Station: What's Cooking

Posted on Sat Sep 20th, 2025 @ 1:33pm by Captain Jamie O'Connell & Captain Shauna Vehn

Mission: The Inner Flame
Location: Peel - Captain's Quarters
Timeline: Star Date:79185.8

::ON::

< USS PEEL - Captain's Quarters >

Now that the Ship was docked at the Station for a week, Jamie had made arrangements with Shauna to come aboard, at eighteen hundred, with the promise of a home cooked meal. It had been some time since they had seen one another, since both their duties kept them apart; Jamie with his Ship and Shauna with her various Station duties.

He was quite anxious to see her as he started preparing their evening meal wanting everything to be perfect for this gorgeous woman that he was becoming rather sweet on. Taking a pot and filling it with cold water he set to peeling potatoes for what would become mashed and well seasoned. The garden salad was already made and sitting in the fridge, so that was finished. Taking two portioned strip steaks from the stasis compartment Jamie seasoned them with a rub of his own design consisting of salt, pepper, a wee bit of garlic, and a smokey seasoning to add more flavor. When finished these also sat in the fridge to rest while the potatoes cooked. Lastly Jamie grabbed a bottle of red wine that he put on ice to go along with dinner.

Shortly before eighteen hundred he heard his door chime go off. Removing his apron, that all good cooks wore, he made his way to the door. Opening it he smiled "Shauna, right on time as usual. Please come in and make yourself comfortable; dinner will be ready shortly."

Shauna smiled warmly as she entered, having let her down out of its usual worn up style, she’d also worn a nice dress especially for the occasion. To say she’d missed Jamie while he’d been off station was an understatement. “Thank you. I have to say dinner smells wonderful.”

Jamie grinned "Hopefully it'll be as good as it smells" then he paused as he walked into her personal space "And have I told you how fetching you look this evening" as he leaned in and gave her a kiss "I've really missed you Shauna."

Shauna returned the kiss before smiling. “I’ve missed you too, very much. Up until I came to this station I never bothered with romance, I’m very glad to have met you Jamie.”

Hearing her say that made Jamie's day "And that goes both ways" he stated with a grin "So let me finish getting dinner ready and how would you like your steak cooked.....rare, medium, or well done."

Shauna smiled. “I’d usually say well done, but it can get a little tough that way at times, so I’d like to try it cooked medium to well if that’s not too awkward?” Shauna said hoping she wouldn’t be a pain.

"No problem, one medium well coming right up" Jamie replied with a smile. While the steaks are cooking on the grill pan he made up the mashed potatoes then grabbed the salad out of the fridge. Checking the steaks he flipped them over before setting the island table. Soon the steaks seemed to be done as he plated both of their plates along with a helping of mashed potatoes. Placing one plate in front of Shauna "Here we go, one medium well steak and here's garden salad to go along with dinner so dig in."

Shauna had watched Jamie cook, impressed with his cooking skills. “It smells divine, and looks delicious!” She smiled warmly as she helped herself to salad as well, before savouring her first bite. “Mmm…” she nodded as she ate indicating she was enjoying her food.

Smiling "I'll take your 'Mmm' as a good sign" Jamie said with a grin "I have to admit I do enjoy cooking when off duty, it tends to relax me, although I don't get the chance as often as I would like" as he poured each of them a glass of wine to go with their meal "It seems you've become used to your symbiont joining."

Shauna nodded as she finished what was in her mouth. “We seem to have blended fairly well, there are still times when I wake up and for a moment wonder who, or where I am. It’s an odd feeling until I readjust.”

Swallowing his food "I can imagine that could be a little off putting, but like anything else, I'm sure that'll go away with time" Jamie reassured her with a kind smile "I would assume your duties have kept you quite busy as well. I know the new Ship has kept me well engaged with the new QSD and all; although Star Fleet gave us an excellent Engineer for that area so that's helped a lot."

“I’m glad” Shauna nodded. “I’d like to take a trip out with you sometime, if need be I can always take some leave time to do so. I’ve never really taken much in the way of holidays so I’ve got quite a lot of leave to take.”

Hearing Shauna brought a big smile to his face "I would like that very much and I think you'll find this new Ship is quite a bit more advanced than the previous one was" Jamie replied "You're always welcome so just let me know when."

“As soon as things calm down around here I’ll speak with Commodore Sureth and arrange some leave time.” Shauna smiled as she paused to finish off her meal before it went cold.

After their meal was finished they gathered everything up and placed them in their proper places. Jamie poured each of them another glass of wine; handing one to Shauna "We may as well sit on the couch and be comfortable."

“Agreed” Shauna nodded as she walked across to the sofa and sat down. “I’ve been looking forward to some alone time with you.”

After sipping his wine he placed it on the table turning towards Shauna "That goes both ways and I do like the sound of that" then he leaned in and gave her a passionate kiss for a few minutes.

Shauna returned the kiss with equal passion, letting it linger. “I would very much like to stay here and spend some time with you.” She smiled. “I’m not back on duty until the morning.”

"I think that can be arranged since rank does has it's privileges" Jamie replied with a grin then gave her another more passionate kiss.

Shauna responded immediately, she wasn’t going anywhere this evening except as far as Jamie’s bedroom. She loved him with all her heart and she wasn’t going to lose another man she loved.

Standing Jamie smiled and offered Shauna his hand "I think we should take this into my bedroom" he commented in a low voice as he was about to do something he had wanted to do all evening.

“I couldn’t agree more” Shauna smiled as she took Jamie’s hand. Right now she was more than happy to enjoy her off time with the man who was rapidly becoming the love of her life.

Walking into the bedroom Jamie turned and gave Shauna another very passionate kiss. Several minutes later clothes littered the floor as the two made love for the next few hours.

Laying next to her, his arm around her, Jamie looked into her beautiful eyes and professed something that he hadn't done in a very long time "Captain Vehn I believe I'm falling in love with you."

Shauna smiled thr biggest smile yet. “I do believe I’m already in love with you. I’m having trouble imaging my universe without you in it.”

"Let's hope you never have to find out" Jamie replied then leaned in and kissed her once again.

Returning the kiss Shauna let it linger before their lips parted. “I’ve lost enough, I’m not losing you too not now or ever.”

Jamie smiled "I like the sound of that" he replied in a soft voice then kissed her yet again as he caressed her lovely body and soon their love making resumed in earnest.

::OFF::

Captain Shauna Vehn
Star Base Commander
Star Base M-69

Captain Jamie O'Connell
Commanding Officer
USS Peel
NCC-71015