Quiet Night

Posted on Tue Mar 24th, 2026 @ 12:44pm by Major George Charles [Reece] & Civilian Hendor Charles [Reece] & Gunnery Sergeant Leilani Charles {Kelea-Salik}

Mission: Interlude
Location: USS Elysium, Charles family quarters
Timeline: MD 1 / 1936 hours
1049 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure

It had been a long couple weeks of heavy combat, high stress, fear of dying at the claws of cybernetic beasts,and then gathering up the dead and counting the costs. For the first time in nearly a week, George was finally home again, after having spent all his nights up to tonight, catching what sleep he could in his office, down in the Starfighter section.

Sitting together on the couch in their living room, George had his right arm around his wife, Leilani, who was quietly nursing their infant daughter, while their handsome son, Hendor, played happily on the carpeted deck in front of them.

"This is truly paradise, Imzadi," George sighed happily as he gently kissed Leilani's left temple.

“I’ve certainly missed you being here while you’ve been sleeping in your office.” Leilani added as she looked at him. “It hasn’t been the same. Hendor was wishing you were here as well.”

A look of regret filled George's features. "I'm sorry, my love. Things were so crazy, between losing our wing commander, me having to step up into the position, the constant battles with the Galatonians...I had no choice but to stay at work. I did it to do everything I could to keep all of you safe."

“I know that” Leilani smiled warmly. “I’m more proud of you than I could ever say, we just missed you. Hendor was so worried that you wouldn’t come back, I had to reassure him every night that you’d be alright.”

George tilted his head over, gently freeing the side af his head against Leilani's. "I have a great team of pilots around me, and we look our for each other." He turned his head and gently kissed Leilani on the lips, as he transmitted the thought, "I promise that I'll keep from taking any unnecessary risks out there."

Leilani returned the kiss, responding in kind. I know you will Imzadi, you wouldn’t leave us.

George shook his head in silent reply. Before he could say anything, their daughter started to fuss a little in her mother's arms.

“Oh oh, looks like somebody has some trapped wind” Leilani smiled as she gently sat their little daughter up, placing a small cloth in front she gently rubbed and patted her back.

After a few beats, a healthy burp erupted from her mouth. Hendor looked back and giggled. "Aviana made a funny noise!" He rose to his knees and moved closer to his infant sister, gently patting her back as Leilani continued rubbing it. "That's it, Avi...let it out. You'll feel better!" He softly cooed to her.

Leilani grinned before looking at George. “She hasn’t been sleeping very well while you’ve been away, I’ve added colic drops to the expressed bottles to try and help relieve trapped wind after feeds. It’s a bit more awkward when I’m feeding naturally.”

This news caused a pang of guilt rush through him. "Papa is so sorry, my angel," he said softly as he gently caressed Aviana's tiny head. "There were bad things that I had to protect you, your brother and your Mama from." He leaned closer and gently kissed the top of her head next. "But I'm home now, little one. The bad things are gone."

“That’s one thing I’m glad about” Leilani smiled. “Having my duties to perform was worrying when those things were onboard, I was so scared they’d get hurt!!” She paused rubbing Avi’s back to give her a gentle cuddle. Motioning Hendor in for a cuddle as well. “I’d be so lost if anything happened to any of you.”

Hendor climbed up into his mother's lap, snuggling into her loving embrace, as he put an arm around his baby sister in a big brother-protective kind of way.

Seeing this image of perfection, George felt his heart soar. He gently wrapped his arms around his entire family, as he transmitted a feeling of pure love and happiness to each of them.

Leilani let the warmth of George’s love surround her and their children. “George what would you say if I said that I’d like to have a proper home somewhere? Not here, but when we get home. A nice cottage somewhere where we could raise our family and not have to worry about the ship being attacked, or either of us going off ship.”

George smiled softly as he replied, while still holding his family. "That sounds perfect!" He said softly. Then, across their link, he said just to her, "Don't get me wrong, Imzadi. While I think of this ship and crew as our extended family... at the end of the day, twice now I've held the position of CAG, successfully led our starfighters in combat against superior numbers...and twice I've been replaced by someone else after the battle is over."

He paused as he relaxed his hold and sat back, watching Hendor smiled brightly at them both, then return to playing with his toys. George left his left arm behind Leilani's shoulders as Aviana gazed up at him, in her mother's arms. "I'm a major now. If I want to have the opportunity to continue climbing in my career, I need to be where I'd have my own command, not just my own starfighter."

Leilani nodded. “I understand Imzadi, I just want to be able to have a normal family life with a real home for our children. For me home is wherever you are.”

This made George smile. He tilted his head over and gently leaned it against Leilani's. "Though my career is important to me, nothing is more important than you three. I would go anywhere and do anything to keep you all safe."

Leilani smiled. “I just want you to happy, and our children to be safe. That’s all that matters from now on.”

George lifted his head a bit, turned it towards his wife, and gently kissed her right temple. "I feel the same, Imzadi. Once we return home, we will figure out the next step that is best for our family, for our children."

~FIN~