"So anyway," Ensign Beckett Mariner struggles to chew and swallow her food, finally realizing that speaking and eating can't be reliably done simultaneously, "I got you guys on the same duty roster assignments for today." Beckett gestures to the other two people at the table. Ensigns Bradward Boimler and Jennifer Sh'reyan are now both looking pointedly at Mariner.

"Wait, why and how?" Boimler responds to Beckett's open statement, now confused for a number of reasons. "Should we be worried?" Brad asks, pointing his thumb backward over his shoulder to guide Beckett's eyes over to Jennifer.

'Should we...' Beckett thinks to herself. The fact he already considers Jennifer's position on topics as well suggests cohesion is growing at a faster rate than she had anticipated. Beckett was already in a relationship with Jennifer, they'd been dating for two or three months at this point. Things were going well, for the most part. It was then that Brad pulled her aside one evening to tell her something very important. Brad confessed to her. No grand gestures, no raised voices or simmering emotions... Brad had simply told her the truth. He had been in love with her for a while now and claimed it was now too late for him, given Beckett and Jennifer's thing. It was about damn time, Bradward. After he had finished his tirade and prepared to sulk away, Mariner had gently grasped his wrist to stop him. In a single swift and gentle motion, she pulled him as close to her as they could get and kissed him.

This was no ordinary kiss, you see. This was a 'we have been in love with each other for years yet never acted on it' kind of kiss. One that reaches deep inside a person and grabs hold of their soul. A kiss that desperately tried to make up for thousands of lost opportunities. Brad, still slightly delirious from the intensity of the smooch, asked her what that meant for her and Jennifer. Beckett explained to the boy that Andorians have four sexes, and traditionally one of each would be needed for procreation. This meant that Andorians were naturally polyamorous. A bit of an oversimplification, but accurate enough to make do. Poor Boimler still didn't quite get the message, so Mariner clarified:

"It means you can join both of us, you damn nerd!" she joyfully exclaimed.

That sappy scene was a couple of days ago. In the brief times they've been able talk with one another in between duties they expressed a desire to spend some personal time together. It would give them the chance to start getting to know each other. Fortunately for the three of them, Mariner had a couple favors to cash in and she intended to spend them wisely.

Beckett finally manages to swallow her food and reply to Brad's question. "I had to pull a couple of strings to get it, but I know it'll be worth it! The two of you will have all day working together to catch up. You know, like how we do all the time Boimster!"

"Well, as long as the work isn't too rough we should be able to chat as we go. How does that sound to you, Jen?" Boimler asks, voice trailing with equal parts anxiety and excitement. It really is the perfect opportunity to get to know someone! Still, he can feel his nerves biting at the edge of his consciousness. What if he says something to piss her off, or worse, offend her? What if this, what if that? Dozens of possible avenues for failure, yet Brad manages to get his thoughts under control. He'll be fine. So will Jen.

"Hey, yeah! That's a great idea!" the Andorian exclaimed, "We get all day to talk and learn about each other! Between that and the work, today's shift will fly by in no time." Jennifer smiles and winks at Beckett, silently praising her for the initiative and clever thinking. Turning back to Boimler, "If you're done with your food we can go ahead and get started on things!" Jennifer's smile and enthusiasm is clearly infectious as Brad finds his feet tapping against the floor; this time born of energy and anticipation instead of anxiety. As they get up to leave, Beckett reaches across the table from him to cup his face with both hands. Before he loses himself in the electrifying sensation of Mariner's lips against his own, he finds himself deeply thankful to have her.

FIRST ASSIGNMENT:

LOGISTICS DUTY - CATALOG OF INBOUND SUPPLIES

CARGO BAY 2

Logistics intake is one of the dullest tasks you might find yourself with as a junior officer onboard a Starfleet vessel. Most of the heavy lifting is already done; all you're expected to do is match every item on the requisition form to its corresponding entry on the cargo manifest and mark the crate itself as 'ready for processing'. Mind numbing repetitiveness for over an hour and a half. Be that as it may, this is also one of the single most important duties you can be given as an Ensign. These crates often contain non-replicatable goods and materials that serve a very important purpose. Bradward spots two medical supply crates directly in front of him, the importance of which should hopefully need no explanation. Stored away from potentially sensitive materials is a crate of dilithium crystals, the all-important mediator of warp core matter-antimatter reactions.

