To Each Their Own

Posted on 08 Jan 2014 @ 10:36am by Lieutenant Theron Rhodes & Commander Luke Wyatt & Warrant Officer Vernon Banks & Petty Officer 1st Class Taryn Galepsie & Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark

1,780 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 05 - Solstice
Location: USS Galileo - Airlocks, Loading Ramp
Timeline: MD 01 1300 hrs

ON:

Port Airlock, Deck 3

Lt. Rhodes stood next to Banks and Stark, checking ID, as the ship's personnel began to disembark from the Port Airlock. It was SOP to confirm who left the ship and to make sure no one came on without authorization.

"...So then, when the warbird decloaked to aft and tried to give us the jitters -- since we couldn't fire on them 'cause of the treaty and all -- our captain vented a stream of over-ionized warp plasma into our wake and the other captain flew right through it! Man, I tell ya...never seen a warbird turn around and haul ass as fast as they did. That shit plays hell on their quantum singularity drives," Banks chuckled loudly as he stood next to Rhodes and Stark, making sure to verify every departing crew member's Starfleet ID and register their exit into the official security log on his PADD while he chatted with them about a particularly humorous confrontation his ship had had on the border of the Romulan Neutral Zone. Well, at least he thought it was humorous.

Theron thought through Vernon's story. He understood the concept of humor was different from culture to culture. He definitely wasn't like a Vulcan, but he just did not get this one. He just nodded and looked away at the line of crew still forming in the passageway. Looking back at Vernon he thought, Maybe I just do not get Engineering jokes. "And then what happened?"

Vernon shrugged and glanced at Rhodes. "Well...nothing, really. They left and we didn't see another Romulan ship for the rest of the patrol. I'm guessing their captain got the hint that we didn't want to be spooked," he replied with a somewhat anti-climactic end to the story.

Theron just nodded and smiled. He realized that 'jokes' may not be his thing. Tapping in comm, =^= Rhodes to Lt. Rice. How are things progressing on the starboard side? =^=

=^= Lt. Rhodes, this is Christoph. Lt. Rice is . . well . . dealing with an irritated science officer. He seems to have some contraband items. =^=

=^= Contraband items? =^= Rhodes looked to Banks then Stark with a questioning face.

PO Christoph replied calmly, =^= Yes Sir. They don't understand why the items are being designated as contraband. =^=

=^= What type of items are they? =^= The Security Chief asked.

"If it's alcohol, I vote I take it for safe keeping," Stark whispered innocently.

Rhodes lifted an eyebrow at the possibility.

"A little alcohol never hurt anyone," Banks replied with a light shrug. "Can't really blame anyone on the ship for wanting to have a couple drinks after the hell we've all been through the past month," he added.

=^= Well, I should probably let Lt. Rice explain. =^=

Rhodes crossed his arms and smiled at Banks, =^= No. I think this is just the thing for our Lt. Rice to deal with. If things get out of hand, then let me know. =^=

=^= Aye, aye, Sir. =^=

Rhodes looked to Banks, "I am curious to find out, but I need to let Aria deal with things as she sees fit from time to time."

Vernon nodded in agreement, seemingly less concerned about the incident than some of the other security officers. "She's your assistant chief, after all. I'm sure she knows what she's doing," he casually commented.

Theron nodded casually, "Exactly."

Stark shook his head with a small smile of amusement as he watched the interaction between them. He fed through another escapee, signing them off with a smile. "Now remember, play nice with the locals, don't do anything I wouldn't do, and if you do, do it safe," Gabriel teased the crewman heading out with a wink before settling back.


Lower Loading Ramp, Deck 8

Luke checked the next Security tag and nodded to the crewman "Have a nice leave." He said for most likely the one-hundredth time this afternoon. Over the long haul back to Earth Luke had made the transition from Marine to Security something which he was pleased with. "Got anything nice planned over the leave period?" Luke asked turning to face his partner in crime.

Taryn was standing next to Luke. She hadn't really spent a ton of time with him since their unfortunate hangout in his quarters. She was drawn out from her autopilot thoughts when he spoke. Checking the badge of the pair of officers stepping off she smiled and replied. "Nope...you?" She had wanted to say more, but didn't.

He shrugged, "Not at the moment, I hear Quinn and Tarishiana are tying the knot so to speak, so I might go and celebrate with them, but I'm willing to put money on that a very angry daughter will be waiting for me at space dock to give me an ear full." He smiled at the thought of Abbey. "You'd get on well with her!"

