Settling In

Posted on 07 Mar 2016 @ 11:00pm by Ensign Calvin Henderson & Lieutenant JG Manuel Lucero

954 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo
Timeline: MD88 - 0730 hrs

ON:

After having met most of his commanding officers, Calvin took the PADD he was following and looked to where his new quarters would be. The Admiral had said things were close on a Nova class and the idea both thrilled and terrified the young Astrometrics Officer. He enjoyed meeting new people but for the first little while of getting to know them, he was awkwardly and at times painfully shy.

The PADD in his hand was directing him to the door of his new shared quarters and upon reaching there, he wasn't sure if he should press the chime and wait or if the door would recognize him and just let him through. Calvin being Calvin however opted to air on the side of caution and pressed the chime. All sorts of scenarios started playing through his head of what might happen if he just went in and feared of starting off on the wrong foot. Adjusting his bags that were hung and strewn across his body, he awaited a response and began to psych himself up to just go in if no one answered in the next few moments...or half hour, just to be sure.

Manuel had been at his desk when the chime broke the oppressive silence of calculation. He hesitated at first. He wasn't sure who could have been visiting during Gamma Shift. It couldn't be Von Haeften... Perhaps Keval? Doubtful. The Lieutenant stood up, wearing his trademark briefs and undershirt, and made his way towards the door.

The door opened with a gentle sigh revealing an unfamiliar Ensign in uniform. He couldn't have been more than two years younger. Manuel let off a confused expression as he looked the other officer up and down. After seeing the bags, the confusion turned into a chuckle as the Lieutenant brought his hand to his face, feeling a little stupid for forgetting.

"Ha- I'm so sorry, I completely forgot! You're Calvin right?" Manuel stepped to the side of the doorway motioning for him to enter.

"I-I am," Calvin smiled as he waled through the door, "it would seem you know more about me than I d-do you, sorry. I just got given a room number and was pointed in the general direction." He continued to smile as he practically tripped over himself walking in and waiting to see what the prior arrangements were.

Manuel closed the door and walked up to Calvin with his arms crossed.

"Ah, yeah. That sounds about right. Don't take it too personally everyone's most likely scrambling around, trying to get ready for the staff briefing in a couple of days." He looked at Calvin's bags. They looked pretty heavy.

"Lieutenant Lucero. I'm your A-CSO. But, of course, you can just call me Manuel, in here... Or Lucero... Or whatever flattering nickname you can think of." He laughed briefly before extending his hand. "Okay you have to give those bags, I'm hurting just looking at you." Manuel held the smile without too much effort.

"Thanks, I guess sir is in order before I walk in the door," Calvin smiled as he lumbered forward. "Most of the bags are light, just really cumbersome. I have some traditional maps and things I like to have around just in case." The young Ensign was most relieved things would be quite informal in the quarters, it instantly put him at ease.

Manuel took his bags and carried them to the wall-locker adjacent to their tier beds. After carefully placing them, he looks back to Calvin.

"So you're into cartography, huh? Some classical azimuth-shooting and aerotriangulation is honestly all that I'm familiar with on the subject. You're going to have to show me around that world sometime."

"It can get a little lost and confusing even for us experienced in the field," Calvin laughed, "Although, I would like to expand to more sciences one day." He sat down on a chair nearest to him. "So, what are the arrangements then? Who sleeps where?"

"You're sitting on your bed..." The Lieutenant makes a serious face.

"Oh," Calvin took a slight moment of panic as he looked around him.

"No, I'm kidding!" He chuckled allowing a half smile to creep back onto his face.

Manuel motioned to the tier beds on the opposite end of the room.

"I have been sleeping on bottom, but if you prefer it, I can get on top. I honestly don't mind top or bottom."

"Well, I will take top, don't want to interrupt things already established," Calvin finally breathed a sigh of relief that he would have somewhere at least half decent to sleep tonight.

Glad that that was resolved rather smoothly, Manuel clapped his hands together.

"Very well, then. So, are you excited to be on the fleet's foremost science and research vessel?" He lifted and motioned with his hands as though to give his words a dramatic sense of grandeur.

Feeling utterly charmed by his roommate, Calvin nodded, "Yeah, it is quite thrilling. Especially when my last ship, my cadet cruise, I was on a heavy cruiser which didn't have much in the way of science...other than astrometrics. Maybe here I can spread my wings a little bit and try other things too."

Manuel put his hand to his chin thoughtfully and smiled. "I like the ambition." It was a refreshing personality in the Science Department. The Lieutenant could see the small flicker of a familiar flame behind Calvin's eyes.

Refreshing, indeed...

"You know what, Cal? I think we're going to get along famously!"

"I do too."

[OFF]

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Lieutenant JG Manuel Lucero V
Asst. Chief Science Officer
U.S.S Galileo

Ensign Calvin Henderson
Astrometrics Officer
USS Galileo

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