#244 Etude of the unknown

Posted on Wed Mar 12th, 2025 @ 12:00am by Commander Jordan Haines & Major Charlotte Thrace

3,766 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: Secrets

Jordan stood in front of the mirror in his quarters and stared at himself. He was wearing a blue Henley. The color matched his eyes. It wasn’t fancy but not exactly causal. Jordan matched it with a pair of black trousers. He smiled to himself,
Not exactly sure why he was going all out. Charlotte was a good friend, as good as they come. He liked her a lot and he knew that was no secret from anyone.

Jordan shook his head and grinned, heading out of his quarters and going to Charlotte’s. He rang the buzzer and waited for her to answer the door.

Charlotte practically jumped out of her skin when she heard the buzzer, which spoke volumes about how nervous she was feeling, which considering she charged into battles and had stared down a fair few troublemakers was an entirely new feeling for her right now. Such were her nerves that Hannah had left her to it after one or two teasing sessions and being made to promise multiple times that there would be no spying.

Taking a deep breath Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror one more time, her normally tied back sandy brown hair was hanging free, her dress was red in colour with a golden pattern woven into the lower half of it, it was roughly just longer than knee length and made out of fabric from Bajor. Slipping her shoes on she made her way over to the door, she liked Jordan, they got on well treated each other as good friends and practically family which considering how they'd started out was nothing short of miraculous. Pressing the button to open the door she another deep breath.

Jordan opened his mouth as the door open and his eyes widened as he took a look at Charlotte. Gone was the marine commander and standing in front of him was Charlotte, looking stunningly beautiful. He cleared his throat and said simply. “Hi.” For the first time in his life he felt utterly speechless and knew that he could and should have said something…anything else. “You look…” His eyes lit up. “Don’t hit me now but you clean up really nice.”

Charlotte's face went a very slight shade of pink as she very shyly smiled "Hi" she replied, she was so used to being the marine commander so used to having to be the uncompromising, tough as old boots warrior that she rarely got to be herself and certainly wasn't used to getting compliments about her appearance. Her eyes though were looking at Jordan, blue really was his colour. She took a half step towards him, just getting out of her quarters so the door could close behind her. "You scrub up nice yourself." she said "Definitely your colour as well."

Jordan smiled. “I had a little bit of help.” He smiled to himself as he thought of Jenna showing up a few hours ago. “I had to throw one of your marines out of my quarters. She was determined to dress me but I already knew what I wanted to wear.”

"You're telling me." Charlotte said with a slight giggle "I had to get Hannah to promise about ten times that she wouldn't go and hack security to spy on us." she shook her head for a moment "I get the impression there's a few people having their own fun about this."

“Let them.” Jordan said with a smile. “I’ve arranged for us to be the only customers where we are eating and thanks to Hannah I’ve assured that dinner will be a meal that you are fond of.” He had had to make a deal with Hannah, she drove a hard bargain.

Charlotte giggled, somewhat wondering exactly what Hannah had managed to get out of Jordan but she pushed that to the back of her mind "Well you're definitely the first person who's done their homework on me." she said.

“You know me.” Jordan said easily. “I never do anything half way and when it’s someone I care about I’m going to do it right.” His eyes met hers. “We’ve come a long way from the day you told me I didn’t belong here.”

Charlotte cracked a smile with the slightest of giggles "Oh the things I've wanted to tell you but never thought I'd get the chance to." she said "You always belonged here Jordan, I knew that the day I walked onto Ghost for the first time, I knew that the first time we had a bust up in a senior staff meeting." her smile grew slightly "You just needed to believe that you did."

“I had some learning to do as well.” Jordan murmured. “That I am not some Superman who has to protect and save everyone.” His eyes lit up. “It feels good to count and trust other people. There are times it’s hard, I still am wary with new people, it takes a lot for me to let them in but my family here I trust completely.”

Charlotte smiled, it was about time she thought, "You have no idea how long I've waited for you to say that." she said linking arms with Jordan "So dinner?"

“Yes.” Jordan smiled at her. “We’re headed to the promenade.” Jordan smiled as he walked beside her. They were having Italian food. Hannah had assured him chicken Alfredo was something Charlotte liked a lot. As they walked into the restaurant a single table was set up for them with no other customers. Jordan pulled out her chair, always the gentleman about things like this.

