Run On The Hull: Constitution

Posted on Fri Nov 9th, 2018 @ 1:14am by Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Commander Mnhei'sahe Dox

Mission: Escaped Pantheons
Location: USS Hera, Deck 11, Holodeck 3
Timeline: 2395, en route to the Galactic Core

04:00 would have been her preference, but Rita Paris was late to bed and early to rise. Not everyone operated that way. in truth, 05:00 would have been reasonable, but again, she knew her audience. 06:00 was closer to the actual waking hour of the chief flight officer of the Hera, Paris wagered. After all, duty at 07:00 on alpha shift. Which meant that if they were going to have an hour, Dox was going to lose some sleep.

At 05:00 the door chime rang in the cozy junior officer's quarters on deck 2.

The chime coincided with Dox's own alarm, as she had been getting up at 05:00 since her promotion to Chief Flight Control Officer so she would have plenty of time to not just get ready for her day but also review the flight crew rotations for the day. For a moment, she didn't notice the chime as different from her own alarm, but thankfully for the groggy Junior Grade Lieutenant, the computer chimed in to deactivate her alarm and inform her of a visitor.

Scrunching her face slightly in confusion from the edge of her bed, Melanie called out "One moment." Walking to the door with increasing briskness, she threw on and tied off a robe she kept for just such a situation. By the time she reached the door, she was awake enough for her characteristic anxiety to take hold.

Pressing the pad at the side, the door slid open with a hiss and Melanie saw that her visitor was none other than the First Officer of the Hera, Rita Paris. Instantly, her mild concern ramped up to surprise as she shot to a more attentive stance. "Commander? What's wrong?

"Not a thing, Miss Dox," Paris replied, clad in a canary yellow sports bra that zipped up the front with bright red stretched lettering that read '75 PSI', showing a bare midriff with some rather toned abs. Some matching tight stretchy shorts that started a bit low on her hips ended halfway down the California girl's thighs. As she spoke, she raised one running shoe-clad foot to the hallways rail and leaned into a long stretch. "I'm up for my morning run, and you mentioned you have all of those hull running programs. I thought I'd haul you out for a run, and I have Holodeck 3 booked for the occasion. What do you say? I know running might not be your favorite thing, but it does give us a chance to talk. And for the record, this is not an official request, and you can say no."

Scratching the back of her head for a moment, absorbing what Rita Paris had just said, Melanie's initial nerves subsided quickly. While running wasn't her favorite activity, she WAS actually excited for the opportunity to share some of the starship exteriors programs she had developed and it showed on her face.

"Uh... Yeah. Yes, absolutely." Melanie's head darted around her modest quarters, realizing there was nowhere to offer the commander a place to sit that also wasn't in view of where she would need to be to get dressed. "Let me just throw myself together. Less then five minutes."

"I'll be out here doing stretches. You don't get a lot of foot traffic on Deck 2, so I shouldn't cause any catastrophes while I warm up." As she spoke, the limber leggy lieutenant put her foot up on the wall at doorway height and continued to blithely aggravate Dox's body issues. "Do your thing, I'll wait."

"Thanks. Be right out." Dox rushed back into her quarters, quickly did her morning business and freshened herself up to be as presentable as possible and ran over to the closet while grabbing a protien shake from the replicator on the way. She had a couple of exercise outfits ready as she tried to get a few days of decent exercise in a week but was suddenly feeling shorter and fatter then usual after seeing Rita Paris ready to go.

Grabbing an outfit quickly, she pulled on a pair of full length black leggings with a thick, command red stripe running up the right leg that ended in an embroidered gold Starfleet Delta at the hip and a comfortable black sports bra. She undid the messy bun she slept in and tied her thick, curly auburn locks into a ponytail while stuffing her feet into a pair of running shoes at the base of her closet. Finally, she pulled on a loose necked black T-shirt with gold letters that read "For Those Who Day and Night Live in Sweat's Fear" that she saw in the ships store and thought was cute.

Slapping her comm badge to her bra, under her t-shirt, she looked at her time and was happy to see that she was at four and a half minutes. Melanie took a deep breath and tried to not think about how ridiculous she would look bouncing next to the virtual Amazon of perfection that was Rita Paris and stepped out into the corridor. "I'll have to get stretched up a little myself, but otherwise ready to go Commander."

