The Next Move?

Posted on 22 Mar 2013 @ 10:47pm by Lieutenant Jacob Pendleton & Ensign Jessica Wilson M.D.
Edited on on 23 Mar 2013 @ 8:45pm

2,705 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Observation Lounge
Timeline: MD 01 14:01 Hours

[ON]

Jacob was nervous. He and Doc Wilson seemed to have hit it off really quickly and his head was in a daze. He didn't know how to react at all to this. He couldn't stop looking in the mirror and trying to see if he could make himself look more attractive, then wondered if it was too much, then flexing his massive muscles, then thinking that was really immature.... BOY was he a mess...

When it came to science and research he had more confidence than probably the next twenty people combined; HOWEVER, when it came to people and social stuff, especially any kind of relationship with women, he was absolutely LOST. Even though it was a regular occurrence for a woman to flirt with him, make advances to him, etc, he never seemed to be able to respond in the way he wanted. He wanted to be cool and debonair, but that "geeky" side of him would pretty much sink him. He had been so sheltered, so filled with "book" knowledge that his "real world" knowledge and wisdom was little to be found.

He combed his hair AGAIN and finally decided to just go how he was. He replicated a pretty glass vase with three tiger lillies inside and walked down to the Observation Lounge. He found a nice table near the window and sat down and awaited Jessica's appearance, getting a little more nervous as the time went by. He thought is was such an irony that his powerful form, his high tolerance of pain and his sheer size could make a lot of people regardless of what galactic race they were feel intimidated and yet a cute, pretty, lovely or gorgeous women could reduce him to weaker than jello. How was that possible??

All he could do now was not to mess up this nice little friendly get together....

Jessica was hardly comfortable in social situations either, she had very little experiance in it beyond a few close friends that she had made, and next to nothing when it came to romantic situations either. She had been thinking about this damned drink for the entire time she had been on duty for the past hour and was glad to have gotton off. The fact that she was still in uniform was another matter, she had just gotten off duty after all, in fact it probably helped as she didn't have to worry about how she looked. This didn't stop her from finger-combing her hair as she walked along the corridor towards the observation lounge. As she arrived she found herself blushing red already but she spotted Jacob already there, and was glad she didn't have to wait. She walked over.

"Hi," she said quietly.

He got up and pulled out a chair for her, being an absolute gentleman, he smiled at her and presented the flowers and vase to her, "A little something for the pretty lady," he smiled at her, "I am glad you came Jessica."

Jessica smiled as she sat down, appreciating the gesture. And looked upon the gift with another smile.

"They're beautiful," She smiled. "And of course I came, I said I wouldn't, didn't i?"

Jacob nodded, took a moment and then replied, "I know you did Jessica, but..." his voice trailed off, "...anyway, so.. umm.. what's it like aboard this ship? Is it more exciting than some of the other more 'boring' science ships I've heard about?" He tried to start small talk not wanting to talk about some of the women who had stood him up.

Jessica looked across at Jacob, she was no telepath but she considered herself good at reading the emotions of others so she quickly figured that he didn't want to talk about it, if he did at a later point she was sure that he would, but she knew not to push the issue. Instead she answered his question.

"Well, I've only been aboard for a week or so, but I can tell you this ship is anything but boring," Jessica smiled warmly. "And that's just on shore leave."

He chuckled, "Who said science ships were 'boring' then?" He looked at the ceiling playfully making fun of his own statement, I am glad to hear that the ship is lively then."

The waitress came over to their table, "So, what to drink or eat Jessica?" Jacob did not even notice the waitress basically ogling him like he was prime rib on a meat platter, even though just about anyone else could see it.

"I'd love a good brew, tea, and shortbread if you've got that," Jessica replied, smiling innocently at the waitress.

Jacob then ordered, "Orange cream soda and strawberry cheesecake please." The waitress swept her hair back flirtatiously and added, "Anything 'else' I get you?" He replied, "Umm.. no.. but thanks anyway."

She left the table sauntering her hips at him but again, he had his attention fully on Jessica, "So, what is your opinion on our next mission? I, for one, am very excited about the possibilities we may find."

"I don't know what to expect, it is my first mission after all, but unless something goes wrong I rather doubt I'll be that busy," Jessica sighed. "What about yourself?"

