Skirting the Edge of a Black Hole

Posted on 20 Jun 2015 @ 3:22am by Commander Andreus Kohl & Lieutenant JG Manuel Lucero

997 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 08 - NIMBUS
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 7, Astrometrics Lab
Timeline: MD 01 - 1630 hours

[ON]

Standing at the forwardmost LCARS console beneath the massive holographic viewscreen, Andreus Kohl was lost in thought, lost in awe. Displayed on the screen was a sensor composite of the Miranda-class USS Nautilus, holding its position not far from Galileo. Kohl had spent the past week within the Nautilus' decks, but it had been some time since he'd had occasion to look at her. To look at all of her. She looked different to his sapphire eyes now, different that she had done at Starbase 84. His intense focus had been why he didn't notice he wasn't alone in the Astrometrics lab.

"She's beautiful," a deep voice spoke softly from behind.

It was a lieutenant: Manuel Robert Lucero V. A science officer the Fleet had sent in from San Francisco to serve as Andreus' own assistant. He was highly enthused about the opportunity of serving under someone so recognized in the science and medicine communities. The simple fact that he was serving in the exact position that the Commander himself filled on the infamous U.S.S. Galileo was enough to make him sweat. Of course, he wasn't going let that part show since it's likely to make him look like a kiss-ass. Thus, as he accepted the assignment, he resolved to try to play it cool.

"She truly is," Kohl replied. Although his timbre reflected reverence more than anything, Kohl sounded a little surprised to discover himself feeling that way. "Some of our unkind crewmates say: all she's good for is canon fodder..."

Kohl turned back to investigate the source of the deep voice, and his eyes landed on a young man with pristinely-styled blond hair. In stark contrast, Kohl suspected he had run his hands through his honey-brown hair roughly seventeen-thousand times between his medical treatment, his counseling session, and the flirt/fight in the turbolift. Kohl didn't think of himself for very long, because his eyes lit up, and he excitedly said, "Lieutenant Lucero, hullo! I hope your journey to Galileo was a pleasant one."

Lucero smiled and extended his hand. "Yes, Sir. It was a fairly... well... interesting. To say the least. A couple of adventurous pilot made it fun." The lieutenant had found the crew of the Galileo to be fairly exciting. Compared to being on a boring science ship, it was a wonderfully drastic change in scenery.

When the hand was extended to him, Kohl clasped it between both of his own. "Exciting?" echoed Kohl. He cocked a questioning eyebrow at the younger man. There shone a hint of alarm behind his eyes. "That's not an adjective I prefer in my pilots," Kohl said, as he gave Lucero's hand a shake. "Sparkling personalities exciting or skirting the edge of a black hole exciting?"

"To be completely honest, Sir... They're moreso the latter." Lucero chuckled a bit. The Commander had some considerably soft hands.

Kohl gave Lucero's hand one last squeeze before letting go. "I'm not sure I have much of a tolerance for that kind of excitement..." Kohl said. His attentions drifted from the shape of Lucero's lips to somewhere over the other man's left shoulder. At first, Kohl had been inclined to over-share. He was going to speak of his own shuttle crash onto a volcano planet during one of Galileo's planetary surveys, or he was going to mention losing his father in a shuttle collision, but he caught himself. He stopped himself. This wasn't precisely the time or the place for such stories, Kohl supposed. Instead, Kohl asked, "What was your first reaction to your assignment to Galileo?"

The younger officer shifted his weight and thought a moment before speaking. "Coming from a strictly science research vessel, I'd have to say that the Galileo is a dream come true. For some reason, when I first saw her, I couldn't help but imagine the countless adventures she must have endured and the ones I will embark on with her in the near future."

The lieutenant recoiled a bit from his own response, slightly embarrassed about how childish and cliche he must have sounded.

By all appearances, Kohl was only engaged his opportunity to learn about Lucero. "Does the calm scare you?" Kohl asked. He narrowed his eyes slightly, because he was making a guess. Making a guess based on very little evidence. Kohl perched himself on the edge of the LCARS console behind him. He added, "Does stillness in the air give you hives?"

Moving a little closer to the Commander, Manuel made an expression that looked as though he had been caught doing something, and looked off into the distance.

"As a matter of fact... It does. I can't stand it."

After a moment, he looked back at Kohl. Into his sapphire eyes and took a deep breath.

Kohl smiled slyly in return. There was a sense of knowing in his expression, and more than a little amusement. He braced his palms against the LCARS panel beneath him. Kohl made no effort to move away. "In that case," Kohl asked, "What do you need to achieve? If nothing else, what will you achieve aboard Galileo?"

The Lieutenant was still lost in the Commander's eyes. The question was one that he himself pondered for quite some time. Endless nights of reflection and he still had yet to come up with an answer... Still had yet to identify his ambitions.

But then, in the most unexpected place, he had found the answer. Within Kohl's eyes he had found what he had been looking for, all this time. So easily that it was the first thing that had come to mind when he was locked into their gaze. He had found...

"Perfection." He said.



[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Manuel Lucero V
Asst. Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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