It took Taryn a moment to realize that Luke has spoken and even longer to figure out what exactly he had said. She had heard about the pending nuptials but hadn't decided if she was going to go, if she got an invite that was. "um....yeah....I bet." She said a little absent from the conversation as she checked a few more badges.

Luke frowned, "Hey Taryn are you alright or is something playing on your mind? You seem a bit distant." He checked another I.D. and smiled before turning his attention back to his partner.

"Oh....no." Taryn replied hoping that she easily covered her lie. She felt off and couldn't shake whatever was plaguing her. Starfleet medical was her first stop once she got off this ship. This wasn't a topic she wanted to discuss with her....friend and she had no intention of allowing Luke and his disarming smile get to her again. "I am fine....just tired I think."

Luke could tell that there was more to it than just fatigue, but he decided it wasn't worth digging into it. He had learnt that when a woman says she fine it's best to stay blissfully unaware. "Yeah, It's been a tough couple of weeks"


Port Airlock, Deck 3

The next group approaching the airlock caught Rhodes' eye. Someone was carrying a large box. He could not tell who was carrying it. He glanced at Banks and Stark raising an eyebrow, then looked back and got out of the way as they approached.

"It's probably nothing, maybe some more booze or stuffed animals for the kids," Vernon remarked after noticing the concern in Rhodes' eyes regarding the container. He didn't particularly want to start searching the crew after they had all just returned from a very tough mission, but he supposed he would have to if he was ordered to.

Several of the crew passed through the check point, and when the person with the box got there they set it down with a thump. Lt. Rhodes was very surprised to see that it was Vincent Kramer, their civilian scientist.

No one said anything for a moment, each person looked at the other, and the other looked about as well.

"Anything to declare?" Stark said lightly with a smile as he pushed forward, moving to look at the box, taking a tricorder out.

Kramer had a funny smile of his own on his face, "Nope. This is a box of things I made. You can look inside if you like." He looked from on security to the other and lifted an eyebrow.

Lt. Rhodes crossed his arms, looking down his nose slightly, squinting his eyes in uncertainty, "Mr. Kramer, just what are you carrying off here?"

"Well," Kramer began slightly out of breath, "over the last 30 days of our trip back, I've been going over the data from out survey . . . and in my free time I've been distressing by making things."

"Making things?" the security Chief queried.

"Sure," the scientist began to explain, "I made small things to focus my mind. I made jewelry out of stones and metal wire. I learned to crochet and used exotic materials for the line," he began to become even more expressive as he explained; "Some of the headbands are quite dazzling."

Rhodes looked at the others in disbelief.

"Arts and craft, huh?" Banks couldn't resist chuckling to himself, even if it was a joke at the scientist's expense. The last thing Vernon would think to do in his free time would be to make jeweled headbands, but to each his own he guessed.

Kramer seemed to be beaming with excitement and pride; smiling, his eyes looking from one to another quickly. "I even have a manifest of my entire stock." he said happily and held out a PaDD to show them.

Taking the offered PADD from Kramer, Banks quickly skimmed it then handed it over to Rhodes for his approval. "Well, as long as you aren't making your trinkets out of Borg components...I guess you're good to go." The last thing the security officer wanted to be responsible for was some sort of Borg nanoprobe outbreak at Starfleet HQ.

Rhodes accepted the PaDD and reviewed the list, "Origami and button collage?" he looked up at Dr. Kramer.

Vincent looked directly back at the security chief with a beaming smile. "Ah-huh. That's right. I didn't limit my craft to just a couple things."

Rhodes glanced at Banks with a questioning look as he pulled out his tricorder and began to scan the container. Theron could not believe his own eyes. He held the devise for the others to see the findings as well.

"More trinkets," Banks deduced after looking at the scans on the tricorder. "Alright buddy, have fun with your crafting. Time to move along so we don't keep holding up the line," he said to Kramer, then waved him through.

Theron just smiled at Dr. Kramer as he exited with his container of crafts. He looked back at Banks and Stark, "Some people bring back the most amazing things from the stars. What is the phrase? Art is in the eye of the beholder?"

Banks smirked and nodded at Rhodes. "Yeah...something like that. Never been a big art person myself, but hey...to each their own. And let's be honest...these science people are sometimes on the strange end."

[OFF]

--

WO Vernon Banks
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Venture
[PNPC - Saalm]

Lt. Theron Rhodes
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo

CPO Luke Wyatt
Secuirty/Tactical
USS Galileo

PO1 Taryn Galepsie
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC - Barel]

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