“Spectacular! Let’s just head for Deck 11. Once we’re in a populated area of the ship we’ll draw gawkers, so we’ll just double-time it to the holodeck.” Paris remarked. After all, she was well aware of her looks and physique, and the effect it had on people. As First Officer, she had a certain decorum that was expected, and she was keenly aware that her minimal workout clothing would cause all sorts of attention and speculation. “Usually I use one of the holosuites just for myself, but I want your program to have the full capacity to run.”

Striding to the turbolift, Paris grinned, clearly cited. “So you did mention you had a Constitution class, right?”

"Absolutely. It's patterned after the Enterprise as the most detailed records are available for her..." Dox replied with a slight smile. "...but I made a scan of the model of the Exeter from the Flight Control office desk for comparison of details, cross referenced it against Starfleet records and created an alternate program for her." Stopping to wait for the turbolift, Melanie got in some quick stretching herself, hoping nobody would walk by and see her.

"Plus, the Constitution Class is the easiest surface for running by FAR. A perfect circle with no windows on the rim and a mostly flat space with few edges." Then she looked up for a moment to think. "The Excellsior, Constalation, Galaxy and Nebula classes would also be okay for when you might want a LONGER run, but the Soverign would be like trying to run the Academy obstacle course. There's so much... stuff... on the surface."

“Ah, I signed on for the simplicity,” Paris smiled as the turbolift doors opened and a few bridge crew personnel goggled a bit at the duo.

“Gentlemen,” Paris said with a dazzling smile before she turned around to watch the lift doors, pretending she was not currently being scrutinized. Apparently the curvaceous commander was quite familiar with the reactions she inspired, and she pointedly ignored the slightly dazed officers, to allow them to have their reactions in her wake.

Desperately wishing that turbolifts had corners, Melanie pushed herself as far back as she could as the doors closed, mortified. Her cheeks went flush with their usual deep tan complexion that was a visual reminder of her Romulan heritage thanks to a distinct mix of DNA that gave her a deep Brown colored blood. She had no idea how her First Officer managed to exude such confidence, but sighed slightly realizing that as a department head, she was going to have to figure it out sooner rather than later.

As the turbolift arrived on Deck 11, Paris stepped out and moved with speed and confidence to the holodeck entrance, whose route she had studied before setting out this morning. Tapping in her access code, the doors opened and the starfarer of a day gone by stepped into the black room with the yellow grid patterns on the walls. Turning to regard Dox as the doors closed, she smiled patiently. “All up to you now, Lieutenant. How about a little holographic wizardry, eh?”

"Aye, Commander." Melanie replied with a broad and authentic smile and a tone that made the official response sound positively casual, which was something of a minor achievement for the usually uptight pilot.

"Computer. Access program files for Dox, Melanie. Sub-folder, Starship walks. File, U.S.S. Exeter, pre-refit. Location, main saucer, dorsal on hull... 2 meters back from forward running light... and execute." And with that, the black and yellow grid of the holodeck rippled away as from below their feet, the greenish grey hull of a Constitution Class Starship sparkled into existence, seeming to stretch out into the infinity of deep space in all directions around them.

Within an instant, it was if they were standing on the hull of the great starship, although without the need for spacesuits.

Taking in the sight, the eyes of the lost navigator lit up with obvious affection. Melanie had seen that look on the face of the first officer only once before, and she realized with a start that this was how Rita looked at Sonak, he husband who had chased her through space and time and dimensions to reunite with her. That look of love, of genuine heartfelt devotion, was not an expression seen on the lovely lieutenant commander’s face in day today shipboard operations. But having seen a glimpse of her private life, Dox recognized that look now, and to see it for one of her creations definitely warmed her own heart a bit.

Kneeling down, Rita ran her fingers over the skin of the starship, caressing it gently. “Hello, old girl. Remember me?” Paris asked, somewhat nonsensically. This was not ‘her’ Exeter, it wasn’t even the right model for her. But she was a Constitution pre-refit, and she’d been intimately connected with the original Constitution when she had been in this configuration, and nostalgia flooded her at seeing one of the heavy cruisers of her day, particularly like this- a view that no one had ever shared with her previously.

“You’ve done a great job, Miss Dox. The level of detail is superb, and those little details are all where they should be.” Standing, Paris smiled, a surprisingly contented expression. “Color me impressed. So, a little run, then, shall we? I’ll let you set the pace- I was cross-country at the Academy and I run about five kilometers a day, so better if we let you set the pace, right?” It could have been said in an accusatory or conceited manner, but Paris meant it as a kindness- simply put, she was a runner, and she wanted to insure that her subordinate didn’t think she had dragged her out at this hour just to humiliate her or best her, but to share an experience with her.

