I Need A Wizard Part II
Posted on Sat Jun 17th, 2023 @ 8:29am by Ensign Connor Turner & 1st Lieutenant Marjani Smith
Edited on on Tue Jun 20th, 2023 @ 8:46pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: Shuttlebay - Deck 10 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD010 1600 hrs
"People are in one aspect walking computers with a whole lot of glitches. And it takes a lot of observations to maybe figure them out? I am not any expert on people though, just someone who at times just shakes my head as to the foolishness that some people decide to do." By this time, she stood up and waited for Connor to rejoin the walk to the turbo lift to get where her fighter was waiting. "As for your girlfriend, maybe you could utilize your skills with the computer and track her down. Always best to find that out, as if maybe you may see her, you might find out she is probably married."
"Married?! So soon?" Connor asked, shocked, but following Marjani. "Why would she be married? Why would she not tell me that we were done?" He shook his head woefully. "It does not make sense. And if people are computers with glitches, how do you fix them?" he wondered aloud. "I mean, it isn't like you can go inside them and reroute subroutines and fix processors."
"True that would make things a lot easier. Wouldn't it? As for your possible girlfriend, when was the last time you spoke to her, or even written to her? Communication is the key to keep any relationship alive." the pilot heading through the promenade towards the turbolifts that would take them to the shuttle bay.
"About a year.... When we graduated the academy."
"Oh...well, you may not have a girlfriend anymore. And you must have gone to different areas in the Federation for where you were assigned. Let me put it this way, let's say, you and I knew each other in academy and after we graduated, I may like you a lot but, I hope for a letter or a message from you, but nothing comes; maybe you will think of writing but still nothing, no communication. I would start thinking that you had forgotten about me or decided you didn't want to be with me anymore, but didn't have the nerve to let me know. That would make me a touch upset, and after months have passed, it definitely, to me that is, that you don't like me anymore. So, I go on with my life." She gave a slight sigh. "Did she say anything to you after graduation, before you parted ways?"
"Well, she said, '"Maybe we can still get together when we're on shoreleave.' So, well, I guess I was waiting to hear from her about that. I, um, well, did not want to bother her. I'm sure she was busy." He shrugged helplessly. Could his courtesy have been his problem? "So, yeah, I might look her up, 'cause well, I guess I just don't understand people."
"She could have tried contacting you, you could have tried contacting her. All it takes is for someone to make that first move even if it seems that the other person could be too busy. Granted, I've done that a couple times myself, not contacting someone I was interested in and too much time has slipped by due to life, work. All it needs is that momentary few seconds to make that effort in contacting someone. And all that person can say is 'Hi how are you? Or they can say, 'Hi sorry can't talk I'm a bit busy.'" Marjani replied.
It didn't take long to reach the turbo-lift which would take them to the lower decks. Marjani stepped in, waiting for Connor to join her.
Given their first encounter, Connor could not believe that Marjani would not contact someone she was interested in. On the other hand, Connor knew that he did it all the time. He could not help it. People were scary and women were scarier, especially pretty ones that he liked! Connor joined Marjani in the turbolift and remained silent, fixing his gaze on the control panels. I wonder if there's anything that needs tweaking here.
"This means learning to reach out and making the effort of communicating. You are in computers, and computers have to communicate with different matters, right? So, if there isn't any sort of communication between, like say a ship system to, like a replicator or the turbolift we have a problem. A malfunction. I need to have the computer help out with navigational problems or plotting a course if I need a split-second decision. And if communication is broken, I am either lost or I will have to pull out my hard copy of sector maps to find my way home."
"That makes sense," Connor agreed in a musing tone. "I don't think I, um, well, ever thought of it that way."
The lift descended to the level where Marjani programed it to go. "To me there is always some sort of different way to look at things, it's just looking at it from different angles." She leaned against the back wall of the lift as the numbers counted their way through the levels, musing quietly for the time being.
Connor dared a look at Marjani. "But, um, is that...?" He shook his head looking for the right words. "And you're a fighter pilot? Not a counselor?" he asked curiously.
"Huh what? Me a counselor?" Marjani actually laughed. "I am a pilot both of a fighter and also as one who can fly a starship. And I can fly prop planes as well as a hot air balloon. I just have a weird way of thinking that is all. Besides I've had discussions with some friends of mine who wanted a different perspective on well one wanted to get a female's point of view of a certain matter and so I took the time to answer his questions."
"People still fly hot air balloons?" Connor wondered aloud with a slightly disgusted tone of voice. "Well, you, um, well, seem to talk in a language I can understand. It is logical." For Connor, that was a huge compliment to Marjani. However, he said nothing more and waited for the turbolift ride to end.
A soft chuckle, "I've not heard that in reference to me before. Thank you." Marjani said, feeling her cheeks grow warm. "And yes, there are people who do still ride in hot air balloons, my family in New Orleans ran a flying circus sort of performance troupe, I got to fly different craft. It was lovely and so much fun."
Why is she telling me this? Connor wondered to himself. Come on turbolift.... Why aren't you at the shuttlebay yet? "You have not heard, you're logical?" he asked completely confused. "And why are you thanking me?" he asked even more confused. "I don't know much about flying circuses," he admitted. "I tend to stay, um, indoors." Without prompting, he tried to make a joke. She did not know if she would understand it, "Better for British skin."
