<USS Avalon> "From Print to Pleasantries"

“From Print to Pleasantries”
by Junior Lieutenant Gregory Orton
& Ensign Lexie Daros



Lexie found a table near the viewport and settled in. She tucked her feet up on the chair opposite her and waved for a server. The nearest one came over and asked for her order. "I'll have a plate of nachos with beef, lots of beef and a vanilla coke." She was in a junk food mood and the crispy, drippy nachos sounded like just the ticket. She leaned back in her seat as the server moved away and opened her book. The paper was old and yellowed, but it was one of her favorites and she turned the pages very carefully. The Once and Future King by T.H. White transported her to a day of knights in shining armor following a king who had magically pulled a sword from a stone. She loved it.

With a PADD palmed in his hand he walked across the lounge. There were too many people here, he thought as he almost ran over a young ensign attempting to pick up a fallen fork, what kind of place was this to read? He stared down at his book he downloaded from the computer's core and looked at the title: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Gregory had already read it on multiple occasions, but found it just as intriguing and interesting as the first time. Then he saw her sitting across the lounge with a book.

Not a fake book on a PADD from the computer, no, it was a real leather bound book with paper pages that were only seen in museums across the galaxy. They came one in a zillion from what Gregory had studied in the academy. Books like that weren't printed anymore and hadn't been printed in centuries. This drew him over to her table and there he stood, somewhat awkwardly, without anything to say. "Hi," he finally managed to mutter.

She looked up, drawn from the fantasy world she was reading about and saw a man standing next to her table. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with some fool who thought he could get a quick lay from the new ensign. She sighed, not moving from her position. "Hi, can I help you?"

"Uhmm," he lost track of what he wanted to say, what he'd been repeating in his head over and over again, "I just, uh, wanted to know where you got the, uhm, the book." Such a simple question and he cluttered it up with shyness and lack of courage. Sometimes he cursed himself internally.

Okay, so her first assumption had been wrong. He obviously wasn't some smooth talking jerk out after whatever he could get. She took a better look at him. Taller than she was, black hair, brown eyes...she smiled...and evidently not entirely comfortable around females. She decided to be nice. "I found it in a shop on Arcturus IV. I actually found two, this one and a book of Celtic mythology. Some trader had died and they were selling off his things. Fortunately for me, they didn't realize what they had." She held it out to him. "Would you like to see it?"

"Really? You just someone that you just met?" He extended his hand somewhat hesitantly towards the object. To be honest he'd never held an actual book from the twentieth century, but she was offering it to him like someone offers someone else a glass of water. "I would really like to hold it if, well, you would let me. What book is it? What type of books are you into?" He was stammering again. Taking a breath he just stopped and reached out for the book.

It was the first time someone had made her smile in a while. "Actually we haven't met yet. I'm Lexie Daros. Why don't you sit down and you can look at the book and I'll answer your questions." He was cute and his shyness was a fresh breath of air to what she usually got from men.

"I'd love to sit down," he sat down and placed his 'book' on the table and began to leaf through the pages of the other. "I love this book, I've read it in twenty-fourth century form, if you know what I mean." He smiled and his eyes glanced over the words that were actual print. Black ink in tabulated lines and structured in printed paragraphs - he felt as if he was holding a piece of the past. In all actuality, he really was, but it was just a surreal moment.

He looked as if he was holding the most precious object in the galaxy. In truth real books were rare and could bring a significant amount of credits if you had one that was especially desired. "I love that one too. It's one of my favorites actually." She paused, noting he seemed to be reading a passage. "But you still haven't given me your name."

He looked up and shook his head as if he was trying to remember something, "I'm sorry, I'm a bit stunned at this. I'm Gregory Orton. Greg is just fine, though. Wow, the print is in surprising good condition for being centuries old. And the page integrity is borderline flawless. For a trader he was very clean and organized," Orton still couldn't believe what he was holding in his grasp.

"He was a wealthy trader. They had some spectacular objects for sale, but the books were the only thing that interested me." She watched him handling the book, how careful he was as he turned the pages, how he studied the print and the condition of each page. He did indeed love books. If she hadn't believed that before she did now. You could always tell someone that respected books and their content, who enjoyed being transported to other places and other times. "I love all sorts of books, but I guess fantasy and mythology are what I like best. Any fiction, other than horror, is good. What about you, what do you like?"

"It varies, really. My mood is directly related to what I like to read. If I'm in happy mood I like reading satires or things meant to be funny. If I'm in a bad mood I tend to read darker materials with death and struggle." Orton smiled and put the book on the table and slid it back over to her, "but for the most part I enjoy reading things having a strong message." It was the key to literature, he thought, something that was important to the people of the time. If an author was able to convey a message in his or her writings it was a true feat of writing talent.

"I think the message of this book is hope and the idea that when a people band together anything is possible." She truly enjoyed the stories of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Despite the depressing ending. The waiter arrived with her nachos and soda. "Would you like to share?" She motioned at the plate of cheese-covered delight. "There's really too much there for just me."

