Nick was pleased to see the second seedship arrive the next morning. It wasn't possible to dock with it yet, but Young had sent a shuttle party over under the command of Telford to check its condition. The initial survey of the seedship had gone well. The icing on the cake was the realisation that there was a further shuttle on the seedship. Apparently a brand new shuttle. Nick was not sure yet whether it had always been there, or whether Destiny had ordered it's creation at some point, but nonetheless a second shuttle was a huge bonus.
Zelenka had arrived that morning also and had, to Rush's satisfaction, hit the ground running. Brody and Zelenka were now waiting for the new shuttle to return so they could give it a full set of checks. Volker and Telford would fly over tomorrow afternoon before Telford, as the more experienced pilot, would fly the new shuttle back.
Volker had turned out to be quite a reasonable shuttle pilot which matched with his astrophysics actually made him useful finally. At Nick's request, Young had scheduled him alongside several visiting scientists for a few days to complete as full a survey of the nearest objects to Destiny in this solar system as possible, before they started the new round of repairs. In the longer term, more surveys might provide some of the rarer resources Destiny almost certainly needed to replace damaged systems.
As the first data from the new seedship started to upload itself into Destiny's systems, Barnes had reported reactive activity in the data-push subroutines and the movement of two of the closer seedships. There was a strong possibility that another two would be arriving in the not too distant future, but they appeared to be taking an indirect route. With any luck this was due to resource collection.
Ideally he would have spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening reviewing whatever data could be immediately gleaned from the seedship, but apparently the all-staff briefing and subsequent party were not optional for senior staff. At least Telford was manning the bridge for the duration.
Scowling, he pushed himself up from the console and made for the Observation lounge.
xxxoooxxx
One thing that could definitely be said for Zelenka's contribution to the life of the ship, apart from his sterling work on the forward reserve, was the definite improvement in the flavour of alcohol. Rush sipped at the liquid in his glass; he had no idea what the Czech had done to the paint-stripper coming out of Brody's still, but the overall taste was a lot smoother generally. It was actually reasonably pleasant to drink.
This version had been additionally flavoured with something, one of the tea herbs probably, and mixed with another tea for something that had been dubbed 'punch'. Although the taste of this liquid was significantly less like being smacked in the face than the original liquor was, so the naming was dubious at best. Still, at this reduced strength, it meant the staff would get drunk slower and would still be likely to be able to work in the morning.
He looked around the Observation Deck, trying to work out which of the groups of people would be least annoying to interact with up to the point he could escape with the least amount of hassle. Finally, he spotted Calvos and Eli, who could probably be relied on to talk tech, and made his way over.
xxxoooxxx
"Lieutenant?" Barnes asked.
TJ looked up from where she was chatting to Cole. Barnes, who was sitting on her other side, was looking across the room.
"Yeah?"
"What's up with the Colonel and Rush?"
TJ looked across the room. Rush had been sitting on the bench arguing with Eli last time she'd looked, although that was well over an hour ago. He was still sitting on the bench, but they had been joined by Scott and Chloe, Calvos and Young. Scott and Chloe were sat on the floor, Scott's back to the railing support, his arm around Chloe. Calvos was sat on the floor, leaning against the bench next to Eli's knees and on the side closest to TJ, Young was sat on the floor back to the bench, leaning against the side of Rush's legs with his elbow propped across Rush's lap.
Oh crap , TJ thought, her brain trying to spin up to thinking speed through a vague fog of alcohol. "I'm guessing there's a lot of alcohol involved in that," she said to Barnes, trying to sound amused.
Barnes laughed. "There'd have to be. Do you reckon anyone is going to be brave enough to tell them in the morning?" She asked TJ with a sly look.
TJ laughed, though it sounded a little forced to her. "Probably not," she agreed.
She watched the group for a moment. Eli, Rush and Chloe were arguing about something and the other three were mostly watching. Young was quite obviously quite drunk, he wasn't talking a lot and was comfortably pressed up against Rush's legs. For a moment TJ considered whether to go and say something, but everybody in the room was pretty drunk. The whole situation could be written off as alcohol. Anyway, Young looked happy and maybe it would make it a little easier for people to comprehend when the truth finally came out.