"Thank you, Commander. I'm glad you like it." Melanie was extremely relieved that her First Officer really seemed to appreciate the program and it made her happy to see Paris happy. It also made her happy to be able to set the pace for the run, since she had already experienced Rita Paris' walking pace and was pretty certain she would end up dying if she had to try and run and talk otherwise.

In spite of her short and fairly plump proportions, Melanie tried to keep in good shape and she benefitted from my mother's athletic DNA even if she had her father's shape. Allowing herself one more quick stretch, she turned to the blond officer and spoke with a slightly nervous chuckle. "Okay. I guess, let's go."

Starting slow, even for her, Melanie wanted to ease into it since talking was also going to be required.

Moving at a shuffling pace, the long-limbed lass took her time, trying to find a way to maintain the slow pace Dox was setting without walking or being insulting. One could not let another set the pace then be a jerk about it, after all. “So how are you settling in? It looks like only a few minor scheduling issues that you learned from right away, and beyond that you’ve managed coverage for all shifts in the department. And before you start worrying, I watch EVERYONE’S reports and rosters and I monitor all of the departments- I’m not just spying on you. One of the reasons I’m glad not to be running Flight Control- I already have a lot on my plate.”

"I can only imagine " Melanie replied, noticing that her initial pace seemed awkward for her long legged First Officer. "I mean, keeping an eye on everything is a big part of being First Officer, I guess." The normal formality Melaine always tried to maintain was reduced as she was splitting her focus between talking and trying to bring the pace up a little.

"So far, there hasn't been anything that's come up that I haven't been able to handle without either a bit of research or asking Ensign Gonadie for her thoughts. There haven't been any noticeable drama I could pick up on." Then, Melanie paused for a moment to think. "I guess, so far, the hardest part is in giving everyone their time. Everyone in the department knows what they're doing just fine so far. But I kinda stress about making sure I am divvying up the duty roster so that everyone gets to log a little flight time. I don't want to short change anyone of their opportunities, I guess."

“That’s good. You take what you learned and saw when you were under and you apply it when you are over, to be fair and eve-handed in the assignments. Well done, Dox,” the first officer smiled as she chuffed along. “You continue to validate my faith in you, and it’s good to see you coming into your own. Wow… look at that bridge profile. They don’t make them like that anymore,” Paris marveled as she took in the sight of the starboard side of the bridge as they ran, which Dox realized she’d chosen to point them to run counter-clockwise.

"I could never connect with the history they taught at the academy until I started programming these. It was just names and dates, even with ship recordings and the like. Even the simulators they had were just these sterile interiors. It was like being on a stage set in a play. But from out here it's easier to... I dunno... Feel her. If that makes any sense." Then Dox looked up as she ran at the projected image of the heavens. "And easier to think... out here."

“I get it, I honestly do. We live inside them, but we so seldom see them from the outside, and they’re just so… majestic,” Paris summed up. “Back when I couldn’t go anywhere and I was all alone on a ship full of people, I used to sit on the hull with my back kind of against deck 2 and watch the stars slide by, back on the Constitution. It probably saved a good chunk of my sanity… I had lost my life and all contact, but she was still there for me, and she still took me places, and I got to see the sights like none of my shipmates… standing out here on the hull.”

While she had been speaking, Paris had stopped paying attention and was now just walking in her long stride alongside the slowly jogging Dox, but it was clear that she was lost in thought, reliving memories long buried from a hundred thirty years ago.

Noticing that Rita had slowed to a walk, Melanie turned around, walking backwards for a moment. Paris' expression seemed to look far past the simulation they were in, to another time, and Melanie thought on the experiences her First Officer had described. Experiences she could scarcely even imagine and struggled to think of something to say. Coming to a stop, Melanie rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, recognizing that while there were light years of differences between their respective lives and experiences, that her seemingly indestructible First Officer had a lot of scars of her own.

"Rita..." Melanie spoke after what felt to her like an eternity, seeing only someone she thought of a a friend hurting. "We can... we don't have to be here... If it's too much. I'm sorry."

Those big blue eyes that were staring off into the distance at something a thousand light years away blinked, then refocused on Melanie Dox.

"Oh... no, it's, it's fine, I just... I remember what it was like. I'd sit up here and scream and rage at the universe, or watch the stars slide by... a lot of that. We fought a few skirmishes and a few full battles. I'd watch on the bridge, then get up on the hull to see the battle in person. That was incredible."