Yep, it's boring but very important. The nature of the work limits the opportunity for conversation considerably, but not entirely.

"What kind of music do you listen to, Brad?" Jennifer asks, splitting the relative silence of the room in twain. Boimler takes a second to think about the question. He listens to a lot of music, but doesn't often pay attention to the titles and authors as it autoplays on his PADD, usually while working. There is one recent exception that caught his ear: a Klingon progressive metal band that is way different to most Klingon metal.

"Well," Brad begins, "there is this one Klingon prog metal band I'm really into. They're called 'ChIm Yay', or 'Hollow Victory'. They're so good. I swear, sometimes they change time signatures faster than the recording studio can keep up with." Brad can hear the enthusiasm in Jennifer's sudden inhalation immediately. Does she know about them?

"No way! I caught a live show while they were on tour once a couple years ago. My friends and I were out for our summer break from the Academy. While we were walking around downtown we heard some tiny hole-in-the-wall venue popping off around the corner so we made for it. Once we got close enough though we could see the place was packed! Like, way beyond legal capacity packed. We managed to just barely squeeze in the doorway in time for their next set and it was wild! I actually have a ChIm Yay t-shirt in my laundry somewhere. What the hell were they doing at such a tiny venue? They sounded amazing!"

Brad sheepishly grins, proud of his current favorite band but disappointed they disregard the capacity limit of the exclusively tiny venues they play in. "Yeah, they're actually plenty big enough to snatch up a stadium gig but they only play small venues. They say they 'lose connection to the torrent of blood and energy' of small crowds. They're cool but I don't like how they push the limits on venues like that. Like, I get it! The intensity of small crowds like that are awesome but..." Brad continues for some time, finishing his tirade by offering suggestions on how to address the problem. By the time he's finished, they've cataloged another dozen crates while Jennifer listened patiently. Brad is sure he's bored her to death and left a bad impression.

"They could totally make it work, all they'd need is a slightly larger building with a lot of exits..." Jennifer surprises Brad by offering her own suggestions to fix the problem. Good suggestions too, if Brad has anything to say about it. It isn't long before their conversation is derailed entirely and they find themselves discussing the history of industrial and public safety. Maybe this arrangement with Beckett will work out?

FOURTH ASSIGNMENT:

SANITATION AND MAINTENANCE - CLEAN AND PREPARE CONFERENCE ROOM

CONFERENCE ROOM

Hell yes! Conference room cleanup baby! Brad Boimler is always excited to clean the conference room. This comparatively tiny room has hosted life-or-death mission briefings, critical diplomatic exchanges, second contact formalization...

The bridge might be the place most people think to find glory out in space, but the real action is in here. It looks like Jennifer is rather fond of this particular assignment, much like Brad himself. She begins to speak while carefully cleaning the surface of the table in broad, circular strokes.

"This place is where the real work gets done, Bradward. This conference room is a place of great importance in the galaxy." Her voice ebbs and flows as her abdomen is pressed against the edge of the table by her outstretched hand getting at hard-to-reach places with little discomfort. Speaking with something approaching reverence, she continues. "Diplomacy is the core tenet upon which the Federation was founded. Its purpose was to reach out into the heavens, through the veil of that sparkling void and find new friends and allies." Jennifer stops moving for long enough to compose herself with a carefully controlled breath. In, then out.

