A Brother's Worry, A Lover's Truth

Posted on Fri Dec 12th, 2025 @ 1:10am by Lieutenant Jean-Baptiste Dorsainvil & Lieutenant Commander Eirly Andersen

2,017 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Peril at the Unification Accords
Location: Dorsainvil's Quarters, Deck 8
Timeline: MD 11, 1905 Hours

Jean-Baptiste stepped into his quarters as though the day had asked too much of him. He was sluggish, his shoulders a touch lower than usual, his breath held as if it was a coin between his teeth. The door shut behind him and his quarters' evening light--his preferred dim amber--rose along the walls, painting the room in soft warmth.

He shook his arms out of his uniform jacket and draped it over the back of a chair. He suddenly stopped in his tracks. For a moment, it seemed as though the air carried the faintest trace of Wren's perfume, so sweet and clean, as if it were some olfactory souvenir that had remained in the air from the morning. He paused a moment longer to let it pass through him.

Opening his eyes, he saw his personal console blinking.

Three messages. And one incoming subspace call.

He wasn't expecting anyone--at least he didn't think he was.

He crossed the room and touched the screen.

Evan Reed's face appeared. His freckles were lit by a glow of light around him, and his hair seemed the same--in the sense that he never once decided on a style. His grin was there, too, the same crooked thing it had been when they were cadets together, always on the edge of mischief.

"Evan," JB said, suddenly remembering the compromising position he'd been caught in when he stayed overnight in Wren's quarters earlier in the week. He had thought about the incident a few times since then. It had been somewhat embarrassing but JB wasn't one to let anything of that nature bother him.

What did cause him some concern was the fact he hadn't quite put together the relation between Wren and Evan--and Tanner. If he had, he'd have assumed the role of a gentleman and contacted his old friend right away.

"Finally, he answers the call," Evan said as he sat on his chair and had to refrain from spinning around on it. Out of the three of them, he was the youngest (albeit by ten minutes) and the most impulsive, overreactive one. Somehow, Tanner was the complete opposite despite being an identical twin.

He'd seen more of JB than he'd ever want to see in his entire life during the call a couple of days ago, but what was more unexpected was that the guy was getting it on with Wren. His sister nonetheless. And the worst thing about it was that neither of them had bothered to tell him.

Deciding to play the good cop card and not interrogate the guy, Evan looked at JB and kept the grin, "You look terrible. How've you been keeping, Jean? Since the other day, I mean."

JB smiled faintly but there was a tired and honest twinge to it. "I've been better," he said, sliding into the chair across from the console. "It's been a long week. A very long day." He hesitated, feeling a little on-the-spot. "And... the other day was not my finest entrance, Evan."

Evan laughed and waved off the hesitation, "I'd say that's probably the best entrance I've ever seen, if I'm being honest." He was in awe of the other man in many ways. "The confidence you had while belting out that song and how Wren just wanted to die from embarrassment was highly entertaining and just what I needed, so don't feel awkward or anything, that honour belongs to me."

Jean-Baptiste let out a soft breath--actually more of a release than a sigh--and eased back in his chair. The laughter, the teasing, the ease of old friendship all seemed to help. But only to a point. Beneath it, a thin wire of unease rippled through him.

Evan Reed didn't call out of the blue just to reminisce about accidental serenades and naked entrances.

"You're very entertained by my humiliation, I see," JB said, trying to keep the tone light. His hand found its way to his jaw and he scratched at an invisible itch. "But you didn't call just to tease me."

"You're right. I didn't call you to tease you, and I wouldn't stoop as low as humiliation, you should know that." Evan nodded as he lifted one of his legs and placed it under himself so he could sit a bit more comfortably. His mind may have finally been still, but sitting in one place for a decent amount of time without fidgetting or being uncomfortable was almost impossible.

"I actually called because I have a couple of questions to ask, and I'm hoping that you might be able to answer them, if possible." His grin had turned to a grimace, "Look, when I called Wren back after the other day and asked if she'd seen or heard from Tanner in the last few weeks, she said she hadn't done either and I'm worried about him. It's not like him to go for more than a week without talking to either of us, and you and him are mates as well, so I was wondering if you've managed to hear anything from him lately?"

Jean-Baptiste blinked. The question landed a little harder than Evan probably intended. For a moment or two, he just sat there, the soft amber lighting of his quarters reflecting gently off his cheekbones, before he leaned in toward the screen.

"You haven't heard from him?" JB asked, voice cautious. "Not at all?"

Evan shook his head, "I haven't, no." His tone had an edge of worry and concern to it when he continued, "I kind of wanted to exhaust all other options of trying to get in touch with other people he may have talked to before I try contacting his CO and then our parents. The last thing I need to do is get them worried if he's fine and there's nothing to worry about."