Charlotte just couldn't stop smiling "Thank you." she said as she sat down on the chair that Jordan had pulled out for her. Looking around she could see the effort that Jordan had put into this, Joel had said he took dating seriously and it showed, "Very nice."

“Did you expect anything less.” Jordan said as he took his seat. “I promised you a dinner to remember.”

"You did." Charlotte said "I've just never been taken out to dinner before so I have no experience to base expectations on."

“Never?” Jordan raised an eyebrow. “You have been hanging around the wrong people.” He shook his head. “I would have thought you would have had lots of suitors.”

"Never had one I liked enough to say yes to." Charlotte said "Well until tonight. I don't need to pretend with you, I don't need to put up the front of always having the answer, I don't need to be the marine, I can just be me."

“That is how I feel.” Jordan said honestly, “I don’t have to play any games or live up to expectations.” He smiled at her. “I believe your the first woman, outside Jenna, who I can let go with.”

"Jenna's the one who says we're alike." Charlotte said "Well Joel's said it a few times as well."

“We are.” Jordan smiled easily after a long moment. “I think that’s what makes us work. We both have high expectations.”

"That we do." Charlotte said with a slight giggle "You know back in the day I used to look at Joel and wonder how he could be related to you, you just seemed like chalk and cheese, from where I was sitting at the time he just looked so much more professional. Jenna I wasn't that surprised with, I could see the family resemblance the minute I found her stowed away in a cargo bay. Took me a while but I figured it out."

“Even though our father was a bastard.” Jordan said quietly. “Joel didn’t have to grow up quickly like I did.” He thought back to those days. “Don’t get me wrong there were good times, when Jenna and I were out of our stepfathers grasp. But growing up on a smugglers ship was hard. You get taught the wrong values and to feel as if this is what you deserve.” He paused. “Protecting Jenna from him became an everyday thing, I don’t regret what I had to do in the end to assure that he would never get his hands on her again,” Jordan had never talked so openly with anyone, not even his twin about his childhood.

Charlotte saw their food coming out of the corner of her eye "I'm not a counsellor Jordan." she said "But I wouldn't presume Joel had it that easy. I'd say you walked the same path just at different paces. While you were protecting Jenna I'll bet Joel was looking up at the stars and plotting your rescue. And that's enough of the amateur psychoanalysis." she poured herself a drink of water from the jug on the table.

Jordan grinned. “I bet you’re right.” He took the jug and poured himself some water As their plates of Chicken Alfredo were placed in front of them. A basket of garlic bread was set between them. “I hope you like it.”

Charlotte took one bite of the chicken, swallowed it and then giggled, there was a spicy kick to it, a kick very familiar to Charlotte because she'd tasted it enough times during her childhood, she glanced across the table at Jordan "You're just full of surprises tonight." she said, she was also making a note to ask Hannah exactly what she'd gotten out of Jordan because it had to be pretty big if she was giving out the Ben Sisko recipe book.

Jordan smiled and sighed in relief. "I like being a man of mystery. Who knows what I will come up with for our next date." His eyes widened then as he realized he had made an assumption. Instead of trying to backtrack over it, he just gave her that Jordan Haines grin of his.

"I'm looking forward to it." Charlotte said, it was still almost surreal to be here in this situation to be on a date with Jordan, and to be looking at future dates as well, "Really does take me back to being a kid on DS9." she ate some more of the chicken.

"You were on DS9." Jordan said with a smile. "Have you ever spent any amount of time on a planet?" He asked her. "I tried it once and at least for now, it's not for me. I feel trapped and uncomfortable."

"Born and raised on DS9." Charlotte said "Had a lot of adopted parents in short the whole senior staff, I know those big names. There's a house on Bajor built by someone I call my aunt, though it's not her design. Hannah and me would spend some summers there when we were younger and when we were running aid supplies around after being court martialled and thrown out of the fleet we'd put into DS9 and spend some time on Bajor in that house."

