In Place Of Power Couplings

Posted on Tue Apr 13th, 2010 @ 10:54am by Captain Alexander Gunning

Mission: Commissioned
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD03 2130

[ON]

Allein turned up to the Captain's office with her usual PaDD and raktajino in hand, pressing the chime almost without thinking about it. She didn't really wonder why he wanted to see her, probably nothing more than the usual check up to see how all the pieces of the ship were fitting together and whether or not they would completely implode in a fire fight.

"Come in." Came the almost hollow voice from beyond the door.

The engineer only lowered her PaDD when she was well inside the room and the doors had closed. Best not waste time with any unnecessary eye contact or pleasantries. She approached the desk. "You asked to see me, sir?"

"When was the last time you sat down, Mara?" The Commanding Officer said without offering any form of greeting.

Allein blinked at him and tapped her PaDD absently against one leg. "I . . . don't know." She shook her head and tacked on a quick "sir".

"Sit down, Lieutenant." He said, still not looking up from the Operations report he was reading. He refused to give anything away to the woman. "And the last time you ate properly?"

The engineer glanced at her PaDD and considered continuing her work as they carried on this rather unnecessary conversation. If this was going where she thought it was going she was about to be reprimanded for thoroughly disregarding the Doctor's orders and decided that not showing her complete attention was probably not a good idea. "I . . . had a banana an hour ago." As soon as she said it her stomach rumbled and she realised that that hour was closer to three.

"Your stomach really answered that question for me," he said finally placing the PaDD on the desk, "the Doctor told you that you were to take shorter shifts. I assume you haven't been?"

She repressed a derisive snort that turned into a strange sort of a cough. She felt herself going a bit pink. "No, sir," was all she managed to say, then she straightened. There was no reason to be afraid of Gunning; She didn't need to pretend she wasn't, well, exactly what she was around him in the very least. "Somehow I thought the good doctor might prefer a functioning life-support system." She scoffed. "Then again, maybe she'd prefer holding her breath, just so long as everyone gets a square bloody meal."

"Well, I appreciate that Mara and I wouldn't have anyone less dedicated running that engine room. Why don't we have something to eat? At least that way I know that you've had something more than a piece of fruit to see you through the day."

Mara looked at him, her eyebrow rising as she fought her desire to smile. She should have known that he would have been after something like that all along. "Alright." She allowed the smile to only just peek through. "But only because you didn't make it an order, Alex." Her smile disappeared as she corrected herself. "Sir."

"Well it's hardly as if you need an order to make you relax, is it?" He walked over to the replicator and began knocking in commands. "What do you fancy?"

"I'm not sure." She paused, watching him punch in some instructions. "Something . . . spicy." She smiled, imagining a steaming dish of hasperat.

"Right. I have an idea. It's not quite as spicy as hasperat but I think you'll enjoy it. Computer- Thai Red Curry. Add Scotch Bonnet chilli to the recipe." He took the plates from the replicator and carried them to the desk, passing one to the Lieutenant and cracking a smile as she sniffed the dish.

Allein sank into the seat and immediately her feet gave a small throb of gratitude, but she didn't show any sign of it as she investigated the dish. If he had known she had been thinking of hasperat, why hadn't he simply made her hasperat? Oh well. She picked up her fork and tentatively tried a bite. Her expression cleared and she relaxed a little into the chair. "This is really good," she offered, sounding necessarily humbled.

"I knew you'd like it," the commander replied through a mouthful of food. "It's been developed over centuries has this recipe. Just so that two officers could sit in a cramped office and stuff their faces with noodles instead of doing any work."

She laughed but it didn't seem to be entirely there. "Then they have my gratitude. Although maybe not that of the rest of the crew if you call for quantum torpedoes and all we have are noodles to throw at the enemy." She found a smile and gave it to him before continuing in on the spicy dish. Even as she ate her stomach growled as though expressing thanks for the sustenance.

[OFF]

Commander Alex Gunning
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Allein Mara
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Jackal