She looked round the room and caught Camile's eye. Camile looked pointedly at the bench then back to TJ and rolled her eyes. TJ shrugged. She pushed herself to her feet and walked over to Camile.
"A little obvious isn't it?" Camile asked quietly.
"You know?" TJ asked her, a little surprised.
"It's a recent discovery," Camile said dryly.
"How did you find out?" TJ asked.
"I walked in on an argument, Volker and Brody had seen them fighting and Volker came to get me to referee. It turned out to be a lover's tiff." She looked over at Young and Rush again.
"They're both pretty drunk," TJ said, "but people have noticed."
"I know."
"I've just said I think they're wrecked," TJ offered.
"Same," Camile agreed. "It's a pity they still have to hide it."
"I'm sure Telford would have an opinion," TJ muttered.
"Shame he's stuck on the Bridge isn't it?"
They watched for a second as Young leaned a little and tipped his head back to look up at something Rush was saying.
"You've taken this very well," Camile noted.
"I guess so," TJ said quietly, turning back to Camile. "It was a bit of a shock, but really…a bit of a mercy." She paused. "Stopped us having to actually have the conversation that was inevitable."
Camile gave her a sympathetic look.
"They look so comfortable together," TJ said with a little envy.
"After a bottle or two of Brody's hooch," Camile responded dryly. "How did you find out?" She added curiously.
"They weren't answering their radios one night, not unusual for Rush, but very out of character for Everett. Scott and Brody convinced me to go and check on them. Everett wasn't in bed and when I went to check on Rush, Rush was reading in bed with Everett asleep practically in his lap."
"The kind of thing that screams relationship," Camile suggested.
"Yeah."
"Who actually knows?"
TJ looked over at the group, mentally tagging people.
"You, me, Eli, Scott, I think he's told Chloe but they've not said anything, I get the impression Greer has an idea something is going on. I'm sure Susannah has guessed but she hasn't said anything either."
They watched as Young and most of the rest of the small group laughed uproariously at something, and Young threw his arm across Rush's lap to hold himself up as he choked, laughter having descended into coughing. Rush slapped him on the back a couple of times with a faint smile. Rush's hand came to rest absently on the back of Young's neck. Both were more relaxed than TJ had seen them practically ever, but she was aware she wasn't the only one watching. She looked at Camile helplessly, unable to balance out the benefits of them having a good relaxed time now against the potential fall out later.
Camile shrugged, knocked back her drink and grabbing TJ by the hand, walked over, swaying a little more than had been previously evident and collapsing down on the floor next to Young, leaning on him and offering the flask in her hand. Camile flung an arm round TJ as she sat down and TJ got the message and sprawled out on her right side, resting her head on Camile's thigh. Distraction techniques and the implication of generally more relaxed relationships in the leadership team. TJ let herself relax into the conversation.
An hour or so later, the party was beginning to thin out. TJ looked up at Camile, and across at Rush and Young. Young was asleep, head on Rush's knee and Rush was having what seemed to be a very vague conversation with an equally drunk Eli, who had Calvos head in his lap. Barnes was curled up on the floor head on Calvos thigh.
"Bed time?" Camile asked.
"Probably a good idea," TJ agreed. "You want to help me get some of this bunch to bed?"
"Are we putting them in their own quarters?" Camile asked in a low voice.
TJ didn't have to ask who Camile was talking about.
"How often are they sleeping apart?" Camile continued.
TJ shrugged. "I don't know. But they seemed pretty close tonight."
"So," Camile said quietly, "you want to get Young to bed and I'll drag Rush along and pour him in next to him after a suitable interval?"
"Whose quarters?"
"Rush's," Camile said decisively, "further out, easier to get them to quietly."
"This is like some sort of teenage sneaking past the parents thing," TJ muttered.
