Treat Me Nice - Part II
Posted on Tue Jun 30, 2026 @ 5:11am by Lieutenant JG Ace Cannon & Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca
1,669 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Jubilee
Location: Subspace Communications
[PREVIOUSLY]
"Why do I say what?" he asked, wondering what Bri was commenting on. "Why I haven't felt like my dashing self? Why I'm hoping the Elvis impersonator thing will give me my spark back? Or something else?" He scratched his hair, careful not to mess the pompadour's shape.
[CONTINUED]
"Why you aren't feeling yourself? How you aren't feeling yourself? And why do you think you need to be Elvis?"
"So, one question became three?" Ace asked with a small chuckle. "If I knew why I was not feeling like myself, I'd already have a solution, now wouldn't I?" he told Bri, favoring her with another chuckle. "As to how, well, I've been off for a bit. I think I've been off since fighting with and dumping Matilda." His smile faded, as his eyes became slightly more far off and contemplative. "I'm not even sure what about it has caused me to be off. Though, she did make a really wild accusation that we were in a relationship!" He shook his head with a short, wry laugh. "No, no. That's not right. She said that I was in a one way relationship with you. Still absurd." He stopped and shook his head again, "Anyways, it isn't like I've dropped women in the past. The best way to fix it always seemed moving on to the next. However, it hasn't, Bri. It has been weird. I haven't wanted to go out or even felt the need for company."
Ace shrugged. "So, maybe just throwing myself into a situation that's bound to attract women and fun is the way to fix it. It makes sense, doesn't it?" He paused for a moment and asked, "Or have I gone totally bonkers?"
"Although you haven't asked, I'd say that's the way to get back into the rut you were in before. You need to change your ways if you want to be treated differently. Or, in other words, If you want to have what you've always had and nothing more, keep doing it. If you actually want any sort of real relationship with a woman, change."
Ace looked blankly at the screen, not certain where this set of statements came from. "I'm confused," he told her honestly, looking slightly childlike, as he answered. "What does my rut have anything to do with being treated differently? Are you saying that I want something different?" The assistant chief operations officer tilted his head and continued to wonder at Bri's statement.
"No. I'm saying you should consider changing what you're doing to get out of the rut. Not keep doing the same thing and hoping for a different outcome."
"Well, I'm doing the Elvis thing. That's different," he replied thoughtfully. "Don't think that I've ever sung publicly, though I can't say that I was ever against it." He scratched his head again and asked, "What do you think I should do differently to get myself righted?"
"I think you should do this because you're excited about it and you love Elvis," Bri said. She wasn't going to tell him what he had to do to get himself right. That conversation wouldn't go well.
"I do," he admitted easily. "But you suggested doing something different. Now, you know that I'm always up for something new and exciting, so you must have something in mind...."
Bri wasn't sure she should say anything. But he did ask. "Be nice to people and don't treat women like one-night stands. We don't like it."
Ace heard the "we." How could he have been so foolish as to discuss this with Bri, especially given her history? "I suppose it depends on the woman," he replied somewhat quietly. "Some want the quick thrill." He considered how to make Bri understand and realized that this was just going to be a tough topic for her. "I certainly don't treat you like that, do I? Never have, have I?" He then switched topics to "being nice," and continued, "Other than Paula, and well, Ensign T'Vren, I'm nice. But, even Paula and I managed to come to an agreement of sorts."
He sucked in his lips and said, "I'm sorry, Bri. I guess sometimes I'm just an idiot...."
"We all are. Yes, I include myself. And I was also talking about Matilda. You treated her like a one-night stand, and she didn't see it that way."
She said nothing for a moment, then added, "You didn't treat me like a one-night stand because I wouldn't give you the chance. And once you decided I was broken, you lost interest."
Ace rose a finger into the air and said, "First, I don't know what Matilda told you. However, I was always honest with her, as I am with everyone. Second, Matilda is the one that said I couldn't do more because I'm in a one way relationship with you. So, she obviously saw, for one reason or another that I was not feeling the same about her as she wanted me to be for her. Besides, there was no chance once she broke my trust and then when we were arguing in front of you and Paula she refused to just listen to me. Did you think I wanted to pull rank?" he asked while his eyes grew but also simultaneously saddened.
"As to you, Bri, no, you were never going to give me a chance. Heck, you would not try a first date with me, but I finally got you on one. Turned out that I'm not the sleaze that you thought I was, eh? I know it was a surprise for you. But, as to losing interest, I don't think that's correct, either. I chose a friendship with you because I don't want to hurt you. Enough was done to you. I have no desire to accidentally make things worse for you. I would like to see you get what you want, Bri. You deserve it."
His eyes lowered, as did his voice. "I just don't know that I could be that person." He sighed. "But...." He shook his head. "Never mind."
She took several moments to digest what he said. "Matilda cared for you. A lot. No, I don't know everything that happened between the two of you, but I do know that. Also, I asked her to help. She has some great ideas for the arboretum. And she'll be working with Paula. Having Paula's trust is important--especially as I'm down here a lot. But that's been discussed and settled, as far as I'm concerned." At least she hoped it was.
"For the other...no, I don't want to go out with you. I didn't consider dancing a date. I'm sorry, but I saw it as two friends going dancing together. And I do consider you a friend, but only a friend. I'm not looking for a relationship with anyone. I tried that, and you know how it ended. I just want to take care of my plants and occasionally spend time with friends." Then she took a deep breath. She didn't want to say this but he had to hear it. "You are more interested in sleeping with someone until you're no longer interested. I can't do that. I won't do that. So, you and I will only be friends. But, as your friend, I really do want to see you perform as Elvis."
"Look, I don't want to talk about Matilda. The whole thing irritates me." He shook his head as if to rid himself of Matilda from his brain. "But, I know what you want, Bri. You've been clear. We've always been open with one another and that's not going to stop. I also know how you see me and it is colored by your past. You're right, though, on one thing. You cannot have someone that wants to sleep around with anyone else. They have to be all yours and have to be someone that you can trust to keep those promises. Right now, that's not me, well, except for one thing. I won't make a promise to you that I can't keep." His eyes stared right into Bri's as he announced that. "Because I know what you need from a relationship and because I cannot promise it, I won't ask for more and I'm more than happy to have you as my friend. Though, I'm betting you think that I was going to be upset by your telling me that you don't want something more."
Ace laughed for a moment and told Bri. "I'm an idiot but I'm not stupid."
"No, you aren't stupid. And we have had this conversation before. More or less." Now Bri smiled. "I do value you as a friend--which, considering how we first met, sometimes surprises me."
She grew serious again. "I won't bring up Matilda if you don't. She'll be working with Paula, but from what you've both said, I think that ship has sailed and we can let it go."
Ace laughed. "Life is full of surprises if you just let them happen, Bri. Just remember...." He brushed his hair back like a 50s rocker and started to sing,
"A hard headed woman
A soft hearted man
Been the cause of trouble
Ever since the world began
Oh yeah (oh yeah)
Ever since the world began
A hard headed woman
Been a thorn in the side of man."
Bri had nothing to say to that, so she laughed.
Ace grinned and laughed with her. "Keep those wires open and cheer me on." He gave Bri a wink. "And after you get back, we'll do a victory lap or sit in the crier’s corner. Either way, will be a good time as far as I'm concerned. Catch you later, Bri." With that, he cut the communications and for reasons he was not certain, felt somewhat exhausted and yet, happy.
A post by
Lieutenant JG Ace Cannon
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
Deep Space 5
Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca
Botanist
Deep Space 5
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