Morning Glory

Posted on Wed Dec 7th, 2011 @ 2:15pm by Captain Claudia Drake & Admiral Ricky Wegener

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Starbase 900
Timeline: 0530, Day 1

Claudia walked through the decks of Starbase 900 with a determination that sent signals to those she passed not to try to stop her to talk. She hummed to block out the boring conversation of the two young yeomen who were getting ready to start a duty shift in Ops. How the life of the young was a mystery to her, they were concerned with where and when to eat, and what club they should go to afterwards, where-as the only thing on her mind was the issue that brought her back to 900 so quickly.

"Then they brought me these disgusting flowers, they were red, and he give me 12 of them! I mean 12? What the hell is up with that!? Such an odd number."

Her friend snorted, "I know, but at least yours didn't take you to the opera....do I look old?"

As they continued to move at speed through the bowels of the Station Claudia could no longer take their incessant nattering. She coughed to try and signal to them to shut up, but the conversation continued.

"And then...when he walked me home, he gave me a kiss on cheek. I was expecting a lot more than that, but he just gave me a kiss and said good-night...I'm sure he must be a closet-case." said the blonde one, fiddling with the PADD in her hand.

Claudia sighed again, but only louder, to no avail, finally she spoke, "I'm sorry to interrupt...well no actually I'm lying, I am more than happy to interrupt. You two young women are the most vacuous and boring arseholes I think I have ever had the misfortune of being stuck in a turbo lift with. You act as if a man treating you with respect and trying to follow the traditional rules of courtship is anathema." she stared at them, "You two really need to buck your ideas up, and realise that men like that do not come along every-day and are to be cherished for the way they cherish you. He is treating you with respect when you would rather he rips your knickers off and treat you like a whore?!" her voice was rising, "And another thing you poor excuse for an organ donor, 12 roses is the traditional human way of expressing affection for another, try reading something other than "Vogue" and treat him with the respect he treats you!"

"Excuse me?!"

"Please don't make me repeat that, or it shall be liberally dotted with choice phrases that haven't been uttered for over a century.

"I don't know who you think you are old lady, but it's rude to jump in on someone else's conversation." she looked Claudia up and down, and then her brunette friend spoke.

"Yeah especially from someone dressed like a Romulan."

Claudia saw that they had reached the level she wanted, "I know who I am, it has taken me a very long time to realise that there is more to life that superficiality and vanity, it is something you will learn in time." she stepped past them onto the deck, and just as the doors closed she added, 'And grey is in this season, thank you very much." the door shut and smiled to herself, she began to walk down the corridor towards his quarters. She reached the door and stood in silence, she pressed the over-ride to no avail, then she spoke, "Computer open the door."

"Access to Admiral Wegener's quarters is restricted." came the voice.

"I am on the approved entry list. Captain Claudia Drake."

"Voice authorisation confirmed. Entry granted."

The doors quietly hissed open, and Claudia stepped into the darkened quarters, she walked through the living room into the bedroom. She silently watched Ricky sleep, she waited about 10 minutes before she finally spoke to wake him.

"For the love of...Ricky, get your lardy-boxed-pips-arse out of bed!"

Oddly enough, this wasn't the first time Claudia had slipped into his quarters to fuss, complain or argue. At the sound of her voice, his eyes popped open wide, he sighed heavily, and ordered the lights on.

"Honestly," he said, not bothering to cover up his almost nude body--thank goodness for underwear, "we've got to stop meeting this way. And I'm thinking seriously about keeping you from entering any area on the base that I'm currently in."

He sat up, ran his fingers through his hair and looked at her...waiting for whatever barrage she was going to lay on him.

"You know nothing can keep me out of somewhere I want to be" she said with a smile, "You need to hit the gym a bit more...you're going tubby around the edges." she poked his stomach as she sat on the edge of his bed, "Oh I'm fine thanks for asking, yeah just your normal trip to Earth: got promoted; got the Medal of Honour; almost died when a booby-trapped Ferengi shuttle was in our flight-path. You know, same-old same-old."

"What?" he asked, now fully engaged in her conversation. "Bobby trapped? By whom? There are hardly any Ferengi out here that would matter, and even fewer in the galaxy that would scuttle their own ship since they paid such a price for it."

"That's it, you focus on that, ignore the promotion and the medal of honour" she sighed at him and flopped back across the bottom of his bed, laying over his feet, "Is it too early to drink?"

He yanked his feet out from under her and stood from the bed. Pulling on a dark maroon robe and slippers, he walked out to the bar and pulled two tumblers and a glass of his best whisky. "You know, Claud, you're worse than any woman I've ever met. I worry about your health and welfare and you chastise me for not immediately congratulating you on your awards." Walking back to the room he handed her the glass. "Congratulations, by the way."

Claudia smiled, "You should know it takes more than that to take.me down" she stood up and walked towards the replicator and orders some tea, "So what have I missed?"

"All sorts of shit. Kidnappings--two of 'em, a much bigger rise in the criminal element than I'm comfortable with, a very large explosion in one of our hangar bays that killed several and injured many more..." He just stopped talking. "You know, just check the daily reports. It's all in there. It's entirely too early to recount all of this."

Claudia looked at him in silence, "Yeah...same shit, different day" the sarcasm dripping from her words. "Well Ricks, I have some Cadets to scare, and it appears I have been assigned a new lecturer."

"Oh, yes. Holbridge," Ricky said. "He has the credentials to do the job, and I believe will be a benefit to your cadets."

"You better go shower before you go on duty, you stink worse than a Klingon's crotch." she said with a slurry of her hand as she left his bedroom and made her way to the door.

As she left his quarters, he contemplated putting an old fashioned lock and key on the door. "Fuck it. She'd just pick the damn thing."

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A joint post by:

Captain Claudia Drake
Stalker

&

Vice Admiral Ricky Wegener
Stalkee