Hello Ace
Posted on Thu Feb 19, 2026 @ 5:59pm by Ensign Matilda Cromwell & Lieutenant JG Ace Cannon
2,012 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Chicken Run
Location: Ace's Quarters
Timeline: Two Days After The Marine Ball
It had been a couple of days since the station had been over run by the animals and also the marine ball. Matilda hadn't gone to the Marine Ball, she was on duty to make certain nothing wrong happened. She felt duty bound, besides she just felt rather vigilant about it. Her shift was done, she logged out.
Ace came to her mind, she hadn't been able to check on him after all of the stress he had faced with keeping the station. In fact she had been worried about him that she scolded an officer who outranked her, to not speak badly about him. That really infuriated Matilda. Now though things seemed to be somewhat uneventful. ( She didn't want to say the 'Q'word out loud for fear it would cause something else to occur. )
She got dressed in a pretty red number, v neck dress, which fit her well, and accentuated her curves. She wore a black pair of heels with a strap that wrapped around her ankles and looked really sexy. ilght touch of makeup, and a light scent not obnoxious. With the skirt of the dress swrirling around her knees Matilda arrived at Ace's quarters, carrying his favorite drink, and two glasses. Plus delicious food that he'd enjoy. She had paid attention to what he liked to eat.
She pressed the chime and waited for him to answer the door.
Who in the world could be coming over here? It couldn't be Bri, could it? She's never come over yet. We always do stuff out. I've never been to her place, either. She likely would have contacted me in advance. She's polite that way.
With more questions than answers, Ace went to the door in little more than his boxers and saw Matilda there. His initial inclination was to shut the door and head back into his quarters. However, he caught the scent of food and Matilda dressed to the nines. Damn it! She looks so hot! What in the hell is she doing? Does she not understand how pissed I am with her and that I don't want to see her? Ace stiffened everywhere as he asked gruffly, "What do you want?"
Matilda tilted her head from one side to the other as she took in his attire well, his scanty attire.
"I came to check on you and see how you are doing. Plus I brought food and drink. Figured you could use it. You went through a lot, keeping things together after the escaped animals and that invasion of the purple goop. " she paused, "May I come in, and set the food on the table while its hot?"
Ace was not certain how daft this woman was. This was likely going to have to be another conversation with Bri. There was a lot of translation needed here. Had he not made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her anymore? He scratched the back of his head with one hand and stepped aside while he allowed her in and the door to swish shut behind her.
He decided, Food first, then try and sort her insanity second. "I suppose I could use some food."
"Well good." Matilda answered matter of factly, setting out the food. "You've really had it rough these past few days, it was horrendous. We survived, and the animals are now all gone. Well those that weren't kept on the station, and made their way upon peoples tables." She looked at Ace. "You're looking fine as you normally do," though under her scrutiny Matilda could see that he may need even more recovery.
Does she not understand that she's most of the cause of why I have had it difficult the past few days? What is going on between those ears? he wondered. "Those are the facts," he replied simply.
Matilda narrowed her eyes slightly towards Ace, there was something going on with him, then again could be that he was hungry. She'd find out later on what seemed to be chewing on him. She slid in a chair to sit across from him.
Opening her own to go box, she began to eat, looking at Ace, content to let the silence that seemed to have risen between them.
Ace kept his eyes down on his food as he ate. How was he going to get rid of her looking like that?
A few bites of food, plus several sips of her drink, Matilda placed her fork down. "What's wrong? You're not your usual perky sexy self. Anything I can do to help you feel better? I could give you a massage." She reached out to touch his hand.
Ace withdrew it, his vision purposely narrowing on Matilda's eyes. There was no hint of him looking anywhere else. "Just exactly what do you think is going on here?" he growled. "I mean, what part of, 'I'm seriously pissed with you,' did you miss?"
She raised a well shaped red eyebrow at Ace's reaction. "You're seriously pissed off at me about what?" Matilda had no clue as to what he was talking about. "I think you need to be a bit more forthcoming as to what you are talking about. What did I do to get you all angry and rather grumpy."
"Are you seriously that daft?" Ace asked, astonished. "Where do you want me to start enlightening that black hole of a mind?" Ace knew that he was probably going to regret that question but he did not care. They were done. She interfered with his relationship with Bri. She did not listen to his desire for her to ignore the Arboretum. As if that was not enough, she disobeyed his direct order in front of people and made him look weak to her. The problem with the tryst was that if he punished her, he could be seen as taking out his personal emotinos against her when she was requested. That might not have stopped him, but Bri had insisted and he was not going to disappoint his friend.
