<USS Avalon> log-Organics and their Issues

Organics and their Issues

-Dodge Thomas



 

 

 

The doors to engineering slid shut behind Dodge, cutting off the rhythmic 
mechanical sounds within. A sigh of relief issued from his very soul. First 
day's and first impressions were over. The new Ensigns were doing fine without 
his constant supervision. He was just glad that his sixteen hour shift was 
over. The shower he had taken that morning felt like it was light years away, 
and ironically, it was. For nearly a day now they had been underway, plowing 
forward to some unspecified destination. But Dodge couldn't care less. He would 
take a hot dinner and a soothing bath over the command of a starship right 
about then.

The sound of scuffling came from down the corridor and Dodge grudgingly 
increased his pace. A woman with bouncy blonde hair and bluish eyes came 
running down towards him, tears causing her makeup to streak. A red mark was 
beginning to form just below her eye, and Dodge guessed that she had been 
struck.

"Miss? Miss? Are you okay? Do you need help?"

The answer was quick, concise, and final. "NO!" She vanished into the turbolift.


Dodge shook his head, wondering what had just transpired. There was no one else 
in the corridor besides himself. He waited for another car to arrive, letting 
his thoughts go back to the hot bath and dinner. When the car did finally 
arrive, he was assaulted by a throng of giddily chatting computer techs, all on 
their way to go and repair any damage done to the main computer core that may 
have happened when the power was temporarily cut off.

As soon as the group of techs had emptied the car, he stepped inside. "Crew 
quarters," he said with a sigh. A rush of cool air caressed his face and the 
doors slid shut. The ride was silent, as elevator music had died out in the 
late twenty-second century. Dodge of course, had no idea what elevators were, 
or what elevator music was, but that didn't matter to him. His mind was adrift, 
already sinking into the warm aromatic waters in his quarters. He glanced down 
absentmindedly, admiring the pattern of the carpet and spotted a ring. It 
wasn't an elaborate ring to be sure. Indeed, it was about as simple as they 
came. No fancy diamonds or gemstones of any kind, not even a respectful or 
amorous inscription.

He turned the silver band over in his hands, spotting a group of numbers 
inscribed upon the inner surface.

"Two six eight four seven nine three one." He read aloud. "That's odd." By odd, 
he meant that it made no sense, and that he really didn't care what it meant 
anyway. The doors to the turbolift slid open and he stepped out, unconsciously 
slipping the ring into his pocket as he went.

Exactly two hot, candle lit bathes, four symphonies, and one platter of chicken 
lobster and bacon alfredo (that is to say almost two and a half hours later) 
afterward found Dodge lying on his stomach wearing nothing but black boxer 
shorts and reading a nice, soothing book. His request for a new mattress had 
been met with some animosity, but human resources had eventually broken down 
and he was comfortably whiling away the minutes before he drifted off to sleep.

The message light on his computer began to blink, and Dodge wearily got up to 
retrieve the message. 

It read:

'Sir, My Name is Summer Khellian. I sure you have received my orders by now. 
But I would like to request a meeting with you at your convenience. Just so I 
may have a chance to introduce myself and get to know you on a professional 
level. Ensign Khellian.' 

Dodge sniffed. He had been wondering when he would be able to meet with his 
last Ensign. 

?Computer, send reply: Good evening Ensign Khellian. A meeting would be 
excellent, how?s thirteen hundred hours sound? I?ll be in engineering. 
Gratuitously and awaiting your reply--Ensign Thomas. End Message and send.?

The computer beeped and informed him that his message had been sent. 
Simultaneously, a shadowy figure appeared behind him, the figure of?..the cat.

"Oh, you're back again, are you?" A familiar voice chimed from somewhere above 
him. "Hardly even noticed that you had left."

Dodge sighed. "Good evening, Sir Ed."

"Good evening Sir Ed." The cat repeated sarcastically with a babyish infliction 
to his voice. "Is that the best you can do?"

"Computer, deactivate program."

Sir Ed vanished.

Sir Ed reappeared lividly.

"DAMN YOU! Stop doing that!"

"Computer, disable vocals."

".................................." Ed's lips moved fervently, but nothing 
came out. He reminded Dodge of a monk silently reciting a prayer, but he knew 
without a shadow of a doubt that he was doing anything but praying. 
".............and if I ever get to.....oh...heh...would you look at that? I can 
talk again."

"You're program adapts too fast. We'll have to remedy that."

"Oh, I think that I shall be the one remedying you!"

"Shut up. I'm not in the mood."

"Shut up, I'm not in the mood." Ed repeated, using the same babyish tones.

Dodge threw a pillow at the cat, who vanished and then reappeared. "You'll have 
to be faster than that if you want to--

Ensign Karen Ross walked through him and he swore at her.

?DAMN YOU WOMAN!?

?Oh? Hey Dodge, where?d you get the cat??

Dodge rubbed his eyes sleepily. ?Around.? He looked at her oddly. ?How the heck 
do you keep getting in??


?You still have non-secure quarters, silly!? She tousled his hair and he 
grumbled. 

?I?ll have to get Commander Sierra to fix that.? He flopped back down on his 
bed and rolled over on his back.

?Nice boxers.?

?Eat it??..Go away. I?m tired.?

Karen giggled. ?Good night, Dodgy Dearest.?

?Good night Karen.? Dodge said, mimicking Sir Ed?s tonal inflictions. 

?Yes, be gone woman!? Sir Ed said, presenting her with a dismissing hand 
gesture.

The doors slid shut and Karen was gone.

?Well,? Sir Ed commented, ?I?m certainly glad that that?s over. Don?t you 
think??

But Dodge was already asleep, his chest rising and falling with each quiet 
breath.

Sir Ed sighed, caught sight of a silver trickle of drool that was slowly 
beginning to manifest on the corner of Dodge?s mouth. 

?Organics,? he muttered.



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!

Other related posts: