Home Chaos.

Posted on 19 Jul 2026 @ 1:08pm by 2nd Lieutenant Elora Rykov & Ensign Taren Voss

1,921 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: General Sim Postings
Location: Quarters

The quarters shared by Ensign Taren Voss and 2nd Lieutenant Elora Rykov looked as though a cargo container had exploded inside them.

Uniforms lay neatly folded across the sofa awaiting placement in storage compartments. Several unpacked crates occupied the floor. A collection of books sat stacked beside the coffee table. One of Taren's flowerpots had temporarily claimed a chair while he searched for the perfect place to relocate it.

The result was chaos, organized chaos, which was somehow worse.

Taren stood on a small step stool attempting to reach a storage compartment above eye level.

"Who authorized us to own this much stuff?"

His voice echoed slightly from inside the cabinet.

A moment later a folded blanket promptly fell back out and landed on his head. The Betazoid paused.

Then slowly lowered the blanket. "I blame you." He spoke to himself. Then he heard the doors to home open, then close.

Eventually he climbed down from the stool and turned toward her.

That was when he noticed it, the difference, subtle.

But unmistakable.

The nervous energy that had consumed her the previous evening was gone.

Not completely.

Nobody walked into a first meeting with a new commanding officer and emerged entirely unchanged.

But the anxiety that had threatened to spiral out of control was absent.

In its place sat something else.

Confidence.

Taren smiled. "Imzadi." He greeted, a smile on his face at once more gazing upon the beauty that was soon to be his Wife.

Elora had walked in and simply stood just inside the door. So many crates, everywhere. Clutter, bits and pieces of their lives mingled and strown about like confetti. Only bigger. That however could do nothing to dampen the warmth that spread through her at his greeting. She smiled and picked her way carefully through the chaos so she could embrace him.

"How was you're day?" He asked with a warm smile, hoping it wasn't too much given she had recently gone through a large change in her work life, and a positive one at that.

Elora sighed, "I don't think I made a very good impression." She admitted, thinking about that blunder she had made in regard to his confession about killing those men on his mission. How could she have been so stupid? 'Always with the stupid jokes.' she chided herself inwardly for the hundredth time. Not wanting to be pouty she tried to put it from her mind for now. "I see you have been busy." She said as she pulled away and motioned around the room. "Where would you like me to start helping at?" She asked.

"Why do you think you made a bad impression?" Taren asked. He could tell it bothered her, hoping that he would be able to help he sought to bring a measure of peace and calm to her troubled thoughts.

Elora shook her head. "I don't really want to talk about it," She admitted her cheeks flushed with embarrassment again. Instead, she moved around him to start picking up some of the other uniforms to go and place them in the closet with the others. "I was wanting to talk to you about something else actually if you do not mind." She took a breath and considered her next words carefully. "I know it's probably a while off yet, But I was thinking that maybe if you were open to the idea, that is. After the wedding and all... I would like to try for a baby perhaps."

Taren felt the need for a shift from her so welcomed it, this however was not what he was expecting. He could feel that she'd put some thought into it, considered it. Before even saying anything he could feel this was important to her. Taren however was Betazoid and Betazoids were less....inhibited than Humans about certian things, though Elora seemed to take some strength in that when with him.

How did he answer that though? He understood this was a relationship of two cultures, so it was a joint venture regardless of which way they went. "Have you considered if you wanted a Human or Betazoid style wedding?" Taren asked, breaking her question into parts to make sure he gave each it's due respect and measure in answer.

"I have told you before I am happy either way. My parents have made it clear that they won't be attending they can't leave their work." Elora said moving to one of the boxes to riffle through it. He was deflecting. She had overstepped she decided. At least she had brought it up. It was worth discussing even if the answer was no.

"How about once you are settled in your new role?" Teran spoke. He could feel the shift in her emotions but he wanted to make forward steps, to him, letting her settle meant she could tell him when....and they would. "The Human way."