"Oh--you are calling me daft. You made the big blunder my handsome Ace. You told me not to go to the Arboretum at all. You are one stupid man,never ever tell me where I can or can't go. The Arboretum is for everyone to go to and to visit. You are a complete moron, and oh poor poor Ace he got so embarrassed in front of the woman he has the hots for and can't have. Oh I saw how you looked at her, I saw how she reacted as well. I knew the score." her eyes were sparking with fire.
"You know I stuck up for you, when someone called you grumpy pants." she snorted in derision. "I told said person someone who was a higher rank then me that you were under a lot of duress due to the problems on the station. I defended you. I made an excuse for you as that was what I had thought."
She waved a hand in the air. "So, we had an argument, people do. I had been asked by Bri to go help out. You are not the king of the hill, or even the lord of all. I went where I was needed. You got your knickers in a twist worried about my meeting Bri. You don't own her either. We're through? That is too bad. Just to let you know, I care about you maybe more than what I should have." She stopped there. her cheeks red with her revelations.
"First off all,Tillie, I don't have the hots for any woman in the Arboretum, so I don't know what the heck you are talking about," he shot back. "And I could care less that you stuck up for me. You embarassed me to the point that I had to beg for you to leave after giving you a direct order. I protected your butt there and now, because of that, I'm in a hell of a pickle from a command structure. You must be enjoying the hell out of that. I told you the Arboretum was my project and now you've schmoozed them to the point they want you over me. I have authority over these matters. I could deny it, but if I did, that would be viewed as retaliatory, so I can't. I'm not stupid, Tillie. You played me well."
"Ace, you tried to bar me from going to the Arboretum, period. You don't own me, and I don't own you, I never even tried to own you. And I don't play games except for flirting. I didn't play you, " she rose from the table. "I am not that way, something that you haven't realized that about me." she gathered up her to go box, looked at the drinks she brought in. Debating something. She drew in a slight breath. looked at Ace.
"You know its been fun while it lasted. Thanks for the fun and I'll be on my way. And one more thing, I am too hot for you to handle, as I said awhile back." Matilda giving a smile towards Ace.
"Not even close," Ace answered. "And you crossed the line, Tillie. I may be a womanizer. I may be a lot of things, but I never lie and I call things as I see them. I told you from the start what this was. The fact you're developing 'feelings,' as you say, is yet another reason to bid you adieu."
"Well Ace, I never called you a liar, and I already know what you said. You are way too scared of commitment unless it is more in the form of Brianthe. Heck you know, you are in a committed one sided relationship. A friendship with her, and nothing else. It's not your fault that I have feelings for you. Too bad you can't open your heart for another person, besides Brianthe. That tends to make you a very lonely man and I feel sorry for you there. I call it as I see it too. There are always two different perceptions. Learn to let your heart grow and maybe include others instead of being a one trick pony." With that final piece, Matilda turned to leave. "I'll see you at work well, maybe not as I'm sure you'll make certain I am on opposing shifts in order for you to not see me at all. As you are too embarrassed and too angry to deal with this."
She stepped forward the door opening up. "Tootles," stepping out into the corridor.
"One trick pony? Bah!" He growled at her as she left. Tillie was clearly nuts. Bri was his friend. There was nothing more and could be nothing more. She was broken and both Bri and Ace knew it. So what in the hell was Tillie talking about? And why was his blood boiling? Well, there could only be one way to relieve that. Naomi would be available. First, though, he had to clean up this mess....
Matilda walked a few steps away from Ace's quarters, turned to look back at the closed doors. She drew in a breath through her nostrils, letting it out in a huff.
"Sad,but not unexpected, the man just wants to dance through life without a care, except for Brianthe. Reminds me of a song" Matilda said as she turned to continue on her eay.
She sang as Matilda slightly danced down the hall gracefully
"Dancing through life, swaying and sweeping
And always keeping cool
Life is fraughtless when you're thoughtless
Those who don't try never look foolish"
A twirl making the skirt of the red dress swirl around her knees
"Dancing through life, mindless and careless
Make sure you're where less trouble is rife
Woes are fleeting, blows are glancing
When you're dancing through life"
Lieutenant Junior Grade Ace Cannon
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
Deep Space 5
Ensign Matilda Cromwell
Engineer/Operations
Deep Space 5
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