Scientific Sleuthing (Part 5)

Posted on Wed Aug 7, 2019 @ 11:38pm by Lieutenant Jason Haines & Lieutenant Alanna Wells

1,424 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Haines' Quarters
Timeline: MD10 1800 hours

[Previously]

Alanna smiled at that. "No, she doesn't trust you. She knows you're up to something. I won't tell her." She paused. "So, what about the other?"

[Continued]


"Let me start out with I really like you", Jason said. "But, I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried. Not of a relationship, but for you. I already have two leads I am going to have to leave the station for, probably for an extended period of time, have had three veiled death threats, and have been cased twice, and that's in my first week here. I worry about you getting caught in the cross-hairs that are on me. When I said I don't want you to get hurt, I wasn't talking just emotionally. But I do like being with you for sure."

She couldn't deny that his words hurt. A lot. "I manage to find trouble all by myself. I've been shot at multiple times, been in a relationship that didn't work out and had my heart broken. I've been on a starship that barely survived an attack and now I have a sadistic Vulcan who wants to go to bed with me. Life's not predictable. But I'll tell you this, I'd much rather have memories of love and laughter than regret missed opportunities for happiness."

Jason smiled and said, "Well as long as you know what you are getting yourself into, I guess I can't really send you away can I?"

"Well, you could. I'm not going to force myself on you," she said. Although she was pleased he didn't chase her out.

"And do tell pretty boy I will have to kill him if he keeps trying to steal you away."

She chuckled. "He's no competition. While I like talking to him to learn about the world he came from, his thoughts are...disturbing."

"You see, you might know he isn't competition", Jason said. "But he probably doesn't. And those of us with the X chromosome are not always good at figuring that out. Especially those with disturbing thoughts."

"I'm just a toy he wants to use and throw away," she said, shrugging it off. "He'll go back to his own world and find someone else."

"Well, I do hope he decides to take the easy road and just go home and not cause any problems", Jason replied.

He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close and just held her.

She put her head on his shoulder. "So do I," she said. She didn't want him to know of her niggling worry that Sovok wouldn't let her go that easily.

Jason stroked her hair, trying to keep the fact that his inner Neanderthal was going to be watching the Vulcan like a hawk as long as he could and would drop the man if he blinked wrong. He still had his team watching both the Vulcans and the Andorian group. Of the two, he worried about the Vulcans more.

"So", he said, clearing his mind from his dark thoughts. "What are you going to be telling your friends this is. Am I your boy-friend, lover, sweet baboo, arm candy, lunk head that carries your books? I mean, I've been called worse, but I wanted to get your take on this."

"What do you want me to tell them?" she asked. "Brianthe already knows how I feel about you. T'gan might like Lunkhead. I might settle on sweetheart."

"Super awesome stud-muffin", he said. He paused a few moments before laughing. "I almost kept a straight face on that one. I think lunk head has a ring to it, but I will give you the final vote. See, I've been here such a short time, I don't have any close friends yet to tell you about, so it isn't as much of a point for me."

"I only have Brianthe. T'gan is a friend, but we don't socialize. So, we can probably take lunkhead off the table." She looked up at him and sniggered. "Super Awesome Stud Muffin?"

"A guy has to have goals", Jason replied with a smirk. "It's the only way to improve one's self."

"So, I should introduce you as my boyfriend, the super-awesome stud muffin?" She just managed to get it out before laughing.

"Well, if you do, you might be fighting off a bunch of ladies who want to get a piece of the muffin man", Jason said with a big smirk and smile.

She laughed. "When all these women ask me if I know the muffin man, I should say yes?"

"Well, as long as you don't tell them that I live on Drury lane, then I am fine with that", he answered. "You would actually be surprised about how many breakfast pastry assaults happen on Drury lane. It is starting to feel like a muffin man can't take a walk without having to arm up."

"I blame the gingerbread man. He and the witch in the woods have a candy racket going. They have kids pushing the stuff. Its' quite extensive. I hear they're going after cinnamon bears."

"I though they put him behind bars last month", Jason said. "The witch must have posted bail. Everyone knows she is the real brains behind the operation even though she plays dumb."

Jason got up, went into his bedroom, and then came back and sat down.

"Speaking of dealing with unsavory types", Jason said, handing her a gold rank pip. "Change your rank pip out tomorrow for me will you?"

"You think we'll have trouble?" she asked, taking the pip and slipping it into her pocket.

"I think the security guards who got whacked around last night would approve", Jason said. "And the operations officers who had to clean up a burned couch, and the doctors in sickbay who were patching up your disturbed friend and one of the Andorians. I don't trust the lot of them. So, when you do go back to your quarters, throw your other one away so you don't get them mixed up in the morning. If I can't pick it up on my tricorder by noon, I am coming for you."

He squeezed her hand.

"Okay," she said. "But to be honest, I wish it was a pair of stud earrings. Less likely to fall off." Or to have it left somewhere if she took off her uniform jacket.

"Slip it in your boot", Jason said. "Use a bit of adhesive to attach it on the inside so you aren't walking on it like a stone."

He paused a moment, "You might think I am being paranoid, but my godfather relayed some stories about my dad to me when I was in the academy. In his hay-day he could take on five people at once and win with minimal damage. Something tells me your Vulcan admirer would give my dad a run for his money."

She could find a way to attatch it to the inside of her boot. That was a good idea. "I've picked up some of Sovok's stronger thoughts. You're not being paranoid."

"After all", Jason said. "how could I call myself super awesome stud-muffin, if I lost you on my first full day on the job?"

That comment made her laugh. "I will not call you that in public."

"I would know the failure", he said with a smirk. "So, are you hungry?"

She hadn't thought about it before, with all the stress. "Now that you mention it, yes, I am."

"Replicated or on the Promenade?" Jason asked. "because I don't have anything real here."

"I don't care. Which do you prefer?" she asked. She was happy just to be spending time with Jason.

"Well, if we go to the Promenade, after dinner there are fun and games there", Jason said with a smile. "And well, if we are here, there are fun and games we can do as well."'

The more she thought about it, the more she didn't want to go out. Tonight, she just wanted to be with Jason. "You know, I think I'd rather stay here than go out in public."

"Well then", Jason said. "Some music and the best the replicator can offer."

He took her hand and kissed it.

"I'm all yours." She smiled. This was not at all how she thought the day would end. But it was so much better than she had hoped.

[OFF]
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Lieutenant(jg) Jason Haines
Chief Intelligence Officer
Deep Space 5

Lieutenant JG Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space Five

 

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