Marjani took a look at his coloration then at her own and chuckled "So I've been told." She then addressed as to him calling her logical. "And it depends on the company I keep. I truly haven't been told I could be logical." The turbolift came to a stop. "Well, now here we are. Let's go look to check on my craft. I am going to have to get the fighter in tip top condition before I go back out on escort duty. Talon may not be the fastest, but I have staked my life on him, and he's not let me down." Leading the way to where her fighter was waiting.
Once there her pace increased as Marjani was anxious to check on the ship. She hovered over it looking to make certain there wasn't any scratches from the delivery. "Oh good, good, looks like he's in one piece."
"You named your ship and gave it a gender?" Connor asked, tilting his head before touching the ship.
Turning to look at Connor, Marjani leaned against her fighter. "Some people do give ships a gender. I have heard other pilots call a ship a she. Others male names. It is all about, I guess making a connection with the piece of machinery they are working with. There are those that feel that manufactured items develop personalities. It's just a quirk that people have. Some people believe that objects have spirits as well. I won't get into that sort of discussion though it would be another discussion at another point and time, if we even want to traverse that path."
Connor nodded and confirmed, "Computers definitely have feelings. They know if you like them or not. Treat them poorly and they will do the same in return."
"I totally get that, and glad you don't consider me weird for my sentiments." Marjani uttered.
She looked back at the Talon, then opened up the door. "Okay come on in. This class of ship can actually hold ten passengers so there should be room for you to work on the computer system." Marjani allowing Connor entrance.
Connor stepped in and started to look around. "Access panels?" he asked simply but in a slightly demanding tone.
Marjani brushed past Connor, going over to where the access panels were at, "Right here." taking off the cover for him to view.
Connor scoffed when he looked inside. "How is this ship still flying?" he asked. "Your navigation software is at least two updates behind, so your nav charts are going to be inaccurate, not to mention that your sensors are not going to read the greatest amount of information around you. I'm going to replace and improve your GPU, update your software, and give you some added protection that should help insulate your ship from some of the more insidious viruses out there."
He paused and then looked at Marjani, "Sound OK?"
She was all starry-eyed gazing at Connor. "Oh, that sounds amazing, I knew I needed a wizard to get my Talon up to par," impulsively embracing Connor in her excitement and planting a kiss on his lips. This was nothing more than a miracle to her!
Connor completely froze upon receipt of the kiss. His reaction could been of one of a computer locked in a logic loop - does not compute. What happened? What's going on? I...I...I don't know what to do! Help!
Feeling his body stiffen, Marjani abruptly broke the kiss. "Blast it, I overstepped again um well...I'll just be outside for you to get things done, you know, you do your thing," her cheeks going hot again. "Yeah... okay then." she said turning around to step outside of the Talon, and leaning against the cool side of the ship, and pressing her hands against her face to try to cool her cheeks down.
It took several minutes before Connor registered that Marjani had left. When was the last time he had been kissed? When he and Holly parted, was it not? And were they not still dating? Or were they not? Everyone he talked to seemed to think they were not. Were they not? Majrani did not seem to think so, and gosh, she was pretty! He could almost talk to her without looking away. What an anomaly!
No time to analyze this now. We have work to do. First he started the updating process. He sighed as updates plugged away. I'm going to have to find a modern GPU. He exited the Talon and looked around, calling "Marjani?"
Marjani at this point had found a crate not too far from the Talon and Connor. She made it to where she wasn't hovering, she could be seen. She had her elbow on her knee and her chin supported by the palm of her hand just gazing off into space. She was so lost in thought she didn't even hear Connor's call.
With no answer, Connor started looking around. He saw her sitting on the crate, looking off into the distance, not moving. He looked at her thick tight curled hair and wondered how it stayed that way. Theoretically, some of it should be more chaotic. He cautiously moved up to her and noticed that she was still breathing. That was a good sign. Tentatively, he tapped her on the shoulder, "Um, excuse me?"
Marjani jumped slightly, feeling his tap on her shoulder, her eyes blinked into focus to the present and looked up to see Connor standing near her. "Oh, hey Connor, what's up? Did you find out anything?" she paused then added, "I am not sorry I kissed you but, I do apologize for- Well. Anyway, back to the other things. The Talon fighter, anything?"
Why is she apologizing to me if she's not sorry she kissed me? He shook his head, confused. People were so difficult to understand, especially pretty women. "Um, well, I, uh, have some of the updates running, but um, I need that GPU, I was talking about. Didn't come down with one, so, um, going to be a mo. So, I'll pop right out.... Alright?"
"Okay, I'll right here if you are going to be back in a few." Marjani gave a nod. "Also, if you want to ask me some questions you can, if you want that is. Oh, and your lips are rather nice, not something like stone but nice to touch with my own lips." Marjani could be a rather direct person when it comes to her personal thoughts. Most times she could keep things to herself but, Marjani just wanted to let Connor know about her opinion about him. It may make him want to run from her but, hey, if that happens, hopefully it won't happen until after her Talon was fixed. If he does, then it will be the price she paid for kissing a cute man.
A Joint Post By
Ensign Connor Turner
Computer Systems Specialist, USS Pioneer
First Lieutenant Marjani Smith
Pilot
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