to use the restroom. What else do you want from me? What's the real deal going on here?"
Everyone in the command bridge knew what happened between Ka'eo and Christina, after Matt and Harrison had let the cat out of the bag, verified by basically everyone who went with Matt to check. Ka'eo figured that someone had found out, based on the way they were behaving, but he didn't care to assume. Still, Ka'eo was somehow unaffected in terms of emotionality, and he didn't quite understand why any arguing or other consequences would exist. Knowing Christina was an independent person was very much the reason why he decided to let go and "let God" as he would put it.
Christina was feeling differently, and overall different from before the unplanned result of her pursuit. She felt like she was in emotional agony, more deserving than ever of the attention that Ka'eo had given her. Being starved of Ka'eo's attention caused her to become more indecisive, wavering, and wanting extra security. What Christina's biggest problem was now was Ka'eo's comprehension of her feelings, having had experiences with women prior.
For Ka'eo, what was freedom hadn't changed, especially with no declarations and no clarifications as to what would come next. He partly figured that it was the other women's feelings that were rubbing off on her, possibly, something he had witnessed before. Ka'eo's plan of action from there was simple. He would allow the crew to engage with each other freely, including Christina, and any seeming changes in their behaviors were to be dismissed. Ka'eo was cold for that, but his compassion for his crew was what kept the situation cool. He was considering giving Christina the benefit of being whoever she wanted to be after their "private" event.
Alec, trying to play off not truly knowing and wanting to keep up the coolness asked, "How do you guys know that Ka'eo was even with Christina in the first place? Did you guys go and check?"
Ka'eo knew Alec was, in a sense, lying about his own involvement, but it didn't matter.
Matt instantly burst the bubble and chuckled, "Uhhh, hellooo? We heard them, dumb a$$. You were there, too, Alec. Weren't you?"
"I... didn't know what they were doing in there," Alec said, lacking in his cover, and chuckling.
Peter reacted, "Yeah, sure! You didn't know, but yet you did somehow."
"Yeah, Alec!" Stavros supported Peter. "How can you know and not know at the same time?"
"That didn't make any sense," Tiffany said with scolding eyes, seeming very emotional.
Alec laughed out loud then walked behind Tiffany and placed his hands on her shoulders. Tiffany turned herself to swat his hands off of her.
Ka'eo cleared the air asking, "Okay, everyone! Calm down for a bit, while I explain... this. We have a mission! What the hell is everyone so caught up on this for? If you heard what was going on, ehem, and everybody is now back here safe and sound, what the hell is your excuse to be obstructing progress on our mission prerogative?"
"What's your malfunction, Major?!" Alec joked, laughing at himself. He cleared his throat and bowed his head then said, "Sorry."
Christina whispered, "Thank you."
Tiffany looked annoyed while Sarah was spacing out on the floor in front of her and listening.
"Well, Ka'eo is right, there," Matt smoothed. In the silence, Matt chuckled and explained, "I guess nobody really talked about there being a thing going on. Nobody really talked about—."
"Nobody said that anybody would be having sex on the ship," Mana summed up.
Harrison agreed, "Here, here."
Alec said, "Yeeeaaah, but what happens on the ship stays on the ship."
"Nooo, no no nooo," Peter rejected. "That's not a real rule. We are still required, under the USF, to focus on the missions that we're given an' not be doing... blegh... to not be doing things that take time away from doing what's important."
"We've lost very little time, all things considered, Peter. Everyone," Ka'eo defended. He went to Christina and asked her directly, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Were you alright with what happened earlier?"
"Yeah! I don't see what the whole issue is!" Christina showed, still hiding that she felt strongly in need. Some part of Christina wanted to outright tell everyone that Ka'eo f$cked her senseless, just to alleviate the tension, since it wasn't really anyone's business. She readjusted herself in her seat and scooted forward slightly. "Nothing bad happened, and we're here now! Ka'eo was being very nice and... kind... to me."
Kanoa, Harrison, and Stavros very quickly picked up on Christina's feelings right when she declared that there was no harm, no foul.
Ka'eo knew rationally that she wouldn't be happy for a few days after sex, Christina having given herself and then not tied any knot with him. He knew she would probably want to talk more with him about it later, but with the mission upcoming, he felt a split decision was coming up between aiding her needs and aiding the group's needs.
Christina didn't know what Ka'eo and her were supposed to be. After thinking about the sex they had, she felt like it should've been a secret. Very easily she could have gotten upset and felt her privacy was violated, but for some reason, she was feeling more tolerant and trustworthy of the entire crew, unlike before she met up with Ka'eo. She only knew that most of the crew wasn't appearing all that pleased with her having gone to Ka'eo's personal living quarters, taking time away from overall responsibilities to have "casual" sex with him. Christina had no idea how much the crew had heard, nor who exactly, from their conversation and the sex.
Ka'eo opened up and said, "Listen. All of you. We've gotten everything done except for discussing... what?"
Peter answered bitterly, "Except for actually landing our ship on the planet. We should've been doing that already, man! We waited for over three... hours!"
