Everybody's Nuts

Posted on Fri Jun 28th, 2019 @ 6:51am by Commander Alora Knight & Lieutenant JG Diego Nunez

667 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Demons in the Dark
Location: XO's Office

Diego had stored his things in his quarters and was outside the XO's office, about to report in. He had heard she was part Orion, and that did not bode well with his family's high testosterone levels. Hopefully she took an inhibitor. Then again, he might need to, too.

He took a deep breath and rang the chime.

"Come in," Alora said, setting aside the PADD she'd been reading. She stood to greet the newcomer.

He entered and almost breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing. He got nothing from her. He didn't let any of it show but simply said, "LtJG Diego Nunez, reporting for duty, sir." His Mexican accent was very clear in his voice.

"Ma'am," she corrected. "Hello, lieutenant. Please, have a seat and tell me something about your previous assignment."

Diego nodded in acknowledgment of the correction, and sat opposite her, his feet on the floor and his posture relaxed...or as relaxed as he ever got.

"Well, I served on the Apollo, a Prometheus class, and did a lot of convoy duty. It was usually quiet, but every now and then someone would come out and try to give us a bloody nose. Lucky for us, my friend Austin was the CMO. He can fix anyone up."

She nodded. "What did you do when it was quiet?"

"Upgrades, maintenance, fixing this one toilet that always got clogged. I don't know what that person ate, but it wasn't good," he said with a disgusted look on his face.

Alora wondered how the officer would fare on the Tokyo if that was what seemed to resonate with him. Operations was a complex department, but as long as he was good at his job, she would have no issues. "What are you looking for from your time on the Tokyo?"

"I'm looking forward towards working with the new classes of ships," he said, getting a gleam in his eyes. "I've heard that the new computer core can store over 600 yottabytes of information. The prometheus class could barely hold 100. And the holoprojectors and AI are truly amazing."

"It's a good ship." Alora paused. "You just have to know how to handle the captain. She's...a little hotheaded."

Diego grimaced. "I am, too, unfortunately. Comes with being from Latin America on Earth." He shifted uncomfortably. "I'm still learning to control it."

"Well, it promises to be an interesting tour," Alora said. "If you have trouble with her, let me know. I can often smooth things over." Or pin her to the wall until she calms down, she thought. Her eyes focused on Diego. "I allow a fair bit of individuality, but I have been known to...take drastic measures."

Diego's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, 'drastic measures'?"

With a straight face she said, "On my last assignment, I had an issue with a disrespectful helmsman. He pushed me too far and I threw him half-way across the lounge. It was an...extreme reaction."

Diego nodded slowly. Are they all this crazy?? he thought to himself.

"Is there anything you need before you get started?" she asked.

"Just one," he said slowly, shifting in his chair, wanting to get away...far away. "Is everyone on this ship crazy?"

"No, but it helps."

Diego nodded. "Understood, ma'am." Now, more than ever, he wanted out of that room. Forget flirting, he wanted to stay out of the same room as these two women.

Alora saw the look on his face and chuckled. If he reacted like this to her, she doubted he'd survive long on the Tokyo. And if he wasn't going to listen to her, there was nothing more she could say. "You're dismissed."

"Aye, Ma'am," he got up, took his padd, and tried to walk a normal pace out of the room. The doors closed behind him and he leaned against the wall. "Estan Locos!" He said to himself. (Translation: They are crazy!)

____
OFF

Commander Alora Knight
Executive Officer

Lieutenant LG Diego Nunez
Chief Operations Officer

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