"It was lonely. That was the worst part of it, but there were some things about it that were just... breathtaking. Being out here on the hull brought it all that back for me. Thank you, Miss Dox... Melanie." Paris lit up that million watt smile and started jogging, a few slow steps to give Dox the idea, then moved into a jog. "See, I couldn't do anything to affect the ship or the crew, so I couldn't participate. It left me a spectator, and since I didn't sleep- yeah, when you are energy you don't sleep, so you can never get a respite from input when you can't close your eyes or sleep. Not the best thing, but handy. I read books over people's shoulders, read reports, spied on love affairs. Don't judge- I was a ghost, and I was lonely."

Following Rita's lead, Melaine resumed jogging as well, putting some more effort into keeping a faster pace this time. "No judgement here." Dox chuckled lightly. "I'm sure I wouldn't do any different in similar circumstances. I doubt few people if any would. And..." Melanie paused in thought while she jogged for a moment, hoping she wasn't about to get too sappy or overstep her bounds. "...It probably has something to do with... well... why your really good at being a First Officer. Up or down, you can read people like a book. See situations for what they are like that!" Dox snapped her fingers. " I mean... I can't even imagine what that must've been like. But not being able to do anything but observe everything... you learn everything too."

"That's true," Paris admitted. "Two years in Starfleet Psych taught me a lot about people and their personality quirks and how they operate internally. That's how I know you were shoving me off that first day, and how I knew I had to get through to you if I wanted you to take me seriously." She jogged on in silence for few seconds, then resumed. "Thank you for not judging me, Dox. I'm... a lot better with Sonak here, because he... he understands me and he helps me keep it together. I would manage without him but I would forever be missing a part of me. Literally. I do my best for the ship and crew but... I have my moments, you know? Thank you for understanding. I'm not some invulnerable superwoman who does it all right, I just do the best I can by everyone. And that especially goes for you." Rita smiled at the junior officer.

"You're going to be in my position someday, you know," Rita pointed out gently. "So I have to teach you how to do this, but your way. And I'll help you as much as I can, because I had to do it all alone up to a certain point. With you, I get to comport myself to you how I wish I had been trained and do better... even if I am a hundred and thirty years behind the times. Thanks... thanks for saying that I do okay at it. I don't have anything to measure against except the jackass who was first officer when I got here, but I take it very seriously. It's a responsibility to the ship and to you officers, and I'm determined to do right by you all."

"I... do appreciate the efforts you've put in with me. I think I'd be sitting in my quarters on shuttle duty if you hadn't forced me out. In this morning's case, literally. It's... easier to not take chances on people, and I've not had the best luck in the past when I've tried, so this ship has been like... well... like nothing I've ever expected." As they ran, Dox looked at the path ahead of them and noticed the design of the classic Constitution Class Starship had a minor obstacle. "Computer... Remove the impulse engine platform ahead and restore once we've passed, thank you." Ahead of the duo, the long elevated platform connecting the impulse engines to the rest of the saucer shimmered out of existence, leaving their path unencumbered.

"As for me being in your position... wow. I don't know about that. I mean... I don't." Dox realized she was both blushing and stammering, and recentered herself. "Do you really think that's a possibility? I've never even considered that as a possibility, all things considered."

"Computer, belay that edit," Rita called out, then changed course to go around the bridge extension. It was minor, but she felt it important- one did not magically make obstacles go away, one learned to work around them, although she was not about to berate Dox for it, so much as demonstrate as she did it. "Yes, Lieutenant. If you spend the rest of your career on this boat, much like flight control, it is highly likely you will end up on the command track, and eventually a captaincy of your own. If you end up on another vessel, you will almost certainly rise to this position, and to the big chair." As they jogged alongside the impulse drive extension, the curved to run around the bridge, almost symbolically given the conversation.

"Part of my job is to prepare you for that. Teach you the ins and outs of command, let you make mistakes and correct them for you so that all of the responsibility is not yours yet, so you can learn the job with someone watching over your shoulder. And it is the Captain's job to teach you command, just as she teaches me and the rest of the senior staff. This is what you signed on for, Miss Doc. To one day command one of these beauties." Pausing to gesture up to the rounded command bridge of the anachronism upon which they were jogging, Paris laughed. "Well, hopefully not one of these, but in the universe we live in, you never know, right?"

"I don't know... this ship is a beauty and in a lot of technical ways, a lot more hands on." Dox smiled, thinking about it. "There's a lot to be said for a ship like this. But, I think I know what you mean. It's... honestly... It's intimidating to think about. But I guess intimidating doesn't have to be a bad thing."

