Shore Leave: Impossible

Posted on Tue Aug 3rd, 2010 @ 5:14pm by

It had been a few days since the Endeavour's rather abrupt mission end and Nessa had been contemplating actually taking advantage of the offered shore leave rather than spending her time in the lab and trying to recreate the results of the data they had gathered from the Metron teleporter. She had a few pretty good ideas, but so far had managed to only transport atoms rather than actual objects, and even those at the cost of too much power for the process to seem effective, not with the current starfleet technology.

She sighed, shrugged her shoulders and decided to give it a rest and go back to her quarters, filing the results within the ship's computer. Perhaps someone would be able to reduce the power required or create a power generator that might be able to produce the required power for the technology to actually be useful.

The ship seemed empty, almost crewless as it was with everyone having fun on the station they were docked with, but that is how she preferred things, having never really been the kind of person to have fun. She passed a couple of low-ranking security officers on her way to her quarters and nodded towards them in response to their salutes. She knew quite well that rumors would be circulating by now, each one farther from the truth than the previous one. Rumors regarding her disposition and the reason for her staying aboard the ship rather than enjoying her shore leave.

"I just don't find a reason to go and entertain myself." she murmured under her breath, letting out a loud sigh as she realized she was talking to herself. "Great, now everyone is going to think I'm crazy no doubt," she thought as she glanced back over her shoulder toward the security personnel she had just passed, wondering if they had noticed her temporary insanity. They didn't seem to be paying attention to her, so she continued on her way, stopping in front of the door to her quarters and keying in the entry code. The door slid open with its usual hiss, and she stepped into the darkness without bothering to turn the lights on. After all, it was her room, one that she had spent quite a bit of time in and she knew where everything was without needing to actually see it.

Slumping down in her bed, she murmured almost breathlessly, "Lights, low" and the interior lighting came on, bathing the room in a very soft glow. She reached out to the one thing she had insisted on bringing with her despite the fact that everyone had argued over the actual need for an item so heavy on a ship. A small, rather old safe that kept only one item within it - a photograph of her best (and only) friend during her time with Starfleet Academy. Nessa had always had a sort of crush on the pretty blond that looked back at her from the picture frame, but had never acted on her feelings, too afraid that she'd be rejected.

Nessa hopped in her bed, not really bothering to remove her uniform as she propped the pillow up so she can lean her back against it, holding the framed picture in front of her face and staring at the girl portrayed there. A single tear ran down the Science Officer's cheek as she whispered, "Good night and sweet dreams, wherever you are." Minutes later, Nessa was sound asleep, the picture still held in one of her hands as she dozed off.