"Permission to enter?" Aadya asked as she moved through the sliding doors of her husband, Captain Gabriel Lorca's ready room.
Gabriel looked up from his work and smiled along with a nod before he spoke, "You do know that you don't have to ask to come in here?"
Aadya nodded, moving closer to him until she was standing behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders before massaging them, "Have you located Michael Burnham yet?" she asked, wondering how their plan to get back home would play out without Burnham's brain.
Gabriel leaned back into her touch as he replied, "I believe so and I've arranged a prison transport that should bring her to us, right where we want her. Are you becoming homesick?" he asked reaching for one of her hands to grasp it in his own.
"No, I am actually finding that I like it in this universe," she answered honestly, "The only part that I find hard to bear is the uniform but as long as you're here with me then I am at home."
Gabriel smiled to himself, standing from his seat and turning around to face her, "Aadi, those are my sentiments exactly. If I'd been stranded over here without you then I would be doing everything in my power to get back as quickly as possible but we can work through our plan slowly because you're here and as far as I'm truly concerned, you're the only thing from over there I need."
Aadya stood on her tiptoes so she could place a grateful kiss on his lips, lingering for a moment as their lips met before removing her touch to change the subject to a less tender one. "Will you be able to put your past with our Michael behind you in order to work with this one? I know what she did hurt you deeply and I don't want our mission jeopardized because of your ego," she confessed her fear at bringing Burnham on board.
"You're worried I'll try and kill her before she can fix our spore drive and get us home?" he asked, a quizzical yet amused grin across his lips.
She nodded, "That is exactly what worries me. She betrayed us just as we were about to strike against the Empress and she'd been with us only as a spy the entire time which makes me want to punch her myself but my anger doesn't go as deeply as yours and I know that. We just have to remember to separate this Burnham from ours because the one here has never done anything to either of us," she explained before taking a deep breath from blurting out so many thoughts at once.
Gabriel placed his hands on her shoulders, focusing his eyes to hers, "I will behave, my Dear," he began, "I know the Burnham here shares ours face but that is the extent of their similarities. I have always been able to compartmentalize my work from my personal life, except in the case of falling in love with you. So, unless love is the emotion I'm experiencing towards Burnham, we'll be just fine. Now, to another matter that's been on my mind, how have you done with making friends aboard the Discovery? I can't because of my position but it's important that we bond with these people so that they'll trust my leadership and you are my way to do that," he finished causing her to frown.
"I'm trying but these people are just so nice, to be honest," she explained, "They are all on this ship to explore the galaxy and ,even though, we are at war, they don't have the drive to exterminate the threat which is just causing this war to go on longer. I want to socialize but I'm finding it really hard to relate and I can't lie and say that I don't try and spend as much of my free time with you as possible," she confessed.
Gabriel smiled down at her, "I hate how much time I'm pulled away from you for all the meeting Starfleet has," he admitted, showing his annoyance, "They give me this ship and expect me to win this war but they insist on doing things their way, which is the wrong way if you want to win a war," he explained, sharing his feelings allowing some of the frustration to leave.
"I can think of a fun way to alleviate some of that stress you're carrying around," she teased, "but the Captain wants me to make friends," she added a pout for effect.
Gabriel shook his head, reaching out to grab her wrists gently and pull her towards him. Once she was in his arms, he placed a kiss on her hair before releasing her, "If I didn't have to reroute Burnham's transport, you would be punished," he threatened, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips all the way to his eyes.
"Perhaps later," she replied acting offended as she turned away, "Let me know when I need to meet the prisoners," she added before she exited his ready room and went back among the crew.