Command Jitters

Posted on Mon Jul 20th, 2026 @ 10:53pm by Lieutenant Commander Robert Brant & Lieutenant Darla Kennings

592 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Episode 2: Mine of Taurus
Location: Darla's Office
Timeline: Immediately after Assembling a Girls' Trip Briefing

Robert watched the young ladies file out, trying not to roll his eyes at Emily, then stepped inside and closed the door to Darla's office. "Hey, hun," he said, walking over to her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Darla let the bravado drop and gave a shiver of fear. "No, Robby, I am not okay. I am very much not okay," she said, wrapping her arms around herself.

Robert quickly pulled her into tight a hug, rubbing her back and kissing her temple. She hadn't called him "Robby" in some time, and only did so when she was very upset. "Talk to me," he said, quietly.

Darla leaned into him, burying her face in his shoulder and hugging him tight. "My great-grandmother spent millennia trying to escape this place," she said, her voice shaking. "And now, not only am I going to just head right back to it, but I'm taking four innocent girls with me." It wasn't her first away mission, it wasn't even the first one she'd led, but this one was triggering her in a way she hadn't anticipated until now.

"Well, three innocent girls and Emily," Robert said, trying to crack a joke. When no laugh was forthcoming, he gave her a squeeze. "D, you're in a very different position than Dara was. You have a shuttle packed and ready for an escape route. You have a starship in orbit ready to snatch you away if necessary. You have an entire civilization that will investigate if we don't report in, not to mention two parents and three godparents who will rain hell down on half the quadrant to get here and rescue you. You are in no danger of being stranded."

Darla nodded. "I know. It's irrational and it's unrealistic, but it's still there, deep inside me."

"And you've done a fine job so far of keeping it at bay," Robert said.

"Not really," she said. "I've been singing 'I whistle a happy tune' in my office, and half the staff has been whistling all shift long from it."

Robert winced. High-emotions were rough on keeping Darla's abilities in check and he didn't need the ship to suddenly break out into an ensemble number. "Breathe," he said, quietly. "You're going to get through this. You are going to lead this mission, and you are going to do it in style."

She squeezed him tighter. "I just...I can't help worrying that something will happen to me. That our daughter won't be born, or will be born with something wrong with her, or--"

"Our daughter," Robert said, quietly, stroking her back, "is going to be amazing, and perfect, and will someday rule the galaxy," he said. "And she's going to love the story of her mother bravely marching into danger to save people."

Darla smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Thanks, Robby."

"Anytime," he said. "I'm sorry I can't stay longer. I was supposed to be getting coffee, but I wanted to check in."

"I appreciate it," Darla said. She took a couple of deep breaths and put her professional face back on. "All right," she said. "I'm going to eat something, pack my bag of tricks, and off we'll go."

"That's the spirit," Robert said. He smiled and kissed her softly, then patted her cheek and left her office. As he did, he felt himself begin whistling. He focused his mind and quickly shook it off, glancing back at the office with concern as he left Sickbay.

 

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