“Sounds like you learned to love both lives.” Jordan said with a nod. “You two are really close. Family is important, we are both rich in that way.” He set his fork down and took a drink from his glass. “I’m in unfamiliar territory in that I never really took a woman on a date. I was really nervous but honestly, I am really happy I put myself out here I am having a good time with you.”

"Well as we're both there." Charlotte said raising her glass "To being in unfamiliar territory and enjoying it."

Jordan raised his glass and tapped it to hers. “I will drink to that.” He said with a grin and took a long drink of his water.

Charlotte giggled nervously again and downed what was left of her water glancing around she smiled "The fun thing about unfamiliar territory is that you don't know quite what to do." she said "Which makes a pleasant change considering we spend most of our time having to know what to do." she got up and walked a few steps across the restaurant floor to where a grand piano sat "I don't normally do this in a public space." she giggled and sat down at it "But unfamiliar territory equals a few impulsive decisions." she began to play.

Jordan stood up and walked over, leaning against the piano. He loved music, always had. Listening to her play the piano made him feel something, a completeness he had never quite felt before. "We're both in unfamiliar territory." He murmured mostly to himself. "All I know is I want to do this right, for once I don't want to mess things up."

"You won't." Charlotte said as she continued to play "And not just because there are four other Haines's onboard that will make sure you don't. But you don't want to mess things up and I believe you won't mess things up." she smiled "You ever try your hand at music?"

“No.” Jordan said with a shake of his head as he sat down next to her, his thigh touching hers. “But I am willing to learn.” He smiled to himself it was just like Charlotte to find something he had once thought fleeting of but badass Jordan Haines didn’t play a piano, he broke bones for entertainment.

Charlotte smiled "All right, watch carefully and remember." she said she put her hands back on the keys and played a simple sequence of notes, nothing too complicated "Give it a go."

Jordan placed his fingers next to hers and attempted to mimic the keys she had touched. He knew he missed at least a couple and smiled anyway. “It wasn’t that bad.” He said with a soft laugh.

"Not bad at all. I've not heard that laugh in a long time." Charlotte said, it was good to see Jordan laugh she couldn't remember the last time before that night that she'd known him to do that in a manner that could be considered positive. "With a little practice you could be good at this."

Jordan thought for a moment. It’s been a long time I had something to laugh at.” He turned and looked at her, seeming to think and then leaned in and kissed her.

Charlotte wasn't often lost for words but this... it was something she'd thought about but it was only now as it was happening that it felt real, it felt right, in one moment Jordan had sent Charlotte's mind spinning, she didn't resist it and as it happened she rubbed the back of his hand.

The moment Jordan’s lips touched her he was lost, he had never felt like this with anyone before, nothing mattered but right here and right now and he never wanted it to end. These feelings between them were something that he never thought he’d feel. He had always thought he had been ruined for anyone.

Charlotte had lost track of time, it was only a few moments but it felt like it lasted a whole lot longer than that. When they finally did break it she pulled Jordan into a hug "What took you so long?" she whispered.

“Anything worth having is worth waiting for.” Jordan said, hearing the emotion in his voice. He smiled as he stared at her intently, “I know it sounds like kind of like a line men use but I’m being real here, I have never felt like this before.”

Charlotte hadn't let go of Jordan moving her hand down his arm to take his hand she smiled "Neither have I." she said, her mind was just about catching up and processing everything that had happened in the last few moments "But get used to it."

"I plan to." Jordan replied seriously. "Now that I have you, I am never letting you go." He meant every word of it. If anyone had told him in the past that he could have this kind of connection with someone he would have never believed it.

Charlotte smiled, this was beyond anything she could have ever dared to imagine, she looked at Jordan she could remember every argument they'd had back in the day, she could remember that night in prison, they had certainly taken their time getting to this point. "And I'm not letting you go either." Charlotte said tightening her grip on Jordan's hand ever so slightly "We've tried walking on our own, I don't want to do that anymore and you don't want to do that anymore. This..." she patted their held hands "This is us now, together and stronger together in so many ways."

Jordan looked at their hands and then he looked at her face. "You seem to always know what I am thinking. You and me, we are a team." He kissed her again. "I am curious, did you come to Starbase Obisidan just to serve or to find the answer to unanswered questions?"

