Old Friends, New Places

Posted on Thu Dec 28th, 2017 @ 7:38pm by Johnathen Anderson Jr

Mission: Ishimura
Location: USS Ishimura, Junior Officer's Quarters
1349 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

:::ON:::

John finally found the quarters he was assigned to. It only took him about fifteen minutes, and three different trips on the turbolift. Man, this ship is HUGE!! he thought to himself as the door to his shared cabin swooshed open. Stepping inside, he heard some soft music playing. "Hello?"

Hal looked up from stowing some uniforms. He figured that must've been his roommate. "Hey." he called out, closing his locker. He rounded the corner and was slightly amazed, for the better. "John?!"

John's face brightened with a wide grin when he saw the man speaking. "Hal! How the hell are you?!" He dropped his duffles, then moved over to Hal and embraced him warmly. After slapping backs, John stepped back. "I thought you were on the Shinmin?"

"Can't complain." Hal said. "Yeah, I was. Till a few weeks ago." he said. "Shinmin's CO said I was done there and to report here." Hal replied. "How ya been man?!"

John nodded as he listened. It was good to have a familiar face on his first starship assignment. While Hal had not been s member of Red Squad, the two had still become fast friends during their time at the Academy. "I've been okay. Just taking each day as it comes, as usual. I was just assigned here as one of the hemp officers. Did you stay with the security field?"

"Yeah," Hal said. "Still know my way around a phaser." he laughed.

John simply smiled and nodded at the statement. He knew that Hal was being modest in his phaser marksmanship ability. He had been on the range the day his friend had smashed the range record.

Looking around the small living space, John asked, "So, did you grab the bottom bunk, like you did at the Academy?"

Hal rubbed his chin. He couldn't honestly remember which bunk he had for the amount of sleep he got with PT and all of that. "Actually hadn't picked it out yet. Just started unpacking."

John chuckled. "Well, I guess we can flip for it." He reached into his right pants pocket and pulled out his commemorative Red Squad coin. "Call it." He then flipped the coin up into the air with his right thumb, catching it in midair and slapping it down onto the back of his left hand, keeping it covered until Hal called heads or tails. "Heads you get top bunk, tails I do."

Fair enough." Hal said, shrugging his shoulders. "Heads I guess." he chuckled as he replied.

Lifting his right hand, John revealed the hidden coin. The heads side was indeed visible. "Well, looks like you got top bunk this time around."

"So it would seem." he smiled. Secretly he'd hoped he was tails, but decided to roll with it. He looked the bunk over, growing more used to the idea. He slapped his forehead, remembering his manners.

He retrieved a thermos bearing the academy insignia and a couple mugs. "Coffee? It's still semi hot."

John's eyes and face brightened. "Is it your special blend?" He had gotten rather used to Hal's homemade brew during their time at the Academy. It was one of the things he had missed after his friend had left for the Shinmin.

Hal flashed a sly smile. "Is there any other kind?" He poured John a cup and offered it to him. "You know that the Shinmin XO tried to steal the secret?" He laughed. "Didn't get anywhere!"

John joined his friend in the joke. "Hey, you know what they say, the greatest form of flattery is imitation." He took a long sip of the coffee, savoring in the savory brew as it flowed over his pallet. "Mmmm," he nearly purred, "Just like I remember. Thanks for that."

"No problem." Hal said. "What are friends for?"

John put the mug down and then retrieved his bags. Laying them on hisbunk, he began to unpack. "So," he asked as he worked at moving in. "What happened on the Shinmin? Get into any battles? Conquer any damsels?" He chuckled at the last part, because, during tgeir time at the Academy, Hal always seemed to be with a new girl every other weekend.

"Did work an Away team to babysit a group of scientists. Locals didn't really want a federation party in their town. Luckily we didn't have to fire on them." He cleared his throat. "And alas, no. Couldn't compete with a science cadet. He just oozed charisma. Did date though as best I could.

John's features took on the look of a mixture of shock and dismay. "What?" He gasped. "Are you telling me that you allowed a beaker jockey to outshine you?!" He clutched his heart. "Oh say it isn't so, Hal! Say it isn't so!"

Hal's look said it all. It was the classic "deer in the headlights" look. Followed by the sound of laughter.

After a few beats, John's face broke. He laughed at his joke while his friend stared at him. Finally, grabbing onto Hal's left shoulder to steady himself, the young pilot wiped away a few laughter-induced tears from his eyes. "Seriously though, roomie, I'm glad you made it through your first mission unscathed. How're your folks doing?"

"They're just fine! Still at lake Armstrong doin their thing." Hal beamed. "Sent me pictures of their vacation while I was on the Shin. Old man's going strong for his age." He enthusiastically said.

John grinned at the news. He liked Hal's parents. They seemed like very nice people when he had visited Hal's home during a break from school during their sophomore year at the Academy. "That's great! Did he finally get that hovercycle working? Or did your mom finally get him to get rid of it?"

"Yes and no." He laughed. "Got it working on the vacation but was showboating and messed it up again!" He took a breath. "Mom took charge and sold it for him."

John chuckled again as he continued to unpack. He pulled out a small, framed, photo of a cute young blonde woman and him in an embrace. They appeared to be standing atop a mountain cliff in a heavily wooded area. Pausing a beat to look at the photo and smile before he placed the photo on the small ledge next to his bunk, he continued to speak. "Heh, and I bet she gave him her famous you're not a young fighter anymore, speech, didn't she?"

Hal laughed. He knew that speech well. He even got it when he did something stupid, which was frequent. "Almost word for word she said."

John chuckled a little bit more as he finished unpacking. After he folded up his empty duffels, he stored them in the storage compartment under his bunk.

"Well, enough of my Dad being an idiot." Hal said, stowing his own uniforms. After all, he was curious too. He took another sip of the coffee. "So, what're your folks up to these days."

John sat down on his bunk and smiled at his friend. "Same old stuff really," he replied. "They're both still flying shuttles back and forth between the planet and orbit. Even with transporter tech, there's still a call for shuttle pilots, either to move personnel or equipment."

Hal nodded. His parents were the same way. "I can get that." Hal replied. "He always said "I've never been disassembled and I won't start now!" Hal said, trying to keep from laughing. "But you know how he is." he said, closing a drawer. "Sounds great."

Once both men had their gear stored, John saw the time. "Well, I've got about three hours until my shift starts. How about you?

"About the same." Hal replied.

"Wanna investigate the ship? Get our bearings?" John asked as he looked at his friend.

"Beats getting lost at a weird time!" Hal smiled.

John grinned and nodded. "Okay. Let's go." He started towards the door of their cabin, excited about the next step in the adventure.

"Lets." Hal agreed



:::OFF:::

Ensign Johnathen Anderson Jr.
Junior Helmsman

&

Ensign Hal Detan
Junior Security