[Round 5] Officers at Work...Almost

[Guest]

Lieutenant Jackford B. Kolk & Lieutenant J.G. Valis - "Officers At Work... Almost"

((Andoria - Stardate 241705.19))

::Bundled in a parka, Admiral Jackford B. Kolk, retired, trudged through the snow toward a rounded building on a ridge, a slender figure following behind him. As they neared the building, the aging Human slowed, but his companion passed him and approached the door. Turning back, she called to him.::

Valis: Husband, are you not coming? We have arrived.

Kolk: It's been so long. I'm just... savoring the moment.

::The Vulcan woman, barely looking a day older than she had those first years on the Ronin, nodded solemnly, then knocked on the door. It opened, and a wrinkled blue face, greeting them warmly.::

Thelev: Valis! Brother! Come in! My wife is just finishing up repairs on the replicator. If you need anything, just wait a few moments and I'll get it for you.

::Jack hobbled the last several steps inside and held his arms close to his body until some of the warmth from the home filtered through the parka.::

Kolk: Your wife? When did you find a wife?

Reed-Thelev: He stole me from you, remember?

::Captain Sarah Reed-Thelev, on-shoreleave, strolled out of the dining room, looking as young and beautiful as ever. Jack was stunned. Not by her lack of aging, but by the fact that she was Jhen's wife.::

Reed-Thelev: ::to Jhen:: The replicator's fixed. ::to Jack:: Kippers and Chocolate Milk, I presume?

::Just then an odd chime sounded and a familiar but bodiless voice interrupted. ::

Computer: The time is now 0745 hrs. ::chime:: The time...

((Lt. Kolk's Quarters, Deck 4 - Stardate 238503.30))

Computer: ...is now 0745 hrs. ::chime::

::He sat up on his elbows, shaking his head to wake himself up. Light-headedness followed, leading to a feeling of regret.::

Kolk: Milk, cold.

::The replicator whirred and Jack began sliding out of bed while haphazardly rubbing his short hair in no particular direction. It always felt odd in the morning, standing up at odd angles and kind of fun to force it to go elsewhere.::

Kolk: oO Sarah married Jhen? and... Valis!?! Oo Never.

Computer: Please restate request.

Kolk: None intended.

Computer: ::contented bleep::

((Corridor, Deck 4 - Later))

Valis: Good day, Lieutenant.

::After a shower and a shave, Jack was more awake, but still befuddled by the odd dream. He'd decided that his mind had mixed the pairing he'd semi-consciously made of him with Sarah and Jhen with Valis, but it still left him disconcerted. And the fact that Valis awaited him in the hallway the moment he stepped out didn't help.::

Kolk: ::mumbling:: 'Morning, Valis.

::He didn't really look at her, but as he made his way toward the turbolift, he couldn't help but notice that she was following him almost exactly as she had in the dream. To break the annoying deja vu, he slowed to let her pass. As she neared the turbolift doors, she stopped and turned. oO Just like the dream. Smeg. Oo ::

Valis: Lieutenant, are you not coming?

::He stared at her and waited, but she didn't say, "We have arrived," as she had in the dream. Still, it was eerie. He shook his head, looked down, and trudged past her into the lift.::

Kolk: Too weird.

Valis: ::to the lift:: Deck 14. ::about his comment:: Lieutenant?

Kolk: Oh, nothing. ::to the lift:: Deck 15. ::Silence, then it dawned on him.:: Wait, why are you going to Deck 14?

Valis: I am a Science Officer.

Kolk: Since when?

::Before Valis could answer, several thuds and whump distracted the pair (though not before Jack noticed that she was indeed wearing a blue turtleneck instead of her usual red) and then the lights went out and the lift halted, jostling its occupants into one another. The brief physical contact gave Valis a momentary taste of the Lieutenant's thoughts, enough to touch upon both his confusion at her uniform color and several glimpses of the dream about which he was still preoccupied. ::

Valis: Peculiar.

Kolk: What?