"Well technically I came to Obsidian because V'Lar requested a consultation with an anthropologist and called Hannah." Charlotte said with a smile "I never thought I'd be back in the uniform, after what happened with the Zaj incident and the weapon and the court martial it would have been unthinkable to get a commission back. I broke the rules, worse I broke one of the major Starfleet directives I deserved everything I got for that. I did wonder though what happened to you and Marius. I half expected one or both of you to have resigned and what I did turned out to count for nothing, but you both stuck in Starfleet and next thing I know I'm roped in to that trip to Arbazan. I guess you could say I came back because someone wanted to talk to Hannah but I stayed because I could tell you needed me. Not me the marine CO but you needed me, someone who knew how to work with you and get the job done."

"I went deep into intelligence when I left Ghost Station." Jordan said quietly. "I had to choose, it was that or go back to my old life and that just didn't sit with me well." He spoke quietly. "I was no longer the same man anymore." His eyes had a far away look in them. "I did things during my time in intelligence that I can never speak of, things I was to erase. It was why they wanted me, because I would go further and do things they couldn't ask their operatives to do." He was quiet for a long moment. "I was running away, afraid to face the changes and to accept that I had a family, I saw it breaking up and that fear of losing those I cared about once again was too much so I buried everything." He smiled then. "Until the day Captain Pontmercy asked me to come here." He shook his head. "I have a hard time saying no."

"Well that certainly makes two of us." Charlotte said "And Marius is very very persuasive." she gave Jordan a playful nudge before smiling, she slid off of the piano stool and walked over to the nearest wall console and within moments, soft, easy going music was playing in the restaurant "Come on spy who loves me." Charlotte said with a giggle "The man leads when it comes to dancing."

Jordan silently thanked Jenna for those dancing lessons she had made him take. She had insisted he needed more culture than the dirty dancing he was used to. He took Charlotte in his arms and danced around the room. Jordan wasn’t certain where the night would end up. He hoped it ended up with them together but he wasn’t going to be that forward. He was the one with the bad reputation with women.

Charlotte was still smiling, Jordan had been full of surprises and that now included a dancing ability that was a vast improvement on jumping up on a table, topless and swinging the shirt above his head. Here he was light on his feet, with excellent posture and frame and a really good sense of spatial awareness as they glided around the floor. When he pulled her close she giggled "What's going through that head of yours?" she asked.

Jordan wondered what it was that she just knew when he was mulling something over. "Honestly." He pulled back a little and looked in her eyes. "I was trying to figure out if you would think less of me if I asked you to spend the night with me." This was new ground for Jordan, he was always the suave, laid back, confident ladies man but right now, he was nervous and unsure of her answer. He wouldn't blame her if she told him that she wanted to take her time.

Charlotte instantly kissed Jordan "I could never think less of you." she whispered in his ear "And you're the one making breakfast in the morning while I enjoy the Hannah inquisition."

“I cook a mean breakfast.” Jordan said with a smile and laced his fingers through hers. “Hannah will be welcome if she shows up at my quarters.” He had a feeling Jenna wouldn’t be far behind if they didn’t show up together.

"You mean when she shows up, which she will the moment she notices my bed wasn't slept in." Charlotte said.

“I have no doubt she will.” Jordan murmured. “We will be ready and waiting for the Hannah inquisition.”

Charlotte giggled and gave Jordan another kiss "That we will." she said.

“You ready to go?” Jordan asked her. He had a sudden need to be alone with her, away from spying eyes, where it would just be the two of them.

Charlotte met Jordan's eyes, once upon a time she'd have had a more flowery answer to that question but tonight it was a simple and straightforward one, still smiling at him she nodded "Yes." she said.

Jordan held her hand as they headed out of the restaurant. As they walked across the promenade and headed to his quarters, Jordan felt a happiness he had never experienced before.

Charlotte was still smiling, she hadn't stopped all night, she knew that she'd be in for her share of teasing from Hannah, Joel, Jenna and the rest of the Haines clan at some point but she really wasn't concerned about that. She had something that she'd never expected with Jordan and that meant everything to her.

*************
Commander Jordan Haines
Executive Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Major Charlotte Thrace
Marine CO
Starbase Obsidian

 

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