<USS Avalon> Log-To Dine with the Thomas's

To Dine With the Thomas?s

-Ensign Thomas and Ensign Black

 

 

 

 

Fire...burning...searing heat...incredible, unfathomable 
hatred...revenge...pain...pain...pain...

Doge awoke with a shout from the nightmare, his skin slick and his sheets wet 
with sweat. The shout died away almost instantly, overtaken by a heavy, audible 
panting. Dodge sat up and lowered his head into his hands and felt the cold 
sweat running down his back and chest. After he caught his breath, he climbed 
out of bed and went to the bathroom where he splashed some water on his face.

A glint of silver caught his eye as he was drying his face off. The ring that 
he had found a few days ago in the turbolift almost seemed to reflect more 
light that was in the room. For a moment, it almost glowed, but Dodge was sure 
that he just had something in his eye. He turned the ring with his fingers for 
a moment before slipping it on his finger. A feeling of sad remembrance washed 
over him, accompanied by a vague feeling of comfort and normalcy.

Life needed to go on.

___________________________________________________________________________

Engineering was it's usual busy self, like a nest of ants that at first glance 
have no purpose, but looking deeper each individual working on a specific task 
for the betterment of all. All the activity gave Ensign Black a headache. His 
shift nearly over, Sirius logged off the computer he was working on and stepped 
out of the indented alcove that he had been working in.

The sound of something rather heavy and probably fragile tipping over and 
crashing to the ground filled the room for a second, followed by a dense 
silence.

"Ensign Criswell!" Sirius heard the chief engineer bellow. 

"I didn't, that is, I mean...well honestly! Who ever thought of putting a stack 
of plasma canisters right here?!" She indicated the heap of empty plasma 
canisters that she had apparently tripped over. "If you want me to clean the 
plasma conduits, it's all fine and good, but don't block me in there!"

"It's just a good thing that they weren?t full, or we'd be cleaning you off the 
plasma conduits...with a sponge."

Leila Criswell sighed and started stacking the plasma canisters back up again, 
mumbling to herself about the unflattering characteristics of one Dodge Thomas.

"She's something of a ditz, huh?" Ensign Black smiled at Dodge who rolled his 
eyes and smiled back. "Yea, but she can outperform a Borg drone while 
interfacing with the computer. Have you seen her? It's like her hands are 
liquid. She just flows and so does the information. I guess it comes from a few 
years working at the LCARS Database."

Sirius nodded. "Between her computer skills and Hobbes' technical skills, they 
could run engineering."

"Hey!" Dodge smiled again, then checked his chronometer. "Well, it looks as 
though my shift is over. Have a good one." He nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute! My shift's over now too. We could go to the holodeck or 
something."

Dodge hesitated. "I don't know, I was looking forward to spending a nice quiet 
night with my Ed.

"Ed?" Sirius' eyes narrowed slightly. "Who is this Ed? Boyfriend? Partner?"

This time, Dodge laughed out loud. "No, no, nothing like that. He's a 
pet...sort of...he's, well...it'd be easier to show you, but he doesn't like 
strangers."

"I'm sure he'll like me. I'm great with animals."

Dodge seriously doubted how 'great' Sirius would be with Sir Ed.

___________________________________________________________________________

A highly decorated and no doubt antique china plate sparkled in the light of 
Dodge's quarters. Delicate and beautifully detailed characters symbolizing 
life, vitality, animals, people and a plethora of other little niceties in life 
ordained it's outer borders, while the picture of an Asian house with a 
waterfall in the background were etched in the center with a vibrant blue. The 
plate was ageless, expensive and floating. Actually, it was flying. 

Until it struck the far wall of Dodge's quarters. At that point, it ceased to 
be a plate and became much smaller and sharper versions of the plate.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? He's a guest, Ed!"

"I don't care. He smells funny...like...cabbage!"

"What?! You can't even smell things! You're a god damn hologram!"

"Well if I could smell, I'm certain he would simply reek of the vile greenery!"

"Should I go?" Sirius offered cautiously.

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Shut up you! You! Get out!"

"Computer, remove program's head."

"What! No. You can--" Ed's head vanished along with his voice.

"That was un-gamely of you, Dodge."

"Well, he did throw one of my antique plates."

Ed's head reappeared. "And I'd do it again if I could. Watch!" A holographic 
representation of the plate appeared in his hands and he chucked it again at 
Sirius. It vanished the second it left his hand, but Sirius still ducked. "Ha! 
And you call yourselves superior!" then quickly "two for flinching!" and he 
threw two more plates in quick succession at Sirius, who obidiently ducked 
again.

"Stop it Ed! Do you see what you've done! Look at this mess!"

Ed paused and stared at the floor. "Hmmm. Multiple fragments...some large, some 
small." He grinned at a disgusted Dodge.

"Oh just go away ya bloody beast."

"Excuse me? Excuse me? What was that? Bloody beast? I was going to be quiet, 
but now I don't think so!" He ran to the closed door of Dodge's quarters and 
made a horrible meowing howl. "Meow! Meow! I'm a cat! Meow! I want to go out, 
but I can't make my mind up so I want to come in! Meow! Meow! I'm hungry and 
possibly sick! I'm tired and cranky! Maybe I ate too much grass and now I have 
diarrhea! Who knows? I'm a cat! Meow! Meow!"

"Shut up, Ed."

Ed glared and then vanished with a puff of green looking smoke.

"Does he always do that smoke thing?"

"No, he just wanted to make a scene." Dodge smiled sheepishly. "I think he was 
successful. What a mess."

"He's really...interactive. How'd you manage to get a program like that?"

"I wrote it. I've always been good with holographic programs. See that little 
box over there?" 

"Yea." 

"It's a type of portable emitter. It has it's own holographic dispenser, and an 
embedded security program so Sir Ed can't tamper with it. He's stuck in it 
forever, but it also gives him quite a bit of freedom. He's created his own 
little world in there and he spends a large amount of time living there, which 
is fine by me." Dodge stood up, finding what he was looking for. "Here we go. 
See? Here's the schematics."

Sirius took the PADD with an odd look of earnest interest. "I see. This is very 
interesting." He studied the PADD for a few more minutes, while Dodge prepared 
them something to eat.

"How's chicken sound?" he popped his head into the living area and found Sirius 
standing and studying the box. "Sirius? Are you okay?"

Sirius looked extremely worried. "I'm sorry Dodge. I have to 
go...something...urgent has come up." With that, Sirius dashed out of Dodges 
quarters.

"Told you he was no good." Ed reappeared. "But nooo, we had to go and break 
dishes and cut people's heads off and everything." Ed looked truly hurt.

"I'm sorry Eddie." Dodge smiled sympathetically. "You'll always be my best 
friend."

"Well don't you forget it," his eyes narrowed to what are commonly referred to 
as 'slits'. "Or I shall have to take extreme measures, and god help you if I 
have to do that!"

"So," Dodge laughed nervously, eyeing Ed in the same manner one does a rabid 
squirrel. "Want some chicken?"



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