Dinosaurs...On A Spaceship!

Posted on Sat Jan 4th, 2014 @ 5:29pm by Lieutenant Nick Marcinko & Lieutenant Commander Leto

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: USS Hammond

* * * USS Hammond * * *

They’d been underway for a few hours now and Leto had reached the lull that came when you were underway but still had a ways to go. Since Intel had no active ship duties, she’d changed to something casual and now went barefoot. The scent of coffee permeated her quarters and she liked it like that. She may not have ship duties, but she did have plenty of reading to do - reports on the rebel activity, the Dendrian Order, and the information the ambassador had provided on Charu. She left the padds on the coffee table, however, in favor of looking out the portal as they zipped through space.

Hours of boredom. That’s what Nick was facing. He’d skimmed the intelligence reports again, but he’d already gone through them prior to leaving. After he’d stowed his gear and set out a very few personal items in his temporary quarters, he’d decided on getting in a bit of exercise just to pass the time. But it didn’t help. Countless pushups, crunches and even bench pressing the sofa, which was pretty light, got old quick. He was restless. Sitting on said couch, he poured some of one of the personal items into a glass and had a drink. But even that got old quick. Picking up another glass, he took his own and a bottle to see Leto.

It didn’t take long for the door to open for him. She was standing in front of the windows, staring out at the stars. He fumbled with the glasses as her figure distracted him from something even so simple as carrying.

“Uh, care for a drink?” he asked.

“Sure, and come in.” Her tone was amused. She turned to look at him and smiled. “Bored are you? I know that look and the little grey cloud over your head.”

“Bored doesn’t do it justice.” He crossed the room and poured her drink. “I’ve paced, I’ve exercised, hell, I even went over the intel reports again.” Leaning against the bulkhead, his back to the stars, he looked at her, briefly trying to remember what she used to look like. It was almost as if he were forgetting Nenita altogether. Shaking his head, he gulped what was left in his glass. “One thing I didn’t do was figure out how long the trip out there was going to be.”

“About two days total,” she answered, then took a drink. “Thanks. I’ve started rereading them but only partway through. I did let Dae know things were going okay though. Does this ship have a holodeck? I could introduce you to mine and Li’s favorite pastime of hunting dinosaurs.”

“I’m sure it does,” he said as he found an access point and pulled up the deck plan. “Deck three, but there are only two of ‘em.” Rejoining her at the window, he filled his glass once again. “Hunting dinosaurs, eh? Are we talking T-Rex or something more manageable?”

“All depends on how spunky we’re feeling at the time.”

“Well, I have all kinds of spunk in me right now, seeing as I have nothing else to do.” He set his glass down and looked at the floor. “Do you ever look at your reflection and think about Nenita?”

“I did at first.” She held out her glass for a refill, her expression thoughtful. “At first, every time I did, it was a shock, you know? It always caught me by surprise. But little by little, you can get used to anything. You know that from our jobs. You see something often enough, it loses its shock value.”

“Yeah, I guess.” His answer was noncommittal, but it was all he could give her. He suddenly stood up and turned to her, uncomfortable about the possibility of another one of those type talks. “Let’s go. The holodeck won’t wait forever.”

She gave him one of ‘those’ looks, then nodded, wondering if he’d ever reach that point. “I better get in something more suitable to hunting.”

He nodded as she disappeared into the bedroom. As always, his first impulse was to follow her, but it just didn’t seem the time right now. They were getting better as a couple--well, he was getting better at it, she didn’t seem to have much issue at all, other than in dealing with him, but he didn’t want to push it.

He loved her, as always, but just up and changing on him was a huge shock. One he’d have to deal with and get over soon or he may wind up losing her altogether. He definitely didn’t want that.

Finding himself staring out the same window she’d been looking out of, he was lost in the images of the stars streaking past. Something he didn’t really pay much attention to on a normal basis. His attention was turned inward when he heard her feet on the carpet.

“Ready?” She emerged in a black one-piece suit and boots, an armored vest over her chest. “I have to protect the girls you know.” She gave him a cheeky grin. “We’ll get weapons in the holodeck.”

“Wait--don’t I get some armor? Like, for the boys?” he said, pointing down. “Totally unfair, you know.”

“Go get some. I’ll meet you there.” She laughed and marched him out the door. “Five minutes.”


** Two Hours Later **

Nick walked out of the holodeck, his shirt ripped, one leg of his pants torn completely off and with a slight hitch in his giddy-up.

“I didn’t realize falling off of the T-Rex’s head like that would hurt so damn much in the holodeck,” he said, wincing a bit as they walked. He looked her up and down. Aside from her hair being mussed a bit, and a slight glistening of sweat, she was otherwise unscathed. “And I didn’t realize you’d be coming out of this as pretty as picture. Did you send me on all of the shit work in there?” He smiled at her. He’d actually had some fun.

“I’m used to it.” She nudged him, but gently, as they walked along. “Remember, his little tiny arms can’t reach you, but his back legs are a bitch. It’s sorta like remembering which side of the horse to stand on.”

“I have a big head and tiny arms!” Nick yelled, pulling his own arms in to mimick the Tyrannosaurus. “I’ve done some weird shit in my life, as you well know, but I think this takes the cake.” They walked a few more steps before entering the lift. “I had fun. Thanks.”

“Glad you did. It’s great for stress relief, and Li needs it more than anyone sometimes. As do you. You might as well have fun doing it.”

The lift doors opened and it was a brief walk to her door. “Well, thanks again,” he said, a bit apprehensive about going inside. He had a rather thick skull and still wasn’t sure where they stood as a couple. Pushing things, he’d learned, was bad juju all the way around. “I, uh, well...I should probably get out of this raggedy shirt. If we have some time maybe we can do it again tomorrow, if you want, you know…”

“Sure. I’m going to get cleaned up and go to the lounge. See if anyone else is stirring.” She opened her doors, but didn’t go inside. “It’s good to see you have some fun again, Nick.”

He took her hand and kissed her once. “It’s good spending more time with you again,” he replied.

“Now there, you’re right. We’ve had a busy few weeks all around. It happens, but hopefully things are settling down for all of us.” She gave him a slow smile. “I’ll be in the lounge if you get bored.”

With a quiet nod he watched as she disappeared behind the doors, leaving him alone in the corridor. He stood there a moment, not really sure what to do. Scratching an itch on his shoulder he remembered his shirt was torn. “Guess I’m changing clothes,” he said, turning to leave.

It wasn’t a long walk to his quarters, since the ship wasn’t nearly as big as 900, or even other ships he’d been on, but he was already missing being with her. As he got nearer to his door, his pace quickened. He’d made up his mind. He was going to spend more down time with her so he could get over whatever stupid problems he was still dealing with. That was his woman, and he was hers, and he wanted it to be like it used to be again.

***************
Lt. Leto
Dinosaur Hunter

Lt. Nick Marcinko
Dinosaur Playtoy