::She had of course been referring to the bizarre marital parings in him mind - though had not intended to comment on them aloud. Had the situation not been unusual otherwise she would likely not have slipped. But, there was no reason she should embarrass the Lieutenant by letting on that she'd accidentally touched his mind. She had not intended to, and she should not have judged his thoughts as she had.::

Valis: The lift has malfunctioned.

Kolk: No kidding?

Valis: Vulcans do not "kid".

Kolk: I'm not sure I believe that, but never mind. As a science officer, you wouldn't happen to be carrying a tricorder, would you?

Valis: No. It is my first shift. I was on my way to report to LtCmdr. Maria.

Kolk: Brilliant. Stuck in a lift with Valis.

Valis: I was not aware that you disliked me. Should I have transferred instead to Engineering so that we could work out your difficulties?

::Jack laughed a little, paused, then laughed some more. He'd of course known of the reason for Valis' transfer to Communications since he'd "accidentally" overheard their conversation in the holodeck when she and Jhen had sorted it out. But he never expected her to mention it to him like this. Had she meant him to laugh?::

Kolk: A joke, Valis?

Valis: I have noticed that humans tend to use levity to relieve stress in tense situations. Is that not the case for you?

Kolk: ::nodding:: And you found it logical to do so yourself?

Valis: Logic is relative.

Kolk: ::chuckling: : Really?

Valis: No. But... I am... ::she stopped herself. Continuing the conversation was not logical. They should be attempting to escape the lift. She tapped her combadge.:: =/\= Lt. Valis to Transporter Room. Lt. Kolk and I are trapped in a turbolift. Please retrieve us. =/\=

::They waited. Jack couldn't help but wonder what she had begun to say before using the comm. But, he'd never know now... Or would he? Moments later they heard a garbled transmission; mostly static, nothing they could understand.. . and they didn't beam anywhere.::

Kolk: =/\= Kolk to Brice. Chief? What's going on? =/\=

::More static.::

Valis: It would appear communications are not functioning.

Kolk: You never should have transferred away. They can't function without you.

Valis: Perhaps. ... The access panel.

Kolk: ::jovially imitating her inflection:: Indeed.

::He turned to the panel next to the door and began prying with his fingers. It opened soon enough and he began tinkering, though it was clear the lift was unpowered so whatever he did wasn't going to accomplish much.::

Kolk: So what were you going to say before you contacted the Transporter Room. You are...?

Valis: I was... temporarily affected by our physical contact to the detriment of my logic.

::At that Jack stopped trying to see into the pitch black panel and turned to face the barely visible Vulcan.::

Kolk: Affected by our contact? oO What? She liked me and touching me was a dream come true? Great. Just what I need. A Vulcan with a crush on me. Oo

Valis: I am touch-telepathic, Lieutenant. I momentarily sensed your thoughts. It took a few moments to separate them from my own and regain my control.

Kolk: Oh. ... Sorry. I forgot about that.

Valis: There is no need to apologize. Please continue attempting to open the doors.

Kolk: It's no use. There's no power and I don't have one of those servo-door-handle thingys on me.

Valis: That is unfortunate.

Kolk: Quite.

((OOC: Well, that explains why I'm late to work. Anyone want to save us, or are we gonna have to get out on our own?))

TBC

-----

Lieutenant Jackford B. Kolk

Assistant Chief Engineer... If Brice Doesn't Sack Me

USS Ronin NCC-34523

&

PNPC Lieutenant J.G. Valis

Science Officer... Almost

USS Ronin NCC-34523

[Guest]

A really good submission, this. Very well written and amusing.

There's some good banter between the characters and it adds a little to their backgrounds & personalities whilst still advancing the plot.

[DariusC]

I love this SIM. Particularly the first part...is Lt Kolk prone to these kind of dreams involving marital pairings of his shipmates? Perhaps it really is Stardate 241705.19 and he is having a day dream about being trapped in the turbolift sometime in the past. The future is the past or is the past the future? Engineers are such tormented individuals.

[Maz Rodan]

You have no idea...