He didn't normally eat that type of food. The struggle with maintaining a slim figure ended centuries ago - much like the printing of the book she had stumbled upon - but Greg had always prided himself on being physically fit. Figuring the instance to be an exception to the typically routine, he nodded, "sure, and a water please, waiter." The waiter disappeared and returned shortly with the glass of crystal clear water. "I agree with you on the book, though. Have you read Beowulf?"

She nodded. "A long while ago. Have you read much mythology?" She picked up a chip and tried to eat it neatly, but it was a useless struggle and she ended up grabbing her napkin to wipe cheese off her chin. "Sorry. I'm usually not a messy person. Can't be in my line of work."

"I've read my fair share of mythologies, but I've focused mainly in Greek and Norse. Nothing else really attracted my attention. And, for the messiness, don't worry. Everyone is entitled to their own personal time to be someone they're not. What do you think the holodecks are for?" He took a bite of a chip and took a sip of his water, "so, what do you do?"

"You really didn't get caught up in Celtic mythology. The pantheon is so complex that I find it fascinating to try and decipher." She couldn't imagine not enjoying the tales of Taleisin and Airmid and the host of others. "Greek and Roman are all right. I enjoy them too. I also enjoy Norse." She took a sip of her icy beverage. "I'm a Forensic scientist. Just came aboard."

"I'm in security," Orton smiled, "I'm sure that we'll be working together a lot. Security and Forensics will work on a lot of the same projects. Have you met Commander Javan Sierra? He's the Chief of Security and an awesome officer. Not sophisticated and very well-versed, but he's tolerable." With a smirk he downed another sour cream-laden chip and took another drink of his water.

"I really haven't had a chance to meet anyone from Security or Medical. Not yet. I'd thought to introduce myself to the Chiefs in both, but I've been really busy going over previous cases and meeting the others in the department." Not that those meetings had all gone well, but who was she to complain to someone she really didn't know. "Is there someone designated as liaison from Security to Forensics?"

"I'm not aware, why?"

"Just wondering. I'd think it would be easier if there was one person designated to work with the department. Makes for less confusion." It was a personal preference, but she'd deal with whatever she had to.

He half-shrugged and half-nodded, "yeah, I understand completely. Maybe I'll talk with Commander Sierra in possibly filling that position. I think that it would be fun. I took a Forensics course of study at the academy. Can't say I did extremely well in the class, but I held my own." He thought about the new challenges that forensic study could bring, but thought more about the beautiful woman sitting across from him.

"I'd be happy to explain anything you don't understand. The field is pretty complex, I know. And sometimes it's half psychology and half science, or at least it seems that way." She smiled. "I could put in a request for a liaison with your Commander."

"I could just talk to him and get it fixed into the system," Greg was being honest, "you wouldn't mind that, would you? I don't know how often it would be that we could be together, I mean work each other, work together. I haven't been on a mission with a murdered person or anything yet. We'll see though." He ran a nervous hand through his hair.

He'd stumbled through the one sentence and she repressed a smile. So far he hadn't proven himself a pe'tong, so she'd cut him a break. Besides she liked his smile. "If you want to ask, that's fine. If he needs confirmation of the request from me, tell him to contact me, but you know, we don't have to wait to work together to see each other."

He looked up, "really, how so?"

"I believe it's called socializing. Something you do off duty. Pleasurable activities. Like what we're doing now." He really was too cute. How had he stayed so?

Blushing, Greg nodded, "I'd like that. What other books do you have that are, well, actual books? I'd love to come see any that you have and maybe loan some from you if it was all right. It's a whole different experience reading from actual pages rather than some database in a data storage device, you know?" It really was. It was more material, more real, and had more of a presence than on a simulated screen.

"I have a volume of Shakespeare and one of American history. I got those..." She looked at him conspiratorially. "A bit off the path if you know what I mean. And sure, you can borrow them."

Smirking, he nodded, "Shakespeare is always good. I did a bit of acting in my early days at the academy. Maybe reading some Shakespeare would be good. Would you like to get together after our shifts? I have to be on duty in about ten minutes and I feel that this should be expanded upon. What do you think?"

She stood and smiled, regretfully leaving the rest of her chips. "I'd like that. Why don't you come to my quarters?"

"Where and when?"

"Deck Seven, quarters 720. Right after you get off? We can do something about dinner from the replicator." She wasn't one to beat around the bush and she liked this guy. First one...first one ever.

"I can't wait. Goodbye, Ms. Daros." With that he started to scoot from the booth and move away towards the door. He felt a spring and a bounce in his step. Something had provoked something within him. He was drawn to her. Finally, after years of seeing people clash with him, there was someone out there for him.

Lexie watched him go, scooped up another chip and munched it happily before heading to Forensics. Nice guy. It would remain to be seen if he stayed that way.

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