"You wouldn't believe the expression on his face. I swear to god, my heart melted… It was so adorable. They are so in love." Tonia hugged herself and flopped back on the bed with a sigh.
"We've started taking bets - strictly confidential and members-only, of course - on how long it will take them to realise that..." Hikaru replied, with a roguish grin.
It was the night before their second Christmas on the USS Enterprise. Currently crammed into the small cabin shared by Security Lieutenant Martha Landon and Yeoman Tonia Barrows, were Lieutenants Kevin Riley, Hikaru Sulu, and Pavel Chekov, as well, of course, as the room's two official occupants. Over the past six months, this small company had formed into a club, of sorts.
Officially they proclaimed themselves a writers club; a small group of people who met every fortnight or so to share stories they had written, retold, or bastardised. This endeavour was strictly for fun rather than profit, and the resulting stories were often written down and disseminated anonymously amongst the wider complement. Unofficially, however, they were the gossip mafia on board the Enterprise. It was a brave rumor that dared be spread without their knowledge or approval.
Tonight the Storytellers Association (for thusly they had dubbed themselves) were also hosting a private Christmas Eve party. No stories had been told as of yet, but a fair amount of alcohol had been imbibed, and a reasonable quantity of gossip discussed.
"Well, what I've been hearing from the engineering dungeons is not quite as romantic as that surrounding everyone's two favourite lovebirds up on the Bridge, but nevertheless my dear compadres, my humble contribution to our session tonight is watertight. Lieutenant Charlene Masters is, so a little Scottish birdy has been heard to say, being greenlighted for promotion. Our good Engineer is recommending her for the position of Chief Engineer aboard the 'Fleets' latest research commission."
"Best put a halt to those rumors." Hikaru warned.
"What! Why? This is the solidest piece of information I've given you in three months! I heard it straight from Scotty himself! he didn't know I heard him a'course, but he does get loud when he's on the scotch." Riley whined.
"It's not about the veracity of the claim, it's about the damage it could cause. If it isn't common knowledge yet, then either Charlene hasn't been told, or she has been told and has deliberately not shared the information." Sulu explained patiently.
"Exactly, and we don't want to get her hopes up if anything goes wrong, or put pressure on her to make a decision quickly if she is still deliberating. I agree with Hikaru, Riley. If you hear anyone else talk about this, shut it down." Tonia said, nodding seriously. "But gosh, won't I be sad to see Charley leave. She's a real sweetheart. I'm not surprised that they want to promote her though, she's wonderful! Not that I know anything about Engineering of course, but she always seems so calm and collected, and she has fabulous dress sense. I saw her last Shore Leave on Space Station 7-X-94, her outfit was to die for." Tonia sighed dramatically.
"No one in Engineering can hold a candle to the lass, exceptin' a'course Mister Scott. No surprise that they want her on the Dauntless."
Martha Landon banged her empty glass on the table, twice.
"Fine! Then that's settled. Bets are open for the boys on the Bridge and we will continue to observe for any updates, and mouths are closed about Charlene's promotion. Now…" Martha cleared her throat, officiously. "Good people of the Storytellers Association, it is high time we storytold. We have had enough rumour milling for one evening. It is Christmas. We need stories! I trust you all received the memo stating that this month we would strictly be retelling traditional Christmas stories? I hope you have all proofread and edited them to my standard, because I want these collected and ready to be sent out as a Christmas gift to our select but loyal fanbase by tomorrow afternoon."
"Chyort, Martha, kotenok, you are so bossy…" Chekov complained, whilst literally sitting on the floor at Landon's feet.
"That's why you love me, Pav." She patted him on the head. He grinned irreverently.
"So who would like the privilege of being our first Storyteller of the evening?"
Kevin Riley stood up out of his seat dramatically, and offered a low bow to everyone in the room. He cleared his throat for dramatic effect, and when he spoke, dropped enough commas to rival the good Captain himself.
"If I may, present you, with my, humble, rendition, of that classic, Christmas, poem… 'Twas The Night Before Christmas…"