JB let that sink in. Tanner Reed--the guy was as steady as a metronome and loyal to the bone. It all seemed so strange.

"I spoke with him a few weeks ago," JB said, replaying the conversation in his mind. "I was on Barisa Prime waiting for the Astrea to arrive. It was a short call. He teased me about being beachside in-between assignments." A slight smile appeared on his face but disappeared as quickly as it came. "Do you know if he had any leave?"

It sounded exactly like Tanner to be jealous of someone else living the dream in between assignments. "Last I knew he was saving it up to come home for the end of year holidays, but he didn't mention anything about going on another assignment or anything either."

JB punched in a request to the Astrea's computer, hoping to find where the USS Constance--Tanner's current assignment--was last reported. "I have the Constance's last known coordinates as the Archanis Sector. Close to Romulan and Klingon space."

"I haven't heard anything about new tensions or conflicts breaking out in that sector, let alone any distress calls or calls for aid, so I'd love to know what's happened." There were a lot of 'what if' situations starting to run through Evans head, but he decided to push them aside for the moment and just breathe. It was good to know Jean seemed just as concerned.

"I'll try and find out more information, but can you please keep this between us and not tell Wren?" he asked finally after a moment of silence that saw a number of expressions cross his face.

Jean-Baptiste let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding onto. "Of course," he said. "This stays betwen us."

He angled himself a little closer to the screen as though he were making up for light years of distance between their ships. "Listen, Evan: Tanner's a good man. One of the best. He'll turn up." JB gave a slight shrug. "It could very well be that he's buried in some classified assignment. Or maybe he met someone worth falling off the grid for--he's earned a little trouble of his own."

JB smiled, hoping it might offer some reassurance to a man who was showing the first signs of worry. "And I'll say this too," he added, a little wryness cutting into the edges of his tone. "I thought you were calling to read me the riot act about Wren."

"Thank you, I know he'll show up eventually. Preferably alive to not though." The vote of confidence was comforting to Evan as he too let out a breath before the grin returned to his face, "But I was eventually going to get to that part about Wren."

"I know she's my older sister and she's more than capable of looking out for herself," Evan made a sarcastic gesture and held up his hands in defense again, "But I feel like it's one of my duties as her brother to make sure she's not being taken advantage of and that she gets the world she deserves, you feel me?"

He leaned forward on the seat, a mere inch from falling off it, and added, "I guess what I actually want to know, in lieu of my father asking, is this: I know you're an honorable and stand-up man, Jean, but what exactly are your intentions with her?" Evan was hoping that Jean wasn't going to just get what he wanted from her and then leave her heartbroken like her ex did.

JB ran a hand along the edge of the desk. His eyes dropped to his fingers as they grazed a faint seam in the metal. When he looked back up to Evan, there was no evasiveness in his eyes--just a man who wanted to choose his words carefully and not fumble.

"We've only been together for a week," he said softly, the bass of his voice like a soft piece of foam. "But it feels like longer. Like we've always known each other."

He shifted in his chair. "Everything just fits into place with Wren. Not in some giant fireworks way--more like, well, I can't describe it, Evan. She's remarkable. You know that better than anyone."

Evan nodded and admitted softly, "I do. I won't say it to her face, but she's one of the people I look up to the most." The only other women he looked up to were his mother and Commanding Officer. "I get where you're coming from with it, I just want to make sure you're prepared to give her the world, be there for her through the highs and the inevitable lows and everything in between, and just make her happy."

"Of course," JB said, his gaze steady. "Evan, it sounds ridiculous and entirely premature, but I'm in love with Wren. And if she'll have me, I plan to treat her the way she deserves."

For the second time in as many conversations, Evans jaw dropped at the admission. A week in and he already loved her? The way he'd posed it, it sounded like an extremely early marriage proposal of sorts, but Evan could see Jean was being completely honest. "Well that's all I needed to know, I guess." He shrugged, "Go be happy with her then."

JB smiled and honest smile. "That requires very little effort, my friend." He reached for the interface to end the transmission but hesitated, his expression clouding. "Let me know if you hear anything about Tanner."

Evan's face faded from the screen, the Federation insignia now firmly in its place. Sitting back in his chair, Jean-Baptiste wondered how Tanner Reed was faring. Was he on the Constance? Was he part of some classified assignment? Whatever it was, he hoped his old friend was safe.

---

Lt. Commander Eirly Andersen (as 1st Lieutenant Evan J. Reed)
Second Officer
USS Astrea


Lieutenant Jean-Baptiste Dorsainvil
Assistant Chief Security Officer
USS Astrea

 

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