Close Encounters with the Enthusiastic Kind

Posted on 30 Sep 2015 @ 2:50am by Lieutenant JG Cyrin Xanth & Lieutenant JG Lenaris Marika

1,370 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 09 - Empires
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 4
Timeline: MD05, 1800 Hours

[ON]

Cyrin was a little frantic as he rushed through the corridor. Commander Kohl had ordered him to present a report on the singularity they had passed through later that night. That alone would have been enough to make him scramble of course. The astrophysicist had been working for days now, desperately trying to make sense of things, had spent days awake at his station till exhaustion drove him to his bed. Yet, he was hardly any closer now to just understanding the vortex's structure, let alone its effects.

Commander Kohl had ordered him to report to the man's quarters to deliver the report however. That made things so much worse. Why he couldn't file the report on the computer so Kohl could read it on his own? Cyrin could stay secluded in Astrometrics and everyone would be happy.

His notes were all over the place and now his arms were filled with PADDs he'd scooped up out of the chaotic pile on his desk. Cyrin hadn't even stopped to look at them, just swept up everything and started to jog through the ship. He hadn't really been looking where he'd been going either and, inevitably, barreled into someone. Cyrin yelped in shock as he tried to twist to keep from actually running the person down, fell to the deck, and PADDs went flying.

Walking towards her room, going over the mining data, Marika was not looking where she walked, as per her usual. The PADD beeped in an unusual way, taking away what little awareness she had of her surroundings. Before she fully understood what had happened, she found herself sprawled flat on her back. She blinked a few times, then burst out laughing.

Cyrin's immediate reaction had been one of surprise and horror but hearing the laughter brought up him short. A tentative smile worked its way onto his lips and then he laughed quietly.

"I'm so sorry," he said, though still chuckling. The Trill stood up to his tall height and extended a hand down towards the woman he'd just tried to treat like a deckplate. "Are you alright, Ensign...Lenaris?" The questioning note in his voice was plain despite them having just been on the mining mission to the asteroid together. Fact and figures he could remember, but even if he'd used someone's name a few times before it could slip his mind.

"Yes." She said accepting his hand. "But please call me Marika." She looked around at the mess of PADDs all over the place and laughed some more. "Is this the starship variant of 52 pickup? Because if it is, it just might need to be rethought." Looking back up at the young Trill, she beamed him one of her most sincere smiles, eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Marika," he repeated. "And I guess I made a mess of things yeah." He bent to start retrieving his PADDs while he looked up at her. "I'm trying to get ready for a report I have to give to Commander Kohl tonight and I was pretty distracted. Cyrin Xanth, by the way." He likely reminded her needlessly of his own name. "You're not in the Medical department, are you?"

"Nopes! One down." She giggled, her elbows rising as she did, obviously amused by this new game. "Are you two Cyrin Xanth?" She cocked her head to the left in curiosity.

Trying to cover up his embarrassment about not knowing at least everyone in his own department Cyrin passed over that, "Oh, two of us? Yes, uh, well, sorta, and it's..." He shrugged broad shoulders, at bit bewildered. How long had it been since someone asked him without just assuming? "Yes, I'm Joined. What do you uh, what do you do here um Marika? I mean I've uh, seen you around." Smooth.

Giggling some more, the young woman watched as the young man tripped over himself, unable to find it anything but adorable. "Well I've only been on board since the games, so I don't blame you for not knowing who I am Cyrin Xanth. Your species has some very interesting features I'd love to discuss at some point. Need a hand with those?" She looked around, trying to figure out which one was hers.

He flashed her a grateful smile as she let him off the hook, "Thanks. I know I should probably pay more attention in the department briefings too. I suppose if you had question I could maybe, um um, answer some questions if you like. Are you an exobiologist maybe?" Cyrin looked down at the chaotic armful of PADDs and pondered, "Um...I think, maybe that one, there on the left. I mean my left. Yeah?"

"Nopes! Two down." She grinned and picked the presented PADD without checking it. "Whenever you feel like lunch or just hanging out with someone, let me know. My door is always open. As in literally. Right over there. 2624." She pointed at an open door a few meters behind him. "I don't like feeling trapped in. I much prefer having the air flow. Never did close my door when I was younger either. Nor my academy dorm room. Drove my roommates insane. It was rather funny. Don't get me started on the R.A. who would throw fits when I got out of the shower." She laughed and finally paused to look at her new friend.

Cyrin blinked a couple of times as he caught up, "Oh um, lunch, right, sure, certainly, uh, sometime. I'm on the Beta shift so maybe before work?" He'd glanced over his shoulder at the indicated door and nodded, though wondered as well. Wasn't it some kind of safety hazard maybe? At the very least he'd never get any work done if it were him for feeling people were watching. "Shower?" Cyrin asked as he turned to look back at Marika. "No I don't need- oh..."

He shifted the armload of data around as best as he could till he was able to extend one long-fingered and cold hand, "It was nice to meet you, Marika, but if I don't ace this report C-C-Commander K-Kohl is going to ruin me. Do you like Vulcan food? I mean, for uh, um, for lunch."

"Vulcan food is nice!" She grabbed his hand and held on to it with a smile. "Like I said, drop by, if I'm there I'm free. If not, look me up and ask. Oh! Trill hands really are cold. I was told they were but hadn't had the opportunity to feel it for myself. This is so exciting. I just love getting to find out these things on my own. Don't you just find it all so awesome?" The excitement was starting to get to her despite her previous attempts to keep it contained.

"You sound as fast as I think," Cyrin let out before he could stop himself. A faint blush stained his cheeks. "I mean uh, yes, cold hands," he drew his own back gently and clutched at his PADDs like a shield now. "Maybe um, well, you know, after we get the ship repaired we could, perhaps, uh, get that lunch and discuss your work." Cyrin gave Marika a sidelong look. "Zoologist?" He'd heard their lot was excitable.

The young Bajoran giggled in delight. "Three down!" Offering the young man a curtsy, she finally let go of his hand. "I'll be looking forward to it." With a wink and a happy smile, she turned around and continued on her way before promptly disappearing into the opening she had pointed out earlier.

Cyrin waved awkwardly as she vanished. He stared after her with lingering confusion a few moments after Marika had left, surprised that the inadvertent meeting had gotten him plans for later. She had certainly made that easy with her friendliness and enthusiasm. Maybe he was getting a hold of this whole getting along with people stuff too now!

It wouldn't be until much later that Cyrin discovered one of the PADDs in his arms was her's, and even later than that when he realised what she must have of his own.

[OFF]

Ensign Lenaris Marika
Archaeologist/Anthropologist
USS Galileo

Ensign Cyrin Xanth
Astrophysicist
USS Galileo

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