A Good Team of Two: Part 1/2

Posted on Wed Mar 4th, 2026 @ 7:37am by Ensign Nate Stanton & Lieutenant JG Constance 'Connie' Montoya

1,732 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Prologue
Location: Counselor's Office
Timeline: Early 2389

Connie let out a soft breath before she surveyed her office. It was the first appointment of the day, so she wanted to make sure that the office had the right...feel for the day. She knew it sounded strange, to those she talked to it about, but she found it...helpful. Warm, but not distracting. The lights were set to a gentle setting, not too strong, yet not dark. The sort that kept the eyes comfortable for most humanoids. She let out a breath and moved to put the green teapot on the table. Then the sugar bowl, the two cups and saucers, and milk jug. First session tea...where she put out everything and made sure to make note of what was taken. This would be her first session with Nate Stanton. War pilot, widower, father. Previous counsellors, as well as colleagues and Chiefs, praised what a nice person he was. His daughter, Lottie, came up in every report. Intelligent. Grounded. Loved. That was never the question. It was just a standard check in...but she was sure that nothing was standard in Nate's life.

Outside, Nate just watched the door, taking a breath to steady his nerves. He looked across to his daughter, who seemed to be taking it all in her stride as usual. He offered a reassuring smile all the same, kneeling down to her. Not that he really needed to anymore. At the grand old age of 11, she was gaining on him. "It's all good."

"I know," Lottie smiled gently, standing patiently as she let him tidy the end of her plait. She knew it soothed him. "Just meeting the counsellor. But...we're late..."

"Huh? Oh..." Nate swallowed back a curse, not even questioning it. He usually was, and Lottie always knew when he was. "Damn..." he breathed, standing so he could press the chime, biting the inside of his lip. Great first impression.

"Come in!" Connie called out, standing and brushing her skirt uniform down. She smiled as she saw them enter. "Hello...please, come in. I am Connie Montoya."

"Nate Stanton," he offered his hand over with a small smile, one hand resting on Lottie's shoulder. The girl was standing in front of him, watching Connie with a gentle smile and curiosity. "And this...is Lottie."

She took the hand, shaking it as she met his eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet both of you," she said, before she offered her hand to Lottie. "I have tea...but I suspect you'd rather have something else. So what can I get you to drink, Lottie?"

Lottie glanced up at her father as if to check, but smiled softly as she looked back to Connie with a small, half smile, a mixture of calm with just a touch of shyness at being somewhere new. "Pineapple juice, please?"

Connie nodded, letting her hand gently go back to her side. "Of course," she said with a smile. "Please...come and sit down." She walked to the replicator, getting a glass of pineapple juice. "How are you both finding the Guinevere so far?"

"It's a mighty fine ship," Nate assured quickly, offering an easy smile as he moved to sit, lifting his arm so Lottie could nestle back to it. "Bigger than the Silo, wouldn't you say?"

Lottie nodded quickly, her eyes widening slightly as she looked to Connie with nothing but sheer honesty. "Much," she said with no small amount of relief.

Connie carried the juice over, putting it down in front of Lottie before she took a seat. She poured the tea for herself and Nate, smiling gently. "I hear there is a lot to do, for entertainment. And the arboretum is lovely I've heard. Not yet...had a wander there."

"Why not?" Lottie asked, ignoring the slight tap of Nate's hand against her elbow to remind her not to be nosy. If Connie hadn't gone, was it really worth going?

Connie looked at her before she smiled, considering a worthy answer. "Honestly? I just haven't been in the mood. I like trees. I also have a slight allergy. So it is weighing up a hypo, remembering said hypo and being in the mood to walk there."

"Different strokes for different folks," Nate shrugged with understanding, his dark eyes warm as he smiled. "'Sides, when you have a holodeck that can take you anywhere..."

Connie met his eyes for a moment, giving a small nod before she added milk to her own tea and sat back, slowly. "And where do you two like to go together?"

"Anywhere with a wide, open sky, hey Lottie?" Nate smiled warmly as he gave the girl a gentle squeeze with the arm that was draped around her. "Lottie's my copilot."

Connie nodded, looking over at Lottie for a moment. "And what other holodeck programmes do you like, Lottie?" she asked, watching her. Oh, she believed that Nate loved flying. It was clear as he spoke, the warmth...same with his daughter. He adored her. Connie was just curious what other input the girl got.

