Press Meeting (1/2)

Posted on 12 Feb 2013 @ 12:44am by Raifi Zaren & Trija Natyal & Justin Baker

1,393 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 2, VIP Quarters, Women's
Timeline: MD02: 0800 hrs

[ON]

Trija was getting too old for this nonsense. Rather than the serenity that came with Raifi Zaren's joining and experience, she just got more and more apathetic and impatient. She straightened out her bedsheet and pressed it down. She reached over to the comm unit and beeped it, grabbing the spare PADD on her desk and going through the list. Rules, regulations, forbidden entrances. "Zaren, Baker, get in here," she spoke over the comm to the quarters beside hers and Fenta's.

In the Man Cave...

Zaren rolled over in the bed and absently whacked the commbadge he'd been given. "Coming," he mumbled and dragged himself up. He'd been up most of the night editing and re-editing Freya's announcements about the changing situation on MS1, then soothing her ruffled feathers and her fears via vidscreen. With a little shake of his head, he lumbered out of the bed, pulled on a pair of ratty trousers and a worn jacket, and padded barefoot out of the bedroom. "She's calling," he announced to the room at large, while approaching the replicator and demanding raktajino and a bowl of chocolate pudding.

As a groan left his chest, Justin pressed a hand to his eyes as he tried to arise himself from a slumber he hadn't long ago achieved. Managing to peel one eye open, he following his friend's path across the room. "Make mine a triple espresso would you..."

Zaren cleared his throat and made the request, cradling his puddling in the crook of his elbow as he sipped the tough Klingon equivalent of coffee. He knew very few details about the Klingons beside what other journalists had reported of them, but he did know they'd invented possibly the strongest, most caffeinated drink he'd ever had. "You look about as rested as I feel," he muttered.

Lifting his head up slightly, Justin winced at the twinge of pain at the back of his neck. "That's rich coming from you...at least you had a bed to sleep on." Grumpy at this time of the morning, he managed to twist his body so as he fell on his hands and knees on the floor, the blankets twisting to cover his naked state. "You're lucky I love you so much gorgeous."

"For more reasons than one," Zaren agreed and dropped to one knee to offer Justin his triple espresso. "I did say you could have the bed."

As both his eyes popped out as the smell of caffeine hit him, Justin moved onto his knees and grabbed the cup as if fearful it would disappear. As a moan of ecstasy left his lips, he saluted the reporter. "For this I would give you all my money, never mind the bed. You, Zaren, are an absolute saviour."

"It's replicated, handsome. You owe me nothing at all." He tilted his head, "We could meet with her in sheets. That's give Jool something to fume over."

Laughing at this, Justin finally made it to his feet as he allowed the sheets on his body to fall the floor. Giving a big stretch, he made his way across to his bags to choose his clothes for the day. "Perhaps but can you imagine the look on the Duchess' face? That blue hair might stand on end as her temper kicks in."

"Don't think she'd mind the view too much," Zaren grinned. He perched on the table, leaning across it to gather three PADDs from the opposite end and spooned a generous bite of pudding into his mouth. "I think it's a nice color on her. Better than the red."

Parting himself from his precious coffee, Justin pulled a black poloshirt over his head before putting on the remnants of the clothes he would need. "Hum...red...I've always preferred a redhead in all honesty. Did she wear her little crown back then too?"

"It's a tiara," Zaren corrected. "I think it's rather fetching."

=^="Get in here already!"=^= Trija's tell-tale voice came through the commbadge again, sounding just a little more shrill than before.

"You want us in clothes?" Zaren asked calmly.

=^="Clothes or no clothes, there's nothing to be seen either way,"=^= Jool said, tired of waiting for boys. Probably too busy playing with their "toys".

=^="While I'm sure your assets are all very charming,"=^= the Betazoid said back into the commbadge with an only slight sarcasm... she was a Betazoid, after all. She reached up to adjust her tiara (which was perfectly brilliant, thank you), and continued, =^="Yes, Zaren, in clothes."=^= She rolled her eyes to herself.

"You wound me. I might be bleeding out," the Trill murmured into the commbadge, and ate another bite of pudding, before sipping on his raktajino again. Looking to Justin, he gave a nod finding the man had found a suitable pair of pants. He balanced his PADDs, pudding, and caffeine in his arms and carried the whole bunch one room over. "Good morning, ladies. Did you sleep well?"

Following after Zaren, Justin shoved his trademark sunglasses back to the top of his head, as his smile spread further across his lips. "Ladies....sorry to keep you both waiting."

"At least when I make people wait for me to get dressed," Jool said, smiling sweetly, "I don't look like the vomit that came from what the cat dragged in from the back alley."

Trija crossed over her makeshift desk, dressed rather moderately for her in a multicolored one piece suit. She held out a PADD of her own and placed it on top of his. "Read." She gave one to Baker and then moved to hand the last one to Fenta. "First thing's first, those are the areas of the ship that we're barred from accessing. The ones in red are off-limits entirely, the ones in orange you can put a request in which will be forwarded to their..." she blinked and waved a hand, not wanting to say insane weirdo who has a plant for a best friend, "Diplomatic officer. Unless you all want to spend this trip in jail, I suggest you all follow it. Second, we're getting voluntary crew requests for interviews which should be on my desk sometime tomorrow. In the meantime, try and be professionals, okay? No harassing crewmembers who haven't put in any requests. You can talk to them, just..." don't be a harpy about it, she didn't finish. Her expression said it clear enough. She walked over to her desk again and grabbed the four distinct personnel badges, before handing them out as well. "We're required to wear these to identify ourselves. Guess they're a little paranoid," the blue-headed woman shrugged. A lot paranoid, was more like it. She had to admit she was curious of the whole thing herself. "Got an issue, take it somewhere else." That was directed at Fenta in particular.

"Oh, I already have," Jool said throwing the PADD aside. "My brief from Starfleet Command allows me journalistic access which is greater than what Commander Sourpants would like for us to have. Don't worry, I made sure that it applied to the entire press corps aboard this ship."

Zaren set the PADDs aside and cuddled his bowl of pudding closer, snacking happily. He'd already taken a look at the red, orange, and black list the day before. The badges were common; he'd worn them during the Dominion War when he'd been on the starships. "Do we know if anyone's volunteered so far?"

"Mm," Trija glanced down at the lonely PADD left in her hands, which were bejeweled as always. "Not that I can see. It's only early, we should with any luck have a suitable list by tonight or tomorrow." She then let out a breath and looked to them all. "Something's up with this ship. Something they don't want people to know. Don't parade around demanding answers, but... we're journalists. There's something more interesting here than just planetary survey. Just keep that in mind, and try and stay out of the brig." She shook her head.

[TBC]

Jool Fenta
FNN Journalist
USS Galileo

Trija Natyal
Assistant Producer, FNN
USS Galileo

Raifi Zaren
FNN Journalist
USS Galileo
(pNPC Lilou Peers)

Justin Baker
FNN Cameraman
USS Galileo
(pNPC Pola Ni Dhuinn

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