Problematic Summons

[Rue Wydown 0]

“No, no, no, no and in case you didn’t hear me the first time…no.”

“That’s no’ how it goes,” Major Kent shot Rue a withering look.

“I don’t care. The answer is still no.” Rue grinned impishly at Kent until he stomped off to use the refresher. Wydown had spent an hour trying to derail Kent’s attempt to persuade her to return to Earth and get her ex-husband ‘sorted’ only to have the discussion topic turn up like a bad penny three hours later. Sometimes on some topics, the man was obstinate, mulish even. But his current attempt was going above and beyond the definition of stubborn. He was touched in the head – had to be. Perhaps he’d taken one too many hits playing rugby or the Corps. It had to explain why he was so persistently demanding Rue’s return. It made her think - What was she going to have to do to hammer in the idea that Clayton was no longer her problem?

Grateful for badgering break, Rue swung around and picked up her PADD. Ordering another round of ale for the two of them with a side of nachos for her to share (*if* he promised to knock it off), she settled in to catch up on her official XO duties.

Shift reports – Boring. New personnel requisitions – Routine. Shoreleave jail statics – Below normal. Darn. Medical Report - Same ol' same ol'. Guard Report – Mundane. Below decks gossip chain – Interesting. Message spam - ha, I delete thee! Correspondence from HQ…hello?

“What the—“ Rue peeled off the feathered headdress from the Promenade carnival off her forehead as she read the official summary memorandum addressed to her with her full legal name. That was never a good sign – using someone’s full name. As if removing the feathers could remove the seriousness of her situation. By the time she’d finished combing the missive for the fourth time, looking for hidden meanings or political agendas, she just barely looked up in time to see Major Kent taking his bar seat again.

 

"Well, it looks like you might just get your wish," Rue spoke softly, uncharacteristically sober in attitude as she passed her PADD over to Kent to read the problematic summons.

 

“Whot got in your craw?” Kent smirked at her serious attitude. She could not think of the words to explain further and just shook her head. The Major tried to hand the PADD back to her, thinking she was playing around, but something in her expression (or had she lost all color?) made him change his mind. Rue watched his brows knit together in concentration, his eyes skimming the text not once but twice. After reading it, Jamie summed up Rue’s feelings in one simple exclamation:

"Bloody 'ell, love. What'd ya do now?!"