Fancy running into you here

Posted on Sun Sep 18th, 2022 @ 9:09pm by Captain David Hawkins & Cadet First Class Pallas

Mission: The Goddess
Location: A corridor on the USS Gladiator
Timeline: Backpost—Some earlier day, 0500 hours (After "First Timers")
2120 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Cadet First Class Pallas was running through the corridors. Actually running. Sprinting even. This time, it wasn’t because she was late for anything. There was something about running the decks that felt more “real” than a holodeck or treadmill. Waking up early for a run—something her coach had made the entire team do together—was now one of those routines that helped her feel in control of the rest of her time. It was not the best idea in the middle of the day when attempting to move through the corridor was more akin to skiing slaloms, but in these early hours before Alpha Shift started, when most of the crew were sleeping, she had only the occasional early riser to dodge.

However, she was still getting used to the layout of the decks, and so took the next turn much too quickly, causing her to smash directly into something. Or, more accurately, someone.

Coffee went everywhere on the two individuals and cause a slight chock before a cringe worthy look to grow on the man's face as he dropped the mug and padd while at the same time gripping onto the young woman preventing her from falling. He held her for a moment as the coffees heat cooled. "That's one way to wake up in the morning. You alright?"

Her grey and blue Starfleet Academy t-shirt had gotten a good amount of the beverage, which was now dripping down her running shorts, bare legs, and into her crew socks and trainers. If she wasn't stunned by the wet caffeine explosion, she would have been impressed by the man's quick reflexes. The coffee and PADD were a lost cause either way, and he'd instinctively kept both of them from bowling over. Not to mention his strength in stopping her sizeable momentum. Pallas stepped back from his hands and shook herself off, beginning to brush off the excess liquid, before looking up and, finally, realizing who she had just run into. "Captain!" she said, standing at attention quickly. The formality was somewhat laughable, however, given her state. "I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine," David Hawkins replied as he scanned himself and his uniform of the liquid that was now starting to partially soak into his top. He looked the young woman over and blinked a moment before shaking his head a little before bending down to get his mug and padd. "At ease, cadet, before you break something. It will get cleaned by a drone or technician, just tell them you owe them."

This was the worst possible way she could imagine meeting the Captain for the first time. It also occurred to her that all of the senior staff kept telling her to relax... but how was she supposed to do that if she kept making a fool of herself? The formality was probably a crutch that she was leaning on too heavily, but she was trying to make a good impression. Given the current situation, maybe 'trying' was too generous a term. "I'll make sure to report my responsibility to Operations, sir." She looked at his PADD. "I'm sorry for being so reckless, and maybe made you late to somewhere you were trying to get to? Is there anything I can do to help... I could run and replicate you a fresh coffee and new shirt."

"Cadet, not even the roosters are up right now, where would a I need to be at in such a hurry?" he asked as paused for a moment to ponder what all she had said. "Wait... did you offer to replicate me a new shirt? Are you going to put it on for me as well? Almost sound like you are coming on to me."

Pallas blushed, almost crimson with embarrassment. "No! I mean, no, sir, I am not coming on to you or offering to put it on for you. I just... incorrectly assumed that you might be going somewhere important. Because you're the Captain. And important." She stopped talking for a moment, realizing that she sounded incredibly immature. It was too late, though; she'd already committed to looking the way she did by the fact of sprinting the corridors. Why couldn't she be satisfied with the gym like everyone else? "Also, sir... I think my quarters are closer," she pointed just a little ways down the hallway, "And I need to get myself some fresh clothes anyway. If I can ask for your patience, I can maybe save you a little time, even if there wasn't anywhere you were hurrying off too." She risked a small joke, hoping to shift off some of the shame she was feeling, "... I also promise to not to crash into any other Captain's on my way there."

"So you aren't coming onto me yet hinting at your quarters and not wanting to run into any other Captain? What other captain's are you expecting to run into? The starship is docked to finalize all systems after the saucer section being reintegrated," He said in a serious tone with a slight head cock. "What is your name, Cadet?"

"Pallas, sir. And the 'other captains' thing was a sad attempt at humor. And I meant to go to my quarters very much by myself. No offense, Captain, but you are not invited, if that clears that up." The blush did not go away.

"Oh so I am not your type or even worth the possibility of being thought of in that way?" David countered as he crossed his arms. "Quite honestly, that is offensive. I understand we are all to be professional and all, but that was quite unbecoming of an officer, to say the least. If you can easily offend your commanding officer, how do you expect to be able to handle a peace negotiation or lead others into combat, or a simple survey mission?"

