<USS Banshee> "The Simplest Questions"

From: "Brad Ruder" <GroundZero@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ussbanshee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 23:25:20 -0700

?The Simplest Questions?
by Lieutenant Joshua Asper

He had finally slipped into a position of complete bliss. The sheets were cool to the touch and were tangled comfortably about his body, and the pillow was tucked ever so delicately behind his head. Total solitude and serenity had overwhelmed him and he could feel the sleep tugging at his eyelids.

Peace was overrated. The loud beeping of his console shattered the calm tranquillity that he?d gotten accustomed to. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting again to the dim lighting, and his elbows propped himself up. Scanning the room a shining red light jumped off the black background of the darkened quarters like a beacon in the night.

Shrugging and kicking his bare feet off his bed and onto the floor, Josh stood and tried desperately to remember just what a good night sleep was, and what all it entailed. A smile tugged at his face as he pulled on his shirt that was draped casually over the end of the bed.

Slumping in front of his console he completed the transmission and the blinding face of his brother, Jerrad popped up on the display. At the tender age of nineteen the aura of innocent was powerful, but the determination shining behind the inexperienced soul was amazing. It reminded Josh, trying to be as humble as possible, about himself during his glimmering time at the academy.

?Josh! Good to see you.?

Josh?s face was less than welcoming. ?Do you have any idea what time it is out here??

The color in his face drained like water from a sieve. He stuttered around some words, phrases, random sounds, and finally settled on the time-honored class phrase, ?I?m sorry.?

Waving a gingerly hand of brotherly love, Josh wiped away what sleep had come to him into oblivion and stared at his glowing brother. ?You look like you just stepped out of an anti-matter explosion. Or, you were just nuked in a reenactment of the bombing of Hiroshima.?

?Hiroshima??

?Never mind, what?s on your mind, kid??

?I?m currently top in my class! All of them I?m the reigning king!? Jerrad?s excitement was profound, although it was completely misplaced.

Smiling a bit, Josh leaned closer. ?What year are you now??

?Still first year.? Jerrad?s grin would grow bigger, but if that happened then his entire face would cease to exist. It would engulf his whole head and the only thing left would be the unsightly view of teeth.

?Sorry to burst your bubble, Jerrad, but you have three more years to go.?

?I know, but I?m confident that I can hold out.? The enthusiasm alone would make Josh yearn to have his brother on the Banshee. The dedication, though young and still unrefined, would serve in and of itself as the deciding factor for promotions to duty assignments. Yes, Josh though, Jerrad would be a fine officer one day, but the skills would have to be honed first.

Nodding, Josh continued, ?Just make sure your mind stays on the tasks at hand and avoid letting things attract your attention. Alcohol, partying, childish pranks?? Josh trailed off as his thoughts wandered to his own academy days.

??and women?? Jerrad?s tone and topic sparked Josh?s attention. The grin was growing and Josh couldn?t stop it. Jerrad ran a hand through his hair, which was partially slicked back like Josh liked his own to be, but there was an aura of less innocent and more rebellion than he normally saw in his brother.

?What was her name?? Josh had seen the look before.

?Jamie.? Jerrad?s eyes glazed over for a moment and it seemed as if he?d slipped into some erotic fantasy that only played in his head. ?I?ll tell you, she did some things that I?d never imagined a woman could do. She did this thing with her tongue??

Enough of that, Josh thought. ?Jerrad, I?m your brother. I don?t really care much to hear about your first sexual experience. I?ve had my own. You keep the details of yours to yourself, and I?ll keep the secrets that I hide kept in my own vault ? OK??

Smiling warmly, Jerrad nodded, ?Sure thing. If you ever need tips, you know who to call.? His brother winked at him and perked his eyebrows a couple of times. ?If you know what I?m saying. Speaking of which, how is that Heather chick??

?She?s good, thanks.? Josh obviously was withholding the truth about the fact that she was slated to kill some Admiral and stop the spread of trading and selling slaves. Josh knew, other than the minor infractions of threatening to kill people and disturbing the peace that she was just a normal person.

?How?s the Banshee treating you??

?Good, all things considering. We?re off to pick up a Betazoid ambassador that wants us to have a ball ? Betazoid style.? He fought the urge to roll his eyes, ?You know we just bend over backwards for the people that apparently run the governments of the galaxy.?

Jerrad shuffled around somewhere outside the console?s view, but his eyes managed to stray casually back to the screen several times. ?Well, you know that if the governments weren?t the way they are then we?d all be living in escape pods and being pillaged by space pirates. Then again, that does sound fun.?

?Well, it?s not that bad I guess. It is a party after all.?

?You said Betazoid, right??

?Yes, why?? Josh reached over and tapped a few buttons on the control pad to his replicator and instantly there was a cup of coffee.

Jerrad nodded again and that same sly grin drifted its way over his facial features, ?That means that everyone is naked, huh??

Typical teenage boy. Josh knew that he was the same way when he was a kid, but it still seemed odd coming from someone of his own blood that wasn?t him. He shook his head, a smile dancing its way across his lips as well. ?Yes, Jerrad, naked.?

?You going??

?I haven?t decided, but then again I don?t know if I?m even invited to the damn thing.?

Jerrad snickered, ?Would you go naked??

?If I had to, Jerrad, yes I would.? Josh almost couldn?t believe the level of immaturity that his brother was exhibiting. Taking into account that he?d just started the academy and some of the most fundamental courses were still incomplete, Jerrad was acting just like someone his age should act ? immature.

He blushed, which took Josh by surprise, ?What happens if you, or another other guy there, was to become ?excited? by one of the female members??

Josh laughed out loud, ?Are you kidding??

?Well, I know what would happen, but how would you react??

His question his Josh and he opened his mouth to reply, but he couldn?t determine an answer. His mouth stood there, open, but without a response to the inquiry. Josh thought about it for a moment, his eyes darting frantically about the room for an answer, but none came. ?I don?t know?that?s a good question.?

?Ask that hot red head you dated.?

?Sara??

?Yes, if I remember correct she was a Betazoid and would know these things.? Jerrad seemed enthused to figure out what would happen in a brief moment of ?excitement?. ?Well, you can contact me later. I?m due on bay patrol in two hours and haven?t slept all night. Well, unconscious sleeping that is.? He winked and closed the communiqué.

Josh rolled his eyes, ?Goodnight to you too.? Josh walked over and pulled off his shirt again and draped it in its previous position. He rolled himself back into the comfort of the pillows and sheets and closed his eyes.

They sprung open again. What would happen if some guy at the party became ?excited??

<USS Banshee> "The Simplest Questions"

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