Walk Of Shame

Posted on Thu Sep 24th, 2020 @ 4:17am by Nollel Livaam (*) & Ka'see 'Cassie' Anderson (*) & Chief Engineer Michael Burnstein

Mission: Mission 12 - Railway
Location: Mess Hall
Timeline: MD02 07:30
861 words - 1.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Cassie looked around the corner of the mess and saw barely anyone in the mess which was a huge relief. The walk to the mess had been full of laughter from her body, it sounded so strange hearing herself laugh. She hadn’t done that in so long. “No one is here that we really know.” She mused standing up straighter trying to walk more like a man less like a woman. It was hard when parts of her body were just different.

"Good. Someone we know might wonder why I suddenly seem effeminate and you seem a bit butch," Burnie laughed. He was having some difficulty walking normally in her body too. The difference in center of gravity he'd expected and could mostly compensate for, but the slight angle to legs due to wider hips was harder - how did women not with their legs wider apart because of that? Yet he knew, from years of appreciative observation, that they walked more scissor-step rather than wide stance. He was just having trouble replicating the effect with tripping over his own ...or rather Cassie's own... feet.

Cassie walked over to the coffee canisters as she felt her mouth watering at the mere thoughts of coffee. “You really do like your coffee.” She murmured as she poured the liquid into a mug first for him then her. She quickly added milk and sugar before heading over to the corner of the mess.

"I do, and you may find those tastebuds prefer it black," he warned, and flashed a smile. "Also, I apologize for sticking you with a body so addicted to caffeine."

“So what is our plan?” She whispered as she caught a familiar figure out of the corner of her eyes - Nollel.

"Grab tricorders, go check the Collector's horde for..." Noticing her ..his.. eyes shift, Burnie looked over. "...oh no..."

"What do we do?" Cassie hissed knowing she could not pull him off convincingly.

"I don't know, I don't know..." Burnie darted glances between Nollel and Cassie in his body. He looked like the poster boy for Walk of Shame.

Noelle looked up and saw the pair in the corner whispering. She did not know what to make of it all after what had happened last night especially when it looked like Michael was still wearing the same clothes as she had last seen him in. She picked up a mug of coffee and slowly approached being careful as she weaved through the tables. "Hi." She said awkwardly. She might look composed and awake but she had spent a good portion of the night thinking things over.

Not trusting his voice, especially using Cassie's vocal chords, Burnie just plastered on what he hoped was a pleasant innocent smile and lifted a hand in a little wave.

Nollel offered a small smile to the woman before looking at 'Burnie'. She tried to act logically but it was hard that moment. "Can we talk?" She asked.

Cassie kept her face neutral, for someone who had a PhD in genetics she was struggling there and then to figure out what to say. "Can we rain check till this evening and properly talk?" She wondered watching as the blonde's face dropped a little. "We are about to head to the grotto to conduct an investigation and we need time." She quickly added glancing at 'Cassie'.

Burnie sat up straighter, trying his best to imitate Cassie. "Something in there may be affecting crew members. If so, we need to find it and stop it." It wasn't a lie, even if it wasn't exactly the whole truth.

Nollel looked at the pair and felt something with off with both of them but she was not the type anymore to create drama in the mess hall in front of people even if it was just a few of them, sleepily eating breakfast and trying to wake up. She respected herself more than that now. “Um… Okay. Later then maybe if you are finished. Enjoy your breakfast.” She said in a soft voice turning on her heels leaving the coffee she had just made on a table as she left the mess.

“Ohhh that went badly,” Cassie muttered.

Burnie watched her walk away with a stricken look. "I know..." He planted face in hands. "I just didn't know what else to say. 'We woke up in each other's bodies'? I can't imagine that would have gone better." The whole truth would be a lot less believable and much harder to explain.

“If she even believed us.” Cassie added. She did not envy him at all. She was single and able to bet by for however long it took for this stuff to be fixed but he had connections and Nollel seemed to be a big part of them.

"Yeah," Burnie sighed. He didn't hold out much hope of that. "Come on, let's go check out the Grotto. If we can find what caused this, I can tell her and maybe have some prayer she'll believe me."

“I hope she does. You both look so crestfallen.” Cassie said intrigued by all the emotions playing across her face.