Having Fun

Posted on 19 Oct 2019 @ 3:48am by Lieutenant JG Sofie Ullswater
Edited on 30 Aug 2022 @ 5:35am

1,104 words; about a 6 minute read

The Past

"That one's Cassiopeia, There's the little bear and there the big bear." Farla was pointing out into the star filled sky at what were apparently constellations. Out here far from Earth's cities you could see a lot more of them but Sofie didn't really care that much. "That trapezium you can see, that's meant to be a flying horse - Pegasus."

"Huh." Sofie recognised the name from somewhere but to her it just looked like a big trapezium, nothing like a horse.

"That one's meant to be a dragon." Farla pointed out another. The two of them were lying next to their tent in the Utah desert of Earth it was late spring and the evening was cool but not unpleasantly so.

"Why do you memorise them all?" Sofie asked "I doubt any of these are the same stars you can see from home."

The always inquisitive Farla propped herself up and cocked her head "Is that a fact?"

Sofie shrugged (or as much as you can shrug while lying down) "You'd have to ask Saleira, I have no idea."

"Aren't you meant to be a scientist too?"

Sofie giggled and playfully shoved her friend "Shut up you."

"Did you ever know any of the constellations from back on your home world?" the Wadi asked.

Sighing Sofie propped herself up on an elbow to better hold conversation the moon and starlight bright enough to not need a lamp "Sure, there was one we called the Southern Cross because it looked like a cross I guess."

"Oh, there's one of those here too!" Farla said excitedly.

"Huh," Sofie scrunched up her brow looking into the sky and sat up fully "Could you point it out to me?"

The older cadet shook her head sadly "Nah, you can't see it on this side of the equator."

"Huh," Said Sofie again "I guess that makes sense - why they call it the southern cross."

"Right."

The two of them lie down again on the ruddy regolith of the Grand Staircase and for a moment silence reigned.

Farla was the one to break it "I'm thinking of asking Lottie Palmers to the May Ball."

"I didn't know you're interested in girls Farla." Sofie would have tried to be more surprised but every day Farla seemed to be doing something unexpected. She'd come to expect such things from her Wadi best friend and found it hard to muster the energy to be shocked anymore.

In response Farla moved her head from side to side as she was thinking of what to say. "I don't think I am." She said "But you know... I like to roll the dice, get a bit of the unfamiliar."

Sofie sighed a little and shook her head but couldn't help letting out a little laugh. "You treat everything like its a game don't you?"

Deadpan Farla answered "We take games very seriously in my society."

There was a moment of quiet before both of them started laughing together.

Once they had both calmed down a bit Farla turned the question back on the unsuspecting geologist "So what about you, who are you going to bring?"

Slightly indignantly Sofie replied "I don't think I should have to bring anyone!"

For years now Farla's best matchmaking skills had failed to secure Sofie with anyone but somehow the excitable Wadi was never deterred. "What about that Callin? Tael says he has a crush on you."

"He does not." Sofie snapped back then composing herself a bit "He's just a Betazoid."

"So?"

"Its part of their culture." Sofie tried to explain.

"What?" Mocked Farla "Having a crush on you is part of their culture?"

Sighing Sofie tried not to rise to it "You're being difficult. They just treat women a bit differently on Betazed."

"So?" the mocking tone now evaporated "He might still like you. Do you like him?"

"Gosh I feel sorry for Lottie Palmers."

"Rude!" Said Farla giving a little jab to Sofie's shoulder "And avoiding the question."

Sofie shrugged "It is a bit unfair of you to treat a relationship with Lottie like a game. How do you think that will make her feel?"

In the distance some animal called out, maybe it was looking for a mate too. "Like an opponent!"

"You really are the worst."

"What can I say?" asked Farla with a wistful grin "Girls just want to have fun."



The Present

Callin was down in the torpedo bay. Knowing him he had probably almost finished the modifications already. Meanwhile Sofie was alone with the Stellar Dynamics computers. She was trying to create a somewhat reasonable model of the activity near the chromosphere. They'd need it in order to have any idea of how the torpedo and the operation in general would work. Unfortunately given the unusual levels of magnetic interference Sofie had no idea if the readings were right and even if they were completely accurate she had little confidence in her own ability to interpret them correctly.

This was the first time since the Academy when she had really had to do something on her own and even when she was at the Academy Callin had always been there to help her out. He'd never asked for anything in return and he had always been happy to help, getting her through some courses she was sure she would have failed otherwise. But now he was busy, Sandoval was off on the surface of a potentially deadly planet and Matt...

Best not to think about what's had happened to him.

And all of that left the Science department with herself and Callin as the "officers". She wouldn't want to speak for the other ensign but she felt so far out of her depth that she might as well just drown. Any of the enlisted personnel had more experience, most of them had been with the crew since the previous iteration of the Galileo but for some reason it was still herself and Callin who had been called up to present at the senior staff meeting.

Given the amount of times Callin had been able to cover for her in their academy days he'd probably be able to drag her through the experience. For now she knew she just needed to put that out of her head and focusing on creating a good enough approximation of the coronal conditions to allow Callin and Lieutenant Franklin to construct their weapon.

Don't think about the Senior Staff meeting.

And do not think about Matt...

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