"The Cerritos would be worthless if not for this room right here. Sure, it spends most of its time getting coffee stains on it while the senior officers debate which chairs they like best..." Jen stands near the entrance of the room and takes a moment to scan her eyes over the entire chamber. "The rest of the time though? It's being used to put an end to an ancient war, secure relationships with newly discovered races-"

"...to make history." Brad interjects, finishing Jen's sentence for her. For a moment their eyes meet; in that brief second of contact they exchange implicit understanding of the gravity of the hallowed hall they stand in. The two ensigns smile; at first only a little. Then they burst into full, joyful grins with restrained laughter while they relish the moment they'd just experienced.

The pair continue their work over the next hour or so, making sure every single detail of this place is perfect. As they begin putting the finishing touches on the room, Jennifer casually mentions one of her old professors from the Academy, Professor Adelaide. Adelaide was an exceptionally energetic and expressive lecturer. One Bradward remembers quite well, as Prof. Adelaide was his 3rd year Anthro-history teacher. The subject was never one of particular fascination for Boimler, but the animated Adelaide made every second of those lectures worth watching.

Jen and Boimler share their fondest memories of the good Professor, relishing in the fact he's just as energetic today as he was when they were in the Academy. Brad finds himself a little emotional, suddenly. Those cadets probably don't realize just how lucky they are to have Professor Adelaide. Brad heaves a great sigh as he prepares to leave the conference room for their next assignment. There are a couple more on the list for today, then they'll be on personal time. Boimler can't quite explain why he sort of wanted an extra item or two on the list...

FINAL ASSIGNMENT:

TURBOLIFT MAINTENANCE AND SCHEDULED REPAIR

TURBOSHAFT 3 MAINTENANCE

Turbolift maintenance is never a fun job, especially when some impatient senior officer overrides your maintenance lockout of the shaft, allowing the lift to move freely; very nearly killing you. Brad shivers at the memory of it. That was a very bad day. This day, however, couldn't be any more different. Jennifer stands opposite of the turbolift, making extra sure the mechanical locks were in place. With everything set, the two of them could begin replacing the various greases, fluids, and components of the system to ensure its always operating at its best.

The labor this time is mostly physical, what with the actual tasks requiring very little thought to accomplish. This left plenty of brain free for conversation! Brad and Jen passing questions and anecdotes back and forth, sharing brief laughter or nostalgic sighs. The two young officers take a moment to appreciate how much they have enjoyed the day as they move towards completion of their final task. Brad however feels a twinge of guilt. From Jennifer's perspective, Beckett was all hers up until a couple days ago. Then Boimler had burst onto the scene, and suddenly admitted that he's been in love with Mariner for years now. From Jen's point of view, it might have looked like he was just trying to break her and Beckett up. That hadn't been the intention, of course. At the time, Brad had fully intended to lose Mariner to Jen forever. All he wanted was to finally admit the truth before it was too late.

He certainly wasn't expecting Beckett to say almost the exact same thing. They had been in love for two years, and neither one of them would acknowledge it. To think, if Brad hadn't spoken up when he did...

...all those years they might have wasted. Two was bad enough. Yet through all of this, Jennifer has been fine with it. Totally unfazed. All of a sudden, out of nowhere Jen wasn't the only one for Mariner anymore. Now Brad gets jammed right in the middle of all of it and…

"Hey, Jen?" Brad meekly inquires.

"Yeah? What's up Boims?" she replies.

"I just wanted to thank you...for everything." Brad stops for a moment to control his breathing before he continues. "The fact you've been so welcoming to me even after I barged into your relationship with Mariner and fundamentally altered said relationship. It's true Beckett and I love each other and have done for a long while. But that doesn't take you into consideration. I know you love her too. You never treated me poorly... in fact you've been great to be around! You've demonstrated just how good of a person you really are."

