Still Lost?

Posted on Wed Jun 7th, 2023 @ 3:47pm by Ensign Connor Turner
Edited on on Fri Jun 9th, 2023 @ 8:18am

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: Engineering, USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD007 1400 hrs.

On:

After Paisley and Vura parted ways from their impromptu lunch on the Promenade, Paisley realized she had a few hours to kill before her hot date. She went to her quarters to try on her treasures, trying to decide if asking Vura to come by to help her choose was TOO personal. She decided it was, and so she was stuck with the mirror. Since her bunkmate still had not returned, that was the best it was going to get.

She went to the gym, and then got a shower. Halfway through, she got an idea. She dressed quickly, opting for the dress she was going to wear out that night, since she'd need to go immediately after this, anyway. She set her black hair into curls, and slipped into a tight, body hugging blue dress, and then put on a bit of makeup-more than she'd worn that morning, actually. A LOT of makeup, more than she was used to. But she had plans. She dug some white heeled sandals out of the closet, and then. She was ready. She got a little purse, which was really only for show, because it was too impractical for much to fit into it. After stuffing her ID in it, putting on a tiny bit of perfume, and giving herself a final look in the mirror, she decided she looked as good as she could. She had a quick stop to make before she left the Ship, and used the computer to locate said person. LUCKILY, he was in engineering.

She made her way there, her pink sunglasses from earlier back on her face. She purposely sashayed down the corridors and through the Turbolifts, taking the long way around, just so as many people as possible could see her. Finally, she found her main target. She paused a moment before approaching. She took her sunglasses off dramatically, like an old Earth movie star might've, and settled down next to him. His face was buried in his PADD.

"Hello," she said, leaning over just enough to reveal the tiny amount of cleavage she DID have, and put a wicked smile on her face. "I came by to apologize. We got off on the wrong foot, I think," she said.

Connor was studying the computer systems. He had stayed over shift to do this, but it was a labor of love and he was going to do whatever it took to make the computer system work at its peak efficiency. Whoever was handling the computers before this clearly had no idea what they were doing. Subroutines were placed in systems that slowed down processing. Programs that gave conflicting instructions doubled backed and looped wasting precious time and space.

So wrapped up in his diagnosis, he had no idea that Paisley had sat next to him. He did not even notice that she had leaned over. However, when he heard the "Hello," he jumped backward, stumbled off his chair and fell hard onto his back. He rubbed his sore back and scolded Paisley, "Are you trying to kill me?"

She laughed. "Trust me, if I were trying to kill you, you'd be dead already," she said, holding a hand up to help him stand up. "You need to pay more attention. What if I had been an intruder? You'd be Space Stew," she scolded him. "No. I came to talk to you before I leave for the evening," she said. A black curl flicked over her bare, left shoulder. She was definitely playing with fire here, and she knew it. "Is that ok?" She asked. "ALSO, you don't have duty tonight, what are you doing here?" She tried to keep her tone even.

Connor looked into Paisley's eyes and suddenly found that he was unable to move. Why is she being nice? What's wrong with her? What does she want to talk about. Oh, my God! She's wearing a dress! Why is she wearing a dress? She's not trying to seduce me, is she? I have a girlfriend! She should know that! She thought I was flirting, as crazy as that was and now she's here in a dress. Oh God! Oh God! She's going to ask me out, isn't she?! I can't! Holly! Help! Despite these rapid thoughts, Connor's mouth functioned haltingly and squeakily. "Com...computers.... Needed, um, uh, work."

Her blue eyes danced as she watched him. "I see. Which computers? I didn't see a ticket..." she asked. Maybe that was the problem though, none of them knew much about computers. "No. I came to apologize to you. I think we got off on the wrong foot, and that's not good for morale. So. Uh. I guess we can try again on introductions. I don't have much time today; I have a date, but um, yeah. Do you want me to clarify anything from the first day?" Why was she suddenly so nervous?! Jeez. Get your shit together, F'rar.

"Apologize?" Connor asked confused. "And you have a date?" Connor continued to look at the dress on Paisley and was very obviously trying to do some complex calculation that had too many variables, as his eyes screwed up as he was trying to sort it in his brain. "Um, you knew I would be here?"

Connor's face looked like it might burst from contrary data that he could not reconcile. "No ticket, just working on computers. They are um, quite, well, out of sorts. Inefficient. I'm improving them."

"Yes, apologize. You know, when you tell someone you're sorry? And a date is when two or more people go out for a shared activity, usually-but not always-with romantic undertones," she explained, as if he were a child or something. "Improving them? Um...Have you gotten with Ops about it? Just to make sure that they are aware. There ARE protocols," she said. She realized that she was having an effect on him, and most of her was tempted to toy with him, but that tiny, annoying voice that sounded like her subconscious but with her mother's voice told her it wasn't nice. So instead, she pulled back a little, giving him a bit more space. "I just don't want you to get in trouble for something so minor." If he got in trouble, it should be worth it.

"Trouble?" he asked, his mouth going agape. "How? Why? Um, I'm just fixing.... I mean, what would be wrong with that? I mean, nobody seems to have, well, cared for these computers in forever. Do you know how many redundant subroutines there are here? It is slowing down all of the processors." The more that he talked about the computers instead of interpersonal relationships, the more comfortable he seemed to get.

"Eliminating them will approve efficiency at least five percent and that's a rather conservative estimate. Imagine what the ship could do if it was not getting slowed down all the time!" He beamed at that comment before realizing that there was another topic still undiscussed, "Well, um, yeah, so, um, have fun on the, um, date? And, um, thanks?"

She blinked, trying not to let her eyes glaze over. What was he TALKING about? "Well. As you....kindly," she nearly choked on the word, "pointed out, internal things ARE Ops' job. Ours are the outer shell and wires, things like that." She shrugged. He HAD said that, after all, about the refrigeration system. MAYBE he was starting to figure out what she meant when she'd said she'd rather do it herself to make sure it was right.

"You want to come? There'll be a few other people there. It's more or less a group thing." She left out the fact that all of them were females, and also the fact that they all four had rather, um, Type A personalities. "Anyway. Don't work too hard, I'll need you tomorrow." She said, but didn't elaborate.

"Well, this really is not ops, as its dealing with the ship itself," Connor replied proudly, knowing he had a loophole. The moment something social came up he deferred, "Um, come where? Uh, group? Um, I think, um, I will stay here. Work to do, and all."

She decided that telling him that the refrigeration system was HER loophole, and that technically the wires were in the same tubes as the rest, ergo, it was indeed Engineering's job, but she was trying to be nice.

"Come OUT with us. But I see. You have better things to do!! It wouldn't be a romantic thing, anyway, for YOU because you have a girlfriend," she said, trying her hardest to keep her voice steady. She STILL didn't really believe it, but he kept insisting. Who was she was to disabuse him of his fake reality? Maybe she should try it, actually. She stood up, her tall, shapely figure moving as fast as the tight dress would allow.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then."

Averting his eyes he told Paisley, "Um, sure. Uh, have a good time," but it came out almost as a question, as he picked himself up to start working on the systems again.

She chuckled a little as she left. "I plan to," she said. "BYYYYEEEEE," she said, as she left the office. That had gone better than she'd expected, but she wondered if she should put Medical on alert that he might die in the next few minutes.

When Paisley was long gone, Connor looked at the empty space and concluded, "There's something seriously off about her."


OFF:
Ensign Paisley F'rar
Damage Control Specialist, USS Pioneer



Ensign Connor Turner
Computer Systems Specialist, USS Pioneer

 

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