<USS Avalon> "Making a Connection"

"Making a Connection"
By: Commander Javan Sierra and Ensign Melanie Redgrave

There was an odd vibe on the ship that felt as if a coal black cloud had 
settled in over it. It was quite unnerving to Melanie as she walked through 
it’s 
near empty halls towards the second officer’s office. Maybe it was all the 
time 
she’d spent at crime scenes while she was with the ME’s office, or maybe it 
was all the Agatha Christie novels she’d read over the years, but something 
just didn’t feel right to her. She shook of the feelings as best she could as 
she got closer to the office. She didn’t need one of her superiors’ first 
impression of her to be as a nervous Nelly.  Melanie walked up to the door on 
her 
left, checked the number with the number on the padd and then rang the chime 
and waited.  

He was pouring through personnel evaluations and other things that he wished 
would float out an airlock.  It was tedious being in a position of such 
authority sometimes.  He wished that he could shovel it onto the unsuspecting 
back 
of one of his assistants, but it wasn't easy.  The chime rang and he sighed 
heavily - thankful for the interruption - and placed the PADD on the table.  
Setting himself, he called out.  "Enter."  

Melanie walked into the office and quickly looked it over before coming to 
attention in front of the rather handsome man sitting behind the desk. "Ensign 
Melanie Redgrave reporting for duty, Sir." Melanie announced which almost 
sounded musical with her accent. She looked over the man, sizing him up and 
comparing him to what she’d read in files on the shuttle ride over. 

"Please sit, Ensign, and welcome aboard."  She had that gorgeous quality to 
her.  In her file, which he'd fully engrossed himself in during another attempt 
to put off reports and evaluations, he'd read that she was intelligent, 
funny, and the gorgeous factor was just tossed on in.  "I see that you have 
extensive background in the Forensic Sciences.  Took some of those classes for 
my 
security credential.  Interesting stuff, albeit it disgusting depending on the 
situation.  How'd you get into this line of work?"  

"A natural sense of curiosity and the ability to have fun with it." Melanie 
replied as she took the seat in front of the Commander’s desk. "Growing up I 
read a lot of crime novels and excelled in science so it was a given career 
choice." She smiled warmly as she smoothed out the seam in her uniform pants, 
her 
jade green eyes never leaving his deep brown ones. She mentally reminded 
herself to keep it professional and avoid the urge to flirt, but it came second 
nature to her.  

 "Curiosity is a very good thing, Ensign, don't ever lose it," Javan leaned 
on the front of his desk.  "I see you worked planetside on Earth for a long 
time.  What made you make the move to a starship?  Most people who choose 
planetary work as their initial posting stay within the field of planetary 
colonies 
or stations.  Not many cross mix."  

Melanie paused a moment to think about her answer. "Well, to be honest Sir, 
though I know it may sound corny I felt there was something out here I needed 
to find. Something that I couldn’t get planetside." She hoped that was close 
enough to the real reasons she had for up rooting her life. She didn’t want 
to 
go into details but she didn’t want to lie to a Betazoid either.

He tilted his head, "I think that, at some point or another, everyone that 
joins Starfleet has that mentality.  If you ask a good majority of the crew on 
board I'm sure they'll answer the same as you just did.  How many people 
actually find what they're 'looking for' is another story."  Javan smiled at 
her 
with that winning smile - the one that melts hearts - and he smirked, "perhaps 
you'd like to get coffee or something later and discuss our experience in this 
not-so-glamorous field?"

The smile on her face quickly became a knowing smirk. He was right about not 
many people being lucky enough to find what they were looking for, but she wasn
’t one of them. She was so close she could almost taste it. "I don’t drink 
coffee Commander but I wouldn’t object to having company for evening tea." 
This 
one could be useful. There was only so much information she could gather from 
computer records. He’d have first hand information that no file would have. 

"Tea sounds," Javan didn't know how to put it delicately and still salvage 
the invitation, "nice.  I would love to join you for some.  I don't get off for 
a couple of hours, but I'd love to contact you when I have a free moment.  Is 
that all right with you?" 

Melanie laughed. "That’s fine with me, Commander, and I do know how to make 
coffee if tea isn’t to your liking." This was a surprising twist of fate but 
Melanie wasn’t about to allow a chance like this to slip though her fingers.  

"I'm assuming that you're here for your security codes?  If you are they are 
right here and, if you're not, take them anyway because you're going to need 
them."  Javan slid a PADD across his desk to her and stared again into her 
green eyes.  "If there is anything else I can do to make your transition to the 
ship more comfortable, please let me know." 

"Thank you, Sir. I must say you’ve been far kinder then I had expected." 
Melanie took the padd from his desk and looked it over. "I only hope the rest 
of 
my superiors are even partly as warm and welcoming as you."   

 "They will if they know what's good for them," he smiled at her again, "you 
have the ability to conceal a perfect crime.  I'd be scared not to."  

Melanie laughed freely. "No worries there, Commander. It’s much more fun to 
solve the crime then to commit it." The odd feeling that Melanie had had in the 
hall returned and she couldn’t help but wonder why she felt the way she did 
when making her way to a sight. The smile on her face never faded as she shook 
off the odd feeling but there was bound to be a new twinkle to her eyes. "I 
should probably let you get back to work. I didn’t mean to take up so much of 
your time." 

 "Any time, Ensign, any time.  Welcome aboard, again."  

Melanie stood slowly and offered her hand to Javan. "Thank you, Commander, 
and I’ll be looking forward to tea." 

"Me too," he stood and shook her hand. 

His hand was surprisingly soft and for some reason Melanie made a note of 
this. She smiled at him one last time as he released her hand and then gave him 
a 
polite nod upon her dismissal. She walked slowly back out into the hallway 
and as soon as she heard the doors close behind her a new kind of smile tugged 
on her lips.

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