Boimler's defenses finally crack, and tears flow slowly down his cheeks as he continues his piece with shaky breath. "I know Andorians are polyamorous and all, but still! What happened wasn't fair to you! You're such a wonderful person...and...an-"

Brad's broken words are hushed by Jennifer's slender blue index finger pressed against his lips. The Andorian woman moves closer, stepping over tools and tubs of grease to deliver a hug. She cradles Boimler's head, gently pulling up against the crook of her neck. Tears flowing freely now, they leave small dark stains on the brighter fabrics of Jen's uniform. Despite Bradward openly weeping now, there is still only the ambiance of the turboshaft.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Bradward." Jen says softly, mindful of the guy's ear being so close to her mouth. With slow, confident motions Jennifer rubs the distraught man's back to calm him as she continues. "Like I said, Andorians are accustomed to more than one partner. I don't doubt that Beckett loves me, or you for that matter. After today, it's becoming increasingly clear why she loves you so much. And... while love doesn't happen in a day, know that I feel something for you too, Brad. With Mariner with us, there will be plenty of love to go around."

Jennifer shifts, and using firm but gentle coercion, she locks eyes with Boimler inches away from his face.

"That isn't the most amazing part though. Oh no, that would be your confession to Mariner and me. It took a hell of a lot of courage to finally say what needed to be said. Like you said, you just wanted to tell her the truth before you lost the chance." Jen rests her forehead against Boimler's and closes her eyes. "I'm glad you're with us, babe. Welcome home." This is the straw that breaks the camel's back. Brad begins fully weeping, letting the catharsis and relief wash over him and cleanse him of the poison of his anxieties. Brad and Jen stay like this for 10 minutes, gently rocking back and forth while the lad gets it out of his system. Jen can feel a tear or two welling up in the corner of her eyes too. It had been a sudden, unexpected change to the relationship she thought she was in.

In her arms now she holds that very change: one Bradward Boimler. Much to her relief, that change had turned out to be a positive one. Brad looks up to meet Jennifer's gaze, now finally calming down. When their eyes meet, Jen realizes this relationship is worth being excited for. He's so fucking cute! Even after bawling for 10 minutes in a maint-locked turboshaft into her uniform.

"C'mon. Let's get this done so we can get out of here."

Ensign Brad Boimler and Ensign Jennifer Sh'reyan are walking down the hallway towards the observation deck once again, their daily assignments complete and behind them. Hand in hand the pair walk calmly, though with brisk pace. They're clearly excited to be done with work, excited about their personal progress, excited to see Ensign Beckett Mariner again.

The ensign in question is already there, however. Watching, waiting. She takes notice of their held hands as they walk. Almost disgustingly cute. Resisting the urge to simply sprint up and kiss them both to death, Beckett steels herself. She wants to watch this just a little bit longer.

The pair slow to a halt in front of one of the exterior windows. The view of the nebula is pretty spectacular from over there. Mariner notices the area her lovers are standing in is darker and more secluded from the rest of the lounge. If it weren't for Beckett the super spy, they'd have some actual privacy. A rare thing on a Cali-class ship. Boimler and Jennifer exchange words too distant to be understood naturally. Their voices ebb and flow as they bounce back and forth from topic to topic. If Beckett had to choose, she'd say the sound was a pleasant one. She prepared to go greet the two, standing up from her booth and inching towards the open aisle.

Then, it happens. Fast and brilliant as a bolt of lightning; if you blinked you missed it. Mariner is feeling very thankful right now because she didn't blink. She got to see something amazing. Brad and Jen seemed to exchange some final remarks. Without warning, Jennifer cupped Boimler's face in both hands and guided his gaze to meet hers. Not a second of hesitation in her movements, she pulled the two of them together into a good, firm kiss. Wow. Beckett didn't think the plan would work quite this well. She's quite thankful it did though, because it means things really are gonna turn out alright. Sh-

Jennifer kisses Boimler again! Basically more of the same, but she's made her point clear. Boimler's a keeper.

...

She has to get in on this. Beckett practically tears herself out of the booth she once occupied and all but runs towards the couple before pulling both of them up to her face and enthusiastically exclaiming,

"Hey! You two forget about me already?" she says with a full, honest grin. She can't hide that she's happy about all this. Not that she would want to, anyway.

Everything is gonna be alright.