She had been wondering just what had possessed her to bring up children anyways. It had been on her mind a lot recently. Especially today after her lunch with Paul Winchester. Seeing that little family together a few tables down had drawn it out again. It was stupid though, a very selfish, stupid idea in retrospect, once she really thought about it both she and Taren worked fairly dangerous jobs. She was often deployed; it wasn't fair to or ideal for a child to come into such a home. She shouldn't have brought it up. His voice broke through her mental bashing, She paused in her makeshift work. Her mind dwelling on what he said. "If that is what you really want." She replied. She truly had no presence so long as they were together.

"I do." Taren spoke. "As for children." He smiled as he looked at her. He walked to her and put his arms around her. "You will make a wonderful mother." He knew her job had its risks, but they were mature adults, they knew what the uniform meant. "Have you thought about how many you'd want?" He didn't care if they were mixed species, if they looked like him or Elora...though secretly hoping they were girls and take after her.

If the decision on the wedding wasn't enough to make her smile, or the feeling of his arms wrapped so lovingly around her. What he had said after nearly brought her to tears. She hadn't known just how much it actually meant to her that idea of a family. Of having a little piece of Taren around when he was away, to love and take care of. She worried about what might happen if she ever lost him. It made her heart hurt. It made her nearly frantic to even consider. A child wouldn't change that of course. The idea though gave her comfort.

Elora turned letting her arms wrap around him. One more step. They had a plan. A human wedding then. Yes, one step closer. Then perhaps in time a family. He seemed to like the idea as much as she did. Or maybe he was just being generous. Still, if he was willing to accommodate the idea, "I don't know. Just one for a start. Maybe more if we decided we can handle it." She admitted into the curve of his neck trying for all the world not to let herself get too excited. It was just a discussion not set in stone yet. The fact that it was now a possibility though. She felt the first warm tear trickle down her exposed cheek the other was absorbed into the fabric of his shirt. She had feared so much that he would say no out right. She had been prepared to give him his way if that was the case. It was such a relief to know that they might both want the same thing. It had been important to her, not a deal breaker or anything. Just something she felt they needed to discuss before they moved forward. She felt awful for putting the topic off for so long.

"Just the one?" Teran spoke feeling the sheer warmth sweep through her. "You lead several hundred marines, I'm sure you can handle....3...4..." He chuckled a little as he held her in his arms. A step in the right direction, but an all important step none the less. "I hope they are girls and take after you."

She was laughing now amongst her happy tears, "I dont think we get to choose that." Elora said leaning back now so she could look at him. She couldn't read him the way he did to her. Still if she could see him she could read him well enough sometimes. "When are you going to marry me then?" She asked. Partly out of playfulness partly out of excitement.

"The moment you tell me you are settled in your new role, a date will be set Imzadi." Taren used that word for her, but when he did, he did it seriously and meaningfully. The warmth that seeped form her fueled his love for her.

"Oh, so never then?" Elora said with a giggle as she wiped the tears away. "You know I am never settled in anywhere." She only half joked. It wasn't as true now as it had once been. She found that she could settle down quite nicely in his arms. Perhaps with him here now; with her on the Tomcat she might actually find some peace. Might actually be able to settle in so to speak. "Don't worry about me. Just let me know when you are ready and I will be there with bells on if nothing else."

"If that is the case. How does 3 months sound? Gives us time to prepare, shop for attires, make arrangements, guests." He answered, hoping it wasn't too far away, or too soon, but it was going to happen.

Elora considered what he said. Three months. She would be as ready then as she was now, she supposed. She had no guests to invite really. Maybe Paul. That seemed cruel though considering he had just lost his wife and children recently. It would be like flaunting her good fortune in his face she felt Still she had three months, surely, she could scrape something together for a guest list if Taren wanted it. As to Attire. She already had a dress uniform. She felt like she was missing something here.

"Three months sounds perfect. Just give me an idea what you need me to do, and I will make sure to get on it," She assured him. On the colony she had been raised on a wedding was as simple as two people going before the garison and declaring their unity. Sometimes there was a toast. sometimes a small gathering at the newlyweds assigned family quarters. Usually within a year they got a permit to have a child. While in Starfleet she had heard of other ways people got engaged or married. Even the whole human thing with the dancing and the food and stuff. She had never been to one personally and had no idea what to do or where to start at planning one. Still, it couldn't be that hard could it??

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