A Quiet, Normal Morning

Posted on Tue Jun 2nd, 2026 @ 1:39am by Lieutenant Darla Kennings & Lieutenant Commander Robert Brant

1,181 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 2: Mine of Taurus
Location: Brant/Kennings Quarters
Timeline: Early Morning

Darla woke up and looked around, confused. Her alarm hadn’t gone off, and Robert’s half of the bed was empty. Granger was curled up next to her, sleeping contentedly, and everything seemed normal. She checked the chronometer and realized her alarm would go off in ten minutes. She was tempted to go back to sleep for those ten minutes, but she didn’t want to risk sleeping through the alarm.

Instead, she stretched, yawned and sat up, scratching Granger behind his ears, getting a semi-annoyed growl from him for being woken up.

She cancelled her alarm, then picked up a padd from her nightstand and pressed the voice record button.

“Computer, begin personal log, insert current stardate,” she said. At the computer’s beep of acknowledgement, she settled back against her pillows.

“We’ve finally left Starbase 870. Everyone’s been somewhat itchy to stretch their legs in a new location. Chasing Mister Brisco lasted for nearly a week, racing across the Aldebran sector at Warp 8, but the trail ran cold past the Betreka Nebula. The Captain then ordered us to Starbase 870, and we were en route there for the past two weeks at high warp. Now resupplied and what minor damage we suffered repaired, we're back in space. Robert's very happy for that.

“Truth be told, those two weeks have been helpful for the crew to settle down. We’ve been at high warp since leaving Earth, and that, followed by a firefight and chase immediately after, did no one’s stress levels any favors. I think both Doctor Winters and myself have been thankful we’ve now all had time to breathe and relax a little. Everyone is safe, everyone is together. The last of our crew will be picked up at the Starbase where they’d been rerouted, and we’ll take on a few supplies, then we can begin exploring some of the lesser-known areas at the southern border of the Federation.

“I’ve never been this far south, nor has my mother. Part of me was considering messaging Uncle Alan about it, but he’s hard to find right now. Either way, it’s exciting to look into some less explored areas and see what has developed since last someone was here.”

She ended the log and put the padd back on her nightstand. She threw the covers back and padded over to the head. A short time later, she was scrubbed and in fresh clothes, walking out into their living room and finding another surprise: Robert was already up, in uniform, and having breakfast, reading a padd.

“Couldn’t wait for me?” she said, only half chiding.

“Well, I had an early shift today, and I wanted to let you sleep in,” he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek as she sat down.

She smiled at him. “Appreciated, if ultimately unnecessary. I think you're just letting your promotion to Lieutenant Commander make you want to show off how professional and eager you can be,” she said, grinning at him.

"Maybe," he said. "Don't want the captain thinking he picked a bad Second Officer.

"He picked a great one," Darla said, smiling at him and leaning over to kiss him. Halfway to his lips, however, she paused and frowned. “Wait...I thought I had the early shift today. That’s why I set my alarm.”

Robert shook his head. “Nope. Me today, you tomorrow, remember? You wanted to spend some time with Delta shift today, so you were going to work late with them and early with Alpha.”

“Oh, right,” Darla said, making a face as she realized she set her alarm not only for nothing, but now she'd be up most of the day and then the night. “Late night for me, I suppose. I’ll have to get a nap later.” She sighed, kissed his cheek and began assembling a breakfast of toast, marmalade, fruit and cheese from what he still had on the table. As she did, she stole a glance at his padd. “What’re you reading?”

“Mom's latest MMR,” Robert said.

“Ah, her ‘Monthly Mission Report,” Darla said, grinning. “What’s she say?”

“Claire is still on the fence about being on the Zhukov,” he said. “She likes being with Percy, but she doesn’t like the kids relying on the replicator or recycled air. She’s debating about moving back to Earth.”

“Can’t say I blame her,” Darla said. She looked up as Robert turned to her. “What? Space is a dangerous place. I love you, and our daughter is going to have an amazing life here, but that doesn’t change the fact that there are threats on all sides.”

Robert nodded. “Yeah, I suppose,” he said, looking back at the letter. “Dad’s going to miss spoiling them. Evidently he’s liked having his ‘little yeomen’ with him during his shift.” He gave a chuckle. “Let’s see….Mom’s well, her garden is doing well. Great crop of tomatoes on the tree right now. Oh, here’s something interesting: Samantha’s pregnant.”

Darla choked on her coffee and her eyes watered as she coughed, Robert pounding her on the back.

“Samantha? Your sister, Samantha?” Darla said, shocked. “The woman who looked Clare and I in the eyes and said with a straight face, ‘I don’t really like kids, that’s on you two’? The sister who, when I told her she’d change her mind after she finally met a guy, laughed in my face?”

Robert looked at her, amused. “Yeah. Evidently, she and her husband decided they wanted to try after all.”

Darla let out a squeal. “This is great! I need to send flowers! I need to bake her a cake! Oh!” She jumped up and ran to the replicator for a blank padd.

“What’re you doing?” Robert said, half rolling his eyes.

“Sending her a message with the words ‘I told you so’ translated into every known language,” Darla said, happily.

Robert let out a laugh. “Well, glad you’re focused on the important thing here.”

“Do you want to add anything?” Darla said.

“Only that I hope she has a boy, and he turns out just like me,” he said with an evil grin.

“‘Robert sends his hate,’” Darla pretended to type, then sighed, shooting him a look. “Why can’t you two ever get along? You get along with Claire just fine.”

“Claire is a kind, warm, loving person, much like yourself,” Robert said, standing up and leaving his padd on the table. “Whereas Samantha is a smart-assed, bratty, pain in the ass.”

“Much like yourself,” Darla teased, leaning up for a kiss and grinning.

Robert leaned down and kissed her gently. “I’ll stop by Sickbay on my lunch break, okay?”

“Sounds good,” Darla said. “Since I’m up, I may pop onto the bridge and watch the action live.”

“Great, see you there,” Robert said, smiling, kissing her once more, and heading out to start his day.

 

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