"No, intimidating does not have to be a bad thing... that's good way to look at it, Miss Dox. A challenge. For the record, a lot of systems are a lot easier to use in the modern day, but lots of them are more complicated. There's nothing like looking at your tricorder display and realizing you don't know half of what it's scanning. But we adapt and overcome, because that's the Starfleet way, right?" In a few sentences Rita Paris managed to sum up her own difficulties in the modern day, yet still deliver that 'can-do' optimism of her native age. In a way, it represented her to the junior officer in a way no explanation ever could.

"I'm... trying to learn to look at things from a more positive perspective. It's not something that always comes naturally to me, though." Dox replied.

"I know, Dox, and you are making great strides," Paris mugged at her own pun as the jogged the ancient starship's hull amongst the stars. "One step at a time. It's not easy to trust people- but if you give them the chance they can surprise you. Hell, I thought I was trapped in a dystopian future that was nothing but dark motives and that I was in genuine peril. But the Captain figured it out and came clean with me, and trusted me... so that I could trust her. Which led us to where we are today. Trust, Miss Dox... Starfleet extends it, and the Federation benefits from it as worlds come in to join us in that trust. It literally makes the universe work, in an odd sort of way."

"Thanks." Dox replied, a little embarrassed by the compliment, as was usual for her, but it wasn't as awkward as it has been since coming on board. While she was reluctant to admit it to herself, Rita Paris was right and she was getting just a bit more confident with each small victory. It was a thought that re-energized her stride a little as she ran.

"Meanwhile, I'm still going to keep prying at you a little bit here and there. You've figured out that I have your best interests at heart and that I am not setting you up for failure or embarrassment by now I think, and you understand me a bit better. Which is just as important if not moreso than me understanding you." While they had been running, either Paris had stopped paying attention or she was deliberately challenging Melanie, because she had opened up the running speed a bit, and was making tracks around the saucer section. As they ran, Paris stayed on the outside edge of the hull and course corrected Melanie a few times by nudging her shoulder when she was straying closer to the edge.

For her part, Melanie was keeping up the pace, though it was now takkmg a bit more effort for the significantly shorter young lieutenant to do so and maintain a conversation at the same time.

"I can tell you all day long that you can trust me, but you need it proven. Not uncommon. But knowing me as a person and as a superior officer makes that trust a lot easier to come by. So again, lead by example... because someday it will be a junior officer whose trust you will have to earn to help them see the officer they can grow to be someday. That's how it's supposed to work." Rita offered that supermodel smile, which seemed so out of place at the speed they were now running, yet she managed it effortlessly. Which brings me to my next point."

Titling her head slightly as she ran, Melaine was listening intently. She knew enough to not be directly worried by what the leggy commander was about to say, but nonetheless had to qwell her knee-jerk tendency towards anxiety.

"I assigned you the junior officer's quarters on Deck 2 because it was cozy and close to the bridge and convenient. Coming from your last assignment I thought it would be reassuring to you to have larger quarters than you are used to but not too much larger," the buxom blonde bombardier explained. "But now that you have been promoted, the Chief Flight Control quarters on Deck 8 are empty, and by rights belong to you. They are very large- just a little bit smaller than the quarters I am in now, to give you an idea. You are welcome to them if you wish, and they are one of the perks, along with the office. Officer Country is the nickname, because we and the VIP quarters and the captain's table are some of the only things to be found on Deck 8. So... there's that."

And with that, Dox actually lost her stride for one step and almost fell to a stop, startled by the statement. "Wait, what?" she replied as she resumed her run taking a few extra steps at a break out run speed to bring her back up to pace with her first officer.

Now back to running at Rita Paris' side after only the briefest of stumbles, Melaine was staring wide eyes at the hull in front of her as she ran. "The deck 8 crew... h..." She stopped herself mid word, as she was about to exclaim hnaev, a decidedly Romulan expletive, which, Romulan or not, she thought probably wasn't appropriate. "Wow." She said instead. "That's... those are HUGE. But... Oh wow... those have windows, don't they?"

"Great big ones, set in the hull at the edge of the corner where the bulkhead meets the overhead just on the starboard side of fore, about 38 meters from the midline. So you have a view of the fore and above. At warp it can be a little bright to sleep by, but you can darken them with computer control. But when we are at impulse, the view can be spectacular. Not quite standing on the hull spectacular, but pretty darned amazing. Standard orbit never looked so good." It was clear that the old-school officer's enthusiasm was genuine as she spoke, as she painted a picture for the promoted young officer of one of the perks of being a senior staff officer.

