<USS Avalon> "Repast"
- From: CamtheTreknut@xxxxxxx
- To: avalon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2006 15:43:24 EDT
Repast
It had taken them longer than Laney had anticipated to get all of
Avalon's shuttles transferred to the ship from Izar Station. Then, as Ketchum
had requested, she and Farraday had given each and every one a thorough
examination---with the chief cracking jokes about the two of them being
doctors for
starships.
When the last of the shuttles had been examined from bow to stern
and found to be in perfect working order, Laney and Farraday called it quits,
and the younger man left for whatever pursuits he had chosen to follow. Laney,
on the other hand, still had to offload her personal effects and set up her
quarters. Before that, though, she had to eat. Eating was one of the things
she was glad she hadn't had to give up after the Changelings had given her the
ability to shapeshift as they did---she'd grown up eating food, after all,
and she really rather liked the taste of it. And although she knew she had to
be careful so as not to draw attention to herself, she suddenly did not want
to be alone.
Laney walked out of the shuttle bay and headed for the crew lounge.
She wasn't sure if the place would be operational yet, considering the ship
had only started boarding that morning. But she decided to check it out, and
if not, she would simply head back to the Einin and eat alone before getting
to work unloading the shuttle. Thankfully, there were more than a handful of
crew present, and even though she didn't actually plan on sitting with anyone,
at least she wasn't by herself.
At the replicator, she ordered a thick roast beef sandwich with
mayonnaise, lettuce, bacon and cheese, and a tall glass of cold milk. She took
her order to a table by the windows, where she sat facing them so she could
watch the scurrying about of the various ships outside. Laney was rather
surprised several minutes later when a shadow fell over her, and she looked up
to
find the handsome man whom she'd met outside the shuttle bay earlier.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
He looked down and smiled. "I was just about to ask if I could join
you. I know we've barely met, but yours is the only face in the room that I
recognize."
Why not? she mused, and with a shrug, indicated the chair across
from her. "Be my guest."
He nodded, moving around the table and placing a plate with a large
steak and a baked potato down, as well as a glass of iced tea. He pulled the
chair out and sat, placing his napkin on his lap.
"Thank you, Ensign," he said. "I do rather hate to eat alone."
Briefly an image of the dining hall at Leavenworth, full of inmates
talking and eating, trying to socialize as much as possible in the little
time they had, flashed into Laney's head. She shook it away mentally before
replying, "Generally, I don't either."
"Only generally?"
She grinned in spite of herself. "Last place I was...posted, there
were way too many people. Not that I prefer to be alone, but I rather enjoy
solitude."
He nodded after a moment. "I suppose I could understand that."
The man took a drink of his tea before holding a hand across the
table. "I suppose if we're to dine together, it would do to be courteous
enough
to introduce myself. My name is James Norrington."
"Ensign Delaney Scott," she replied as she shook the proffered hand,
eyeing him curiously.
"What? Have I tea dripping down my chin?" he asked.
Laney shook her head. "No. It's just...your name. I could swear I've
heard it somewhere before."
"Perhaps on the Federation News Net. I'm a reporter," James replied.
Laney chuckled. "That's not it---I haven't watched the news in about
seven years. No... somewhere else."
His eyes brightened, and he smiled. "I think I know," he said. "Have
you ever seen the vids or run the holonovels of the Pirates of the Caribbean
trilogy? It was a series of films from early twenty-first century. Fantastic
fun, really."
Laney snapped her fingers. "That's it! I've seen the vids, and I
loved them! James Norrington was the name of a character, an officer in the
British Royal Navy."
James nodded. "That's right. The character was portrayed by an actor
named Jack Davenport, who, as it turns out, is one of my ancestors. My mum,
a fan of the trilogy herself, thought it would be funny to name me after the
character he played, as it is through her that I am related to him."
"Isn't that interesting."
Her companion nodded. "Yes. And since they seem to think it's funny.
anyone who has seen the vids or taken part in the holonovels tends to call
me 'commodore."
Laney grinned. "I won't be among them, Mr. Norrington," she
reassured him.
"Thank goodness," James replied. "Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good
bit of fun. But it does get tedious after a while."
In the course of their conversation, Laney had managed to finish her
sandwich. She had not even noticed the passage of time, but it was well into
the evening, and she still had to unload her belongings from her shuttle
before she could go to sleep for the launch, which she had heard from Elijah
Farraday could be as soon as tomorrow.
Slowly she stood. "Well, I really should be going. Still have work
to do," she said. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Norrington."
He stood as well. "It was very nice to have met you as well,
Ensign," he replied. "And please, call me James. Only my father is Mr.
Norrington."
She nodded, picking up her dishes to take them to the recycler.
"Very well. I'll see you around, Mr.---James."
He smiled at her as she walked away, returning to his seat only
after she'd left the lounge. James finished his own meal, thinking that this
assignment for the FNN might not be so bad after all.
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