"I hope we find something big, something really, really incredible like a lost civilization, a rare planetary occurrence, a scientific wonder of wonders..." He smiled widely, "Of course, if its all pretty mundane yet new, I can live with that too, as long as I get to study it." He looked over to the empty spot of the room, turned back to Jessica and asked, "Hmm, does anyone ever just get up over there and start playing music or some kind of entertaining? We used to do a lot of impromptu musical breakouts when I was on the H.G. Wells. It sure would be great to have that same kind of thing going on here as well."

Jessica smiled, as the ships chief research officer it stood to reason that he would be looking forward to this mission alot more than she herself would be, but that was alright too.

"Not that I know of, but then I've not been aboard long, and due to someone's smart idea that a medical intern needed a week of bridge duty, I didn't get much time off," Jessica replied thoughtfully. "I usually grabbed meals from my replicator before collapsing onto my bed or going back on duty."

Jacob nodded, "I understand that.." his voice trailed off as he remembered the really long days the teams he was on would endure and slog through. "... there is never enough rest for the wicked." He smiled playfully wicked at her.

"Truer words," Jessica replied with a smile, surprised at how well she was holding a normal conversation. "I never thought a Starfleet bunk would be so comfortable."

He laughed, "So true! Probably the hard ground itself would have felt like a feather bed after a day of really hard work..."

"I'd guess so," Jessica agreed, smiling slightly. "Of course it shouldn't have to feel like that, thankfully I'm off bridge duty at least."

"That always a plus... to be off bridge duty.." he mulled about his time on the bridge in any ship; even though he neither liked nor disliked his time there, he most certainly enjoyed his OWN research, his OWN time to create and his OWN time to just learn something new.

"You can say that again, not that its not interesting in its own way, but pulling two eight hours shifts one after the other... I slept for my full sixteen hours off the next time, spent the next shift catching up on the work I should have been doing," Jessica smiled slightly. "Works better this way, eight hours on, eight hours to myself in which I can do additional work and research and eight hours to sleep, what about you, hows your duty schedule looking?

"I just received it and it looks like Beta time for me." He shrugged, "I do better in the afternoons anyway." He was really taking a real liking to her. Jessica was not only beautiful, but she was easy to talk with. Even so, his heart fluttered anytime their eyes met. "So.. where's the entertainment tonight? We used to have impromptu musical sessions on both the Wells and the Verne all the time. The crew members would just get up and play together and everyone would have so much fun. Does anything like that happen here?"

"I'm not entirely sure, I'd imagine there's something going on if you look for it, but for the most part I've been kept busy since I arrived," Jessica replied with a shrug. "There's probably other musicians aboard if that's your idea of a good time."

"Well its some idea of a good time; although, I really am enjoying the current company very much..." he blushed again slightly, "It was nice to have those bands playing because they are great to dance to with someone you like..."

"So I've heard," Jessica nodded. "I'm not much of a dancer myself."

"Huh.. that's interesting, I've always heard that Doctors are great dancers, I mean, don't you all know everything about kinesiology? The movement of the body and all that?" Jacob gave her a wry, teasing smile and wink.

"There's a difference between knowing it and being able to put it into practice," Jessica smiled. "Besides, its not exactly my speciality."

"Well.. I am always ready to teach you if you ever want to learn," Jacob smiled back at her, "believe it or not, I am pretty dexterous for a man of my 'small' size." He laughed at his own self deprecation.

"I may have to take you up on that," Jessica smiled.

"So... do you use the holodeck at all? I have some great programs I created, and I can create programs for you if you want.. I would be glad to create something really intriguing or fun or what have you for you.." He looked at her lovely face and her sweet smile...

The waitress came back and bent over making sure to put her curves as close to Jacob's face as she could without being to rude and asked, "Can I get either of you something else to eat or drink?"

Jacob again paid her little attention except to reply, "A tall glass of mango juice please." He then returned to his wonderful conversation with Jessica.

"I've used the holodeck back at the academy, not had a chance aboard Gali yet," Jessica commented then looked at the waitress. "Nothing for me."

"Well then Jessica, tell me what do you like to do for fun?"

"Fun? What is that?" Jessica smiled slightly. "But seriously? I enjoy hill walking, not surprising where I grew up, and I've been doing Karate for over a decade now."