Handing over the flight control office had been difficult for Rita, as she had loved the office and the view of the flight deck. But the quarters she had inherited with the job had been a huge surprise to her, and when she'd been forced to upgrade she had lost noting in the bargain- if anything she'd had to expand the size of the rooms and create more dividers to break up the space, to make it seem more manageable to the officer who once upon a time had been impressed with quarters that were 18.5 square meters of space in her senior officer's quarters. That had included no viewport, let alone windows larger than her armspan. Forget about 140 square meters of living space.

With all of that said, Rita gave the compact young officer who, with her mind otherwise engaged, Paris realized was keeping up with her just fine, which brought a smile to the leggy lieutenant's face. It seemed if she could get Dox's mind otherwise occupied, the rest of her didn't understand her fear of failure and lack of self-worth, and she performed according to the demands placed upon her. If she could keep her talking, they should be able to get a 5K in on the hull of the ancient starship this morning, and still have time for a cool-down and a coffee before duty.

Which brought a sense of contentment to the legendary lieutenant commander- while so very much had changed in the decades she had not lived through, and technology had advanced so very far beyond her understanding in so many cases, Starfleet officers were still people, no matter where they came from. Which meant that Rita Paris was nowhere near useless in this high-tech modern age. She owed a debt to these junior officers that she mentored, for helping her feel as though she still belonged. It was a debt she was happy to pay as she watched Melanie Dox process it all in her own time, before she chose her reply to the news.

"The... the ship I grew up on was tiny. Maybe two and a half times the size of a Runabout at best. And my room was practically a closet, but it had a porthole and I spent half the time I was in there staring out it." Melanie smiled with a slightly mischievous grin. "The streaks of light at warp helps me sleep, actually. I've missed the heck out of it." She thought for a moment and chuckled slightly before continuing. "Thank you, of course. I couldn't say no to a room with windows if I tried. Still, that is a lot of space. I need more stuff." Chuckling again. "I came on board with one bag."

“Hey, I came aboard with the clothes on my back,” Rita laughed musically. “So you are one bag up on me. But yes, you have a furniture mass allotment to use, so feel free to decorate however you wish and set your quarters up however suits you. And no need to thank me- it’s a perk of the job, you earned the job, so we owe you the quarters. If anything I am late getting back to you about it, so less thanks and more ‘I finally got around to it’. So enjoy!”

"Not saying thank you when I'm feeling it is something you might have to order me to do." Melanie laughed out as she ran, feeling more relaxed then she had in a while, not even thinking twice about making the admittedly minorest of jokes. "It just doesn't feel right to me NOT to say so. I mean, I thank the replicators, I'm certainly not going to say so to someone who could have told me in a memo instead of like this." Melaine looked up at the simulated space around them, smiling broadly.

“Okay, you got me there. I say please and thank you to the computer, because to me she’s part of the crew. Hell, she's about a million times smarter than me and controls every little detail of shipboard operation. Just seems natural to treat her like part of the crew and offer her a little respect. As for a memo…” Paris paused there, formulating her response. “It just isn’t my style. I prefer to communicate in person, to see the other person’s reaction. I wanted to drag you out for a morning jog and see these amazing programs of yours, which are really quite spectacular. After all, I think it’s only you and I and Dedjoy who like running the hulls. I wanted to see your reaction, and it gives us a chance to talk and catch up. Besides, we’re friends, and friends should always deliver good news in person, right?”

Hearing the word friends dropped so casually and without any hidden meanings attached caught Melanie Dox off guard. But in her short time on board the Hera, she did think of her First Officer as a friend. And not the only friend she'd made so far, thinking of Doctor Dael and Ensign Gonadie as well. Melanie smiled naturally and authentically and responded, "Absolutely. It's the best way I can think of."

"I'm proud of you, Dox. You are going to make one hell of a line officer... just keep following your heart, and let the demons in your head chatter. I won't tell you to ignore them, because sometimes they might be right. But trust your instincts, because they'll usually keep you on the right course and heading. Your natural gift for piloting should do the rest. Now," Paris grinned mischievously, "how about one lap of a race? What do you say?"

Looking the leggy commander, a good foot taller and barely breathing heavy, the short, round Melanie Dox let out a loud laugh. With a broad smile, she shook her head and replied, "You're on."