Weird. I'd posted yesterday, and it didn't update the thread timestamp or position.
Anybody ever had that happen to them?
**********
The door opened with its usual hiss, letting Ensign Alicia Matthews onto the command deck of her most recent posting. It was actually her first posting, so the sense of nervous dread she was attempting to ignore was perfectly understandable.
After all, it's not every day that an officer-in-training meets an admiral.
By the time she reached the admiral's chair, the ensign as outwardly the picture of an up-and-coming young TSA Navy officer; composed, decisive, and energetic.
OhmygodwhatifIscrewupI'llbedemotedandlosemycommissionandmyfamilywillbesoASHAMED- don'tscrewupdon'tscrewupDON'T SCREW UPPPPPPPPP!!!
It was a remarkably good acting job, really.
Marshaling her courage, Ensign Matthews came to attention, the click of her heels letting the admiral know somebody was there, and announced herself. "M-message for you, Admiral!"
The command chair turned, putting her face-to-face with her boss's boss