Camile laughed but helped TJ up. TJ shook Young a little, Rush stared down with a frown focussing on her with difficulty.
"I think it's time we wrapped this up," Camile said, looking at Chloe then Eli.
Chloe hauled herself to her feet a little unsteadily, followed by Scott.
"Night guys," she said, with only a little slurring, and they wandered off.
"Do you want to wake Calvos up, Eli?" Camile asked.
Eli shook Calvos. Barnes woke at the motion and pushed herself to her feet.
"Can you get him to his quarters?" TJ asked Eli.
"I guess so," Eli said vaguely, "we'll sort him out or something."
TJ watched as Eli and Barnes hauled the skinny guy to his feet and pulled an arm over his shoulders, pretty much dragging him out. TJ shook Young again and he lifted his head sleepily.
"Time you made your way back to your quarters Colonel," she said. She put her hands under his armpits and helped him to his feet. He leaned on her heavily. "Come on, I'll help you get there."
"Rush?" The murmur was very quiet and indistinct, spoken almost directly into her ear.
She leaned her head in a little. "Camile will bring him along," she whispered. "Come on," she said, louder, "let's get you to bed."
She shepherded him out, keeping him balanced as he staggered a little and steered him through the pretty much deserted corridors. He stopped as she piloted him round a second turn.
"This isn't way to my bed," he whispered.
"No, you're going to Rush's," she told him in a low voice, "easier to get you in there quietly, than him going to yours. Camile will bring him along in a bit."
He looked up at her, gripping her shoulder to hold himself up. "Why are you doing this?"
TJ sighed. "You looked pretty comfortable together tonight."
Young frowned, thoughts apparently moving slowly. "Were people talking?" He asked finally.
"A couple of people mentioned it," TJ said noncommittally, "but everyone thinks you were both really drunk. You kinda helped that by passing out."
Young ducked his head in drunken shame.
TJ patted his shoulder. "Anyway, it made you happy. Camile and I, well, we haven't seen either of you happy in a while. It's nice to see, you know."
Young looked up the corridor and took an unsteady step forward. Evidently, TJ guessed, this conversation was over. She helped him to Rush's quarters and got him to sit on the bed. He swayed a little and looked up at her.
"I'm sorry TJ," he said.
"Hey. You've got nothing to be sorry for." She patted him on the shoulder again. "Not about this." Her gesture encompassed Rush's quarters. "You two, well, if you're happy..."
"He irritates the hell out of me," Young said uncertainly, "but he's very cuddly."
TJ laughed at the complete bizarreness of that statement. Young collapsed backwards onto the bed. She looked down at him, he appeared to have passed out again. TJ pulled off his boots and socks then unbuttoned his pants and pulled them off too. She was just pulling the covers out from under him when the hatch opened behind her and Camile helped Rush in. Rush was stumbling and appeared to have been swearing at Camile, but she was laughing and holding him up by the shirt.
TJ rolled Young over bodily a couple of times, propping him safely on his side and pulled the covers over him. She turned back towards the door. Camile was steering Rush over to the bed. TJ stepped back and Camile managed to get him sat on the edge. They took a shoe each and pulled them off.
"What do you think you're doing?" Rush demanded.
"Putting you to bed, Nicholas," Camile said firmly. She stood and went for the buttons of his pants.
Rush yelped. "Hey, you can stay outta there woman!"
"Nicholas, I'm a lesbian and TJ is your medical practitioner. You're perfectly safe from us."
"I don't think I trust ye'," Rush slurred.
Camile pushed him backwards on the bed and removed his pants, and with TJ's help hauled him round and under the covers. As they stepped back, he rolled over and curled into Young who threw an arm round him. TJ looked at Camile who grinned and the two women made for the door. As she left the room, she turned, and watched as Young moved forward and sleepily kissed Rush on the forehead, drunkenness making them clumsy as they snuggled into each other and settled to sleep.
Camile put her hand gently on TJ's shoulder. TJ looked at Camile and evidently her face was easy to read.
"Come on," Camile said, sympathetically, "let's go get a cup of tea."