Once the blood started to leave her cheeks and return to her brain, the cadet finally--albeit much later than should be expected--figured out that the CO may be, to use the human phrase, 'messing with her.' Still, there wasn't any way to be completely sure, not quite yet, but nonetheless she jumped into the possibility. If she was wrong? Well, it wouldn't be her first formal reprimand, that was for certain. "If I may speak freely, sir? No, you're not actually my type. I'm not a fan of the smell of coffee, and it seems to hang on those who do enjoy it. Also, Starfleet Regulations clearly prescribe that romantic relationships between officers and cadets are highly discouraged, with few if any exceptions, subject to potential review by JAG. And," she straightened up again, despite his admonition for her to not hurt herself with formality, "I don't believe that I am yet capable of leading any of the types of missions you've listed, which is exactly why I am here, to get more training. If, however, you need any biosamples analyzed, Doctor Svidi has ensured that I am quite competent at that, through thorough evaluation of my work."

"For a medical personal to say coffee is like cigarette smell is about the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Whoever said or taught you that needs to be shot. As for JAG, you think that has ever stopped those horn dogs in the academy to stop them from getting it on?" the captain countered as he shook his head before heading the direction of the cadet's quarters. He waived her along. "As for Doctor Svidi, I accepted your entrance to the starship to take her place as Doctor once you have finished up your medical training."

“Sir, given the average age of my Academy professors, I think any such exertion would certainly be obvious from the much greater number of obituary notifications of the passing of such-and-such Distinguished Professor of Security Arts,” she finally laughed to herself. This was obviously some kind of test, and she didn’t like failing. “And no one said anything about cigarettes. I’m actually quite serious about coffee, the smell bothers me. I can’t help if Andaran olefactory senses work differently than human ones. My bias should be enough for you to keep Doctor Svidi on and abandon your plan to replace me.”

They reached her quarters as she stopped speaking and she entered. “Please wait here, Captain, so as to help me resist coming onto you again.” She closed the door behind her and stripped as she made her way to the replicator, dried off with the coffee-stained clothes before throwing them in, reclaiming them, and then getting her uniform on while she zapped up a fresh tunic and mug of horrible coffee for the CO.

The door whizzed back open in no time and a much more presentable Cadet Pallas held out the coffee and tunic, offering the Captain a choice of which to take first. “If you drink the coffee first, then you don’t risk spilling it on your new top if another cadet comes barreling around the corner.”

"A smart ass," David had said to himself once the cadet had entered into her quarters. But he knew all to well that they were a barracks like set up. She and other cadets were to share quarters, up to at least 4 people per room as they hadn't fully 'earned' their place among the crew. Moments later, the young cadet came out with the coffee an tunic. "You do realize you are trying to give a commanding officer a choice among two items he has had for... years. Like decades, right?"

"Of course, Captain, but technically these are newly-replicated, so you have never had these particular items before." Pallas continued holding both the mug and shirt forward, pursing her lips in exaggerated philosophical thought. "Although, the matter is all the same as previous items that the system has reclaimed... so this tunic is maybe made up of some other crewman's tunic. Or pants, even."

"Are you pregnant, cadet?"

"Sir?"

"Ma'am?"

"Captain," Pallas gave an overly exaggerated sigh, as if speaking to a child whole stole from the cookie jar again. "Inquiring as to whether a crewmember is pregnant is a violation of Starfleet Regulations. Addressing a female officer as 'ma'am' without an explicit request is also a violation, as is referring to a subordinate officer as 'sir' or 'ma'am,' as it violates respect for the chain of command. I am afraid that I am going to have to report you to your commanding officer."

"Go ahead. A commanding officer requesting the medical status of a newly arrived member showing signs of questionable concerns doesn't violate anything. Whether or not you share is your choice. You have the rights to refuse, and I have the right to restrict you until you have a full Medical check up by the medical staff before clearing you for active status," He countered as he took the top. As he switched it out, he looked it over before looking at her. "Further more, I could easily write you up for violating such regulations that you are trying to refer to which aren't Starfleet Regulations but Federation Medical Privacy Act, which the Starfleet rules and regulations are secondary to such medical privacy act without emergency mission concerns of both the crew of the ship... my ship. That being said, I have legal rights I could use to find out and it would clear the concerns before sending you into the field.

"The violation you committed replicating the exact duplicate of a replacement of my uniform indicates that you had to access my private records to get my size and shape of my top. Sounds more of a violation of a cadet accessing my private records over the concerns of a Commanding Officer insuring that he isn't allowing a pregnant cadet on away teams or hazardous duties without prior approve. Which, also, its a requirement to report such medical items to your command staff in which is Starfleet Regulations."

He swopped out the top and took the mug of steaming coffee from the cadet and took a gulp of the hot liquid. "Not bad." He looked at her again and smirked. "Before I forget, Let us not forget the final 'ma'am' statement.

"You seem to not know how Star Fleet customs and courtesies are outlined, not rules and regulations. A superior officer calling a female subordinate 'ma'am' is not a violation. As a matter of fact, I can simply call you Pallas and it does not violate the customs and courtesies. So what else do you have... Cadet."

Palls smiled with a shrug. "It's your test, Captain. Did I pass?"

"We shall see..."