"I like the gardens," Lottie admitted with a soft, half smile, absently playing with the end of her plait. "With trees and flowers. And the beach...I love the seaside."

"Well, if you ever want...I have some programmes that recreate the English coast...although an Earth coast may be a bit boring in comparison to some of the offers out there," Connie said softly, nodding. Her eyes went to Nate, studying him for a moment. "You two do make a good team. Is it...difficult, when you move ships?"

Nate glanced to Lottie at the question. Truth was, she probably dealt with it far better than he did. "I suppose...your network changes, you know? The ship or the station, it's much of a muchness to me, but the people? That's what makes the difference."

"They do," she said with a small nod, holding his eyes. "This ship is a little different. As you might be aware, there's no Security department here. We have Tactical for the bridge, but no Security...the Ground Forces take care of that."

"Well, I'm hoping we won't be doing anything that gets their attention either way," he glanced to Lottie with a small but playful smile, sparking a similar look in the girl.

Connie gave a small smile at the exchange, noting the mirrored smile between father and daughter. "That seems like a wise goal," she said lightly, her eyes going between them before settling on Nate. "But if you ever do cross paths with the Ground Forces, I expect it'll be over a drill or a misfiled padd." A soft joke, nothing pointed, just warmth before she sipped her tea. She let them sit there for a moment before continuing. "I ask about transitions because they have a way of stirring things up. Even when you've done it before. New ship, new quarters, new faces. Some of it feels routine. But sometimes it tugs at things you thought were settled." Her voice was mild, without pressure. "And it's easy to keep going without checking in with yourself." Her eyes returned to Lottie for a moment, softer still. "Especially when you're making sure someone else is okay first."

Lottie nipped at the inside of her lip, glancing to her father as she considered what she said. She...mostly understood. "Well...Dad does get more forgetful when we move..."

Nate gave a weak smile but didn't deny it. She was right. He struggled at the best of times to keep up with appointments and Lottie's school work and chores. When they moved, it pretty much all went out the window.

Connie nodded...she wasn't trying to trap them. But to be honest about it. "Different shifts, different ships...I completely understand why anyone gets more forgetful in that stress..." she nodded, watching Lottie for a moment. "What do you two think helps?"

"Well, we have a schedule, and a calendar," Nate looked to Lottie with raised eyebrows, as if to say 'what more could we need'. But he was already giving a self-deprecating smile. "But...I still manage to get it all in a muddle," he added openly, not feeling the need to hide it from the counsellor.

"But...I help," Lottie added quickly, lifting a hand as she smiled softly...because she didn't mind. It was just a part of being in their team.

"Sounds like you do have a good system...even when things go a bit into a muddle," she said and smiled gently, nodding as she looked over at Lottie. "And a good assistant to help."

"Oh, there's no doubt about it, counsellor, the system is Lottie," Nate laughed warmly, giving the girl's hand a squeeze. "I'm...a very lucky Dad," his smile weakened for just a moment, at the stab of guilt he felt from relying so heavily on her calm, organised head.

Connie saw it, the way the smile faded a little. She nodded, looking down in her cup. "To me, it sounds like you two are building something strong together," she said and looked up, arching an eyebrow. "Even if the day planner seems to be a casualty at times..." she smiled to show it was alright, that it was more a joke. "And it sounds like you, Lottie, know when to nudge and when...it isn't that important."

Lottie gave a slight roll of her eyes, but she was smiling fondly. It was something she'd gotten used to, and she'd already learnt at her young age that there were bigger things to worry about. "Not everything's a big deal."

"If it matters to you, then it is," Nate replied firmly, meaning it as he brushed a strand of dark hair from her face.

Connie looked at them, a small smile coming to her. "So maybe it is...important to make sure that if it matters to you, Lottie...you prioritise it?"

The girl gave a weak smile to that as she nodded, but she didn't want to stress her Dad out. "He always figures out a way, even if it's a bit late."

"Of course," Connie said and gave a nod, recognising a girl trying to soften the world around her.

TBC:

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Lt. JG Connie Montoya
Counsellor
USS Guinevere

Ensign Nate Stanton
Flight Control
USS Guinevere

Lottie Stanton
Civilian Child
USS Guinevere

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