"Karate huh? I love martial arts and have learned several pieces of several of them. Maybe you would want to spar with me sometime?" He smiled and then added, "Although, you'd have to promise not to hurt me too much, I bruise easy you know..." He gave her a teasing, playful voice as he said that.

"I'm sure I can put you back together again," Jessica replied with a mock-smug smile.

Jacob chuckled and slightly blushed but replied, "Ooo, then I might have to get beaten so I can get tended to by a lovely doctor." He playfully and gently nudged her hand with his and added, "Sounds like a wonderful challenge then."

"I'll have to take it up then," Jessica smiled.

"So is tomorrow after shift good for you?" He asked with a hopeful smile.

"Sure," Jessica smiled shyly back. "Why not."

He smiled widely at her. "And here I thought it would take forever to make friends aboard this ship, guess this scientist was wrong huh?"

"Well that's what scientists do, isn't it, check their theories?"

"All the time." He smiled, "And I have been so wrong SO many times before."

"Encouraging to know I'm not the only one then," Jessica smiled.

Jacob raised his eyebrow and teasing replied, "What? Women make mistakes?? That's an impossibility I thought." He gave her a wink and a wry smile.

"Oh we make mistakes, we just make them a lot less than men," Jessica smirked.

"Ahh I see," Jacob continued the playful banter, "I guess I'll have to write that down in my research notes."

"Sounds like a plan, the sooner we can get that scientifically recognized the better,"

Jacob playfully picked up his PADD and began acting like he was entering data, "Hmm, ok, chapter one, 'Pendleton's Theory of Women', 'Women make far less mistakes than their male counterparts and therefore should be the best to rule the Universe...'" He smiled again at her and gave her a wink.

"Excellent," Jessica grinned. "We're making progress."

He nodded, "All the scientific journals will now be more advanced than ever, thanks to THIS scientist!" Jacob pointed his thumb to his person as he said this, "Ahh, I expect a Hubbard Medal or Pulitzer Prize for this work." He chuckled.

"And rightly so," JEssica smiled.

Jacob felt he could stay there the entire night with Jessica. She was engaging, easy to talk with and gorgeous on top of everything else.

"I haven't been keeping up with some of the current events within the Federation these days, what about you? Heard anything interesting lately? I think I read somewhere that there was this big return of fashions and music from Earth's 1980s! Is that true? I love that era of music personally."

"With a Federation was widespread as ours is, its fairly likely that there'll be some bizare stories floating around," Jessica commented thoughtfully.

A light chime rang on Jacob's PADD. He looked at it and read that his training time was occurring. He didn't want to leave but he hadn't been taking care of his own personal training and he didn't want to lose his edge either. He looked into the lovely eyes of Jessica and said, "Looks like I have to turn into a pumpkin as it were. I need to get back to my usual training and workout schedule, and I also don't want to keep you from your own stuff." He smiled. "Do.. do.. would.. umm.. would you like to have dinner.. with me... umm.. tomorrow night?"

Jessica considered the question. She was surprised at how well she had been able to handle the extended conversation, and figured that it was probably the company she was with that had the effect on her. She considered the timing.

"I go on duty at midnight, but if I get my sleep earlier I'd be all yours for a good few hours," Jessica smiled.

"All mine?" Jacob blushed, "Well... that's great!" He laughed nervously but kept his good natured "teasing" voice in place.

Jessica smiled innocently before looking down at her watch.

"Well, I'm back on duty in ten hours, need to get sleep and some work done in that, so I'd best be off," Jessica commented, she considered for a moment then dartd forward and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Thanks for lunch."

Jacob went seriously red. He smiled really broadly and replied, "I.. er.. um.. anytime.. anytime.. h..have.. have a great rest of your day..." He could barely speak. His throat had gone absolutely dry and the room had definitely gotten a lot warmer for some reason. He kept smiling and then watched her walk away. Completely lost in the moment he just held his head in his hands beaming with happiness.

Jessica smiled as she left the room. That had certainly gone much better than she had thought, indeed she had handled the whole situation better than she ever had in her life. It gave her a lot to think about but now she had to concentrate on her work, and then sleep before being up again for the night shift.

[OFF]

Lt. (JG) Jacob Pendleton
Chief Science Officer
U.S.S. Galileo

Ensign Jessica Wilson M.D.
Medical Officer (Intern)
U.S.S. Galileo

RSS Feed