Jovan: The Layover

[Anauri Rabeak]

Anauri didn't know what he was truly feeling, at that moment. His personal thoughts on the matter were clouded by paternal instinct, his desire to go mate again, and his duty to his superiors. Closing his eyes, he sighed, letting a strong arm reach around her back.

"It's... it's okay," he said with a sigh. "But, Ydran was right about one thing - I do have duties to attend to. And we also can't leave you alone, again." Pulling his arm, back, he used a finger to lift her chin until she looked into his eyes. "I have to get reports submitted, and, at the same time I need to request some leave. Going to be boring, for a bit, but I need you to stick with me for right now, got it?"

From there it was over to a restricted access doorway. Anauri used his badge to gain entry, and ushered Stashia in along with him. There was little to see, mostly access tube junctions and workstations, and it was one of the latter that Anauri plonked himself down in front of, then reached into his jacket pocket to withdraw a pair of reading glasses. For a few minutes, he hammered away at the keyboard, and dragged files from screen to screen before plugging in a datapad and downloading his work to it. "There. Should have been done last night, but oh well," he grumbled. Pad in his right paw, he stood. "Well, off to submit this, and see if I can get some leave. If I can't, I'll at least try and find you good passage to Ossus."

It was no guarantee that Anauri would be granted any of the leave he'd built, and he didn't want to get Stashia's hopes up. Still, he offered his arm again, and after she took it, he led the way back down the promenade and to the central hub where most of the station offices resided. Strange looks abounded, seeing their chief engineer with a young lady at his side, but Anauri paid them no heed, going so far as to press the buzzer on Kes's office door. There, he politely had to let Stashia's arm go. It was better to look profession in front of his boss, after all, and he had a late report to deliver.

[Kes Akiena]

Though his office was positioned on the periphery of the command hub, Kes had made sure to maintain that he held an open-door policy. It was a policy that really only extended as far as personnel. Anyone else had to file a report. Many such reports now littered the surface of his desk, and the Commander of Jovan Station found himself in the unenviable position of trying to sort through each one according to their perceived importance. A daunting task, all things considered. It was also a tedious task, and one that the redhead would not wish on anyone. This was punishment, and he knew it. The higher powers had seen fit to simply demote Commodore s'Ilancy - for himself, they had decided to place him in charge of a space station. And all for stealing a ship. No matter that he'd been in the right, and his aide had helped to save not only the Jedi, but keep the Alliance itself from fracturing. No. Such things were apparently trivial, and meaningless.

Kes sighed, frowning in distaste at the display before him; so many flimsis and a smattering of datapads. It was a fate so far worse than demotion. Then again, promotion often was.

When the chime to his office sounded, he gladly leaned back in his chair, ignoring the mess atop his desk. A sad look was sent to his empty caf, but the thought was soon enough pushed away.

"Enter."

[Anauri Rabeak]

It would be the eighth time Anauri Rabeak had been to Commander Akiena's office, and only the third time when he wasn't there to fix something. There was always something nerve-wracking about having to go visit the boss in his office, and this time Anauri's nerves were on edge because he was in trouble. Trouble for something he didn't even do, and wasn't supposed to have done. Submit a report for the previous day.

His tail was still as he entered Kes's office, noting the pile of datapads already on his desk, and there he was to submit another. "Commander," he greeted his superior. "Morning report from yesterday's activities," he annouced, passing his datapad across the desk. "I'm sorry. Kedix was supposed to submit that, last night. It was my first day off I've had, here. I'll make sure to set up an automated system so that it doesn't happen again, when I'm off."

[Kes Akiena]

A warm smile greeted his Chief Engineer, and Kes gave a gracious nod while accepting the offered datapad. It was - regrettably - set atop the already voluminous pile.

"Not to worry, Chief."

There was an understanding look given to the Nehantite as he gave a shake of his head.

"We've all been a bit busy, I know and understand that much. And I'm not about to reprimand you for something one of your own men should've done."

A cunning tilt upwards of one corner of his lips.

"I'll let you do that."

There was more to this however; that Chief Rabeak had come to his office in person - and not to repair some misbehaving bit of software or machinery - was not something that was normal. The redhead seemed to relax in his seat, but was mindful enough to gesture at the chairs in front of his desk should Anauri wish to sit.

"So. What can I do for you, Chief."

[Anauri Rabeak]

Anauri did not sit. To sit with a commander meant you were a visiting dignitary that he had to attempt to appease, or that you were friends. Anauri was neither, and while he respected Kes Akiena, he did not yet know him well enough to call him a friend. Besides, making friends with the boss often spelled disaster down the line. Instead he straightened his jacket and cleared his throat.

"You know I've worked hard on this station, getting her online, habitable, and getting systems integrated. I've worked every day since I got here, until yesterday," he said. "A day off was needed, but it also made me realize that if I don't get some down time, I'm going to burn out. I would like to request use of some of the leave I've built up. Say, six days or so, if that wouldn't be a problem, and I would be off-station for the duration of that time. I'll appoint a better lead than Kedix, for sure, and make things are in order before I go. It'll be a trip to Ossus and back, and I can even kill two birds with one stone by ferrying some supplies bound for the settlement there in my ship. And, just maybe I can see if I can convince Tevit to come back with me. Garfife knows my team is stretched thin, as it is. Do I have your permission to take leave, sir?"

[Kes Akiena]

Goodness that was a mouthful.

But he listened intently, his eyes never straying from Anauri. A moment of thought, and Kes finally gave a slow nod.

"So long as whoever you choose to take care of matters while you're gone is better than Mr. Kedix, then yes. I see no reason for you to not have a bit of downtime."

Another smile, this one a genuinely easy expression.

"Enjoy yourself on Ossus, Chief. You've earned the break. And Chief," a single uplifted eyebrow met the Nehantite.

"Might I suggest you go ahead and not answer early morning comms in the future, no matter who they're from?"

[Anauri Rabeak]

The insides of the Nehantite's ears burned red with embarrassment, and he glanced back at the door where Stashia waited. "Sorry, Commander. It was... not a typical morning. Won't happen again."

With a brief salute, even though it wasn't necessary, Anauri turned and headed back out of the office, embarrassment still written on his face. "Well, Miss Yachenka, looks like we're free to take you to Ossus. I'll just have to make a couple calls, and get things loaded up in my ship, and we'll be ready to go. Need anything off your ship? Can't imagine it's gone anywhere," he chuckled.

[Stashia Yachenka]

She had watched the exchange silently from the doorway, and breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. Authority was authority no matter what uniform it wore. "I will be needing my duffel, yes." She said as they started walking away from the room, "And I will be glad to be getting this" She tapped the side of the comm that Inspector Esk'avar had given to her and keyed to her biosigns "back into the hands of your security."

She wrapped an arm around his a bit tighter, this had been a rather... unique visit to Jovan station, and she'd only the briefest contact with the lives that occurred here, but it had left memories she would not soon forget.

Next stop, Ossus.