"Three hours for you, Christina!" Matt chuckled, overlapping Peter's complaint at the tail end.
Alec added, "And Ka'eo."
Veno chortled, though wasn't trying to enthuse the crew.
"Alright, why—?... Why is this all resting on my shoulders as though none of you were able to be responsible for the mission while I was away? Why are you making it like you cannot do anything on your own without me? I didn't tell you guys to wait for me. Come on, be reasonable," Ka'eo brought up confusedly. Sounding bitter and feeling mildly agitated himself, he ranted, "Tell me why a casual event—."
"A non... event!" Stavros exclaimed another inside joke, chortling nervously. Matt chuckled, but Peter, the originator of that joke, was unaffected by the use of it, opting for Ka'eo's full explanation.
Peter felt, after H&G Diamond Drilling Corp., and after the fight between them and the STAR mercenaries, that his worth was being discounted, in a sense.
Ka'eo resumed the rant, "Tell me why a casual event mind you, Christina, is being drawn out—no, you know what, I know what it is. How about... okay, let's do this instead... everyone quiet. I'm sorry. I apologize to you guys, and gals, all of you, the crew. I am sorry for having gone and left you all behind, I guess, without telling you what was really going on... before... what happened, which was private and between me and Christina. I didn't know I was supposed to inform you all, each and every time I have my own intimate moments that have nothing to do with anyone else but me and... in this... situation, Christina. That shouldn't be a thing. At all."
"Well," Alec tried.
"It was just because you didn't tell anybody," Kanoa explained calmly. "That's why. They all felt surprised about it. That's what I think, anyway."
Veno agreed, nodding his head, and gave his two cents saying, "Yup, I think that's what it was. I'm not bothered, but I appreciate that. I appreciate you, Ka'eo. You the man, bro." Veno gave Ka'eo a thumbs up and smiled.
"Like, I figured maybe Christina lied and was with one of you," Ka'eo explained, trying to find optimal resolve, but still muddying Christina's feelings unintentionally. "You know, I didn't know if she was dating one of you. Matt... Veno. Not saying she's lying, but..."
"The way we were reacting," Harrison supported.
Peter admitted, "I guess that didn't help."
Ka'eo said, "Exactly." Ka'eo read and analyzed that part of the discussion rapidly, but he maintained his grip.
Veno nodded and pointed at Harrison, satisfied with the understandings. He crossed his arms and continued listening.
"Christina! Are you dating one of us?!" Matt asked her playfully, chuckling in amusement.
Christina mouthed, 'No,' keeping her eyes on the floor in front of her, and her hands in her jacket pockets.
Harrison took a step back and raised his shoulders like a shrug, then relaxed and went on his PCD.
The room went quiet for a moment.
Stavros cut through the silence that ensued and explained his point of view, "I know that Ka'eo isn't trying to hide anything from us, and I think that his apology should be accepted. Now, can we move on? Please?"
Mana agreed, "Yeah."
Harrison agreed with a nod.
Alec chuckled and gave attention saying, "Stavros."
"Alright, so can we all agree that we accept Ka'eo's apology?" Kanoa casted.
Harrison said, "Yes."
Max raised his hand and declared in plain care and seriousness, "I feel fine. As long as the home slice is okay. As long as he and Christina are okay, I'm good."
Ka'eo was enjoying reading the conversation, then pulled a vape cartridge out of his pocket to take a draft.
Christina quickly raised her hand then brought it back down to her lap and spoke up, "I'm gonna be honest and say... I don't understand why he even had to apologize. It's his right to do what he wants to do if he isn't hurting anyone nor getting in the way of what the USF wants him to do. He's allowed to... sleep with whoever he wants... whoever he wants." She held up her hands as though to stop and quiet everyone around her, then held up her index finger at Sarah and Tiffany, not looking at either of them. She resumed, "And he chose! He's a grown man, I'm a grown woman, and now what I'm saying is, mind your own business. We are both fine." She nodded and licked her lips, then crossed her arms, throwing her leg over her other knee.
Veno, Kanoa, and Max chuckled with each other. A few snickers came from Alec, Kanoa, and Stavros.
Mana sighed and looked at everyone like they were all crazy, wanting to take control and land the ship himself or go back to his living quarters.
Peter felt backhanded, not having known what was going on, but he was calming down, realizing that he might have overreacted. The feeling of the group, he figured, gave him the right to express his feelings in some way.
Matt continued, "Yeah, why are we wasting time on this? We saw the planet, and then Ka'eo and Christina already came back... wait, that sounded dirty." Matt chuckled loudly.
Veno broke out into a cackle with Stavros, Max, and Alec, with the ladies following suit.
Christina cleared her throat and kept her arms crossed, maintaining a professional appearance. She bounced her leg over her knee seductively, looking at the floor.
Mana intervened in the laughter and asked, "Okay, are we going... to f$cking do something now? Like, this is bullsh$t. We are wasting tiiime!"
"Yes. Nina, prepare for landing," Peter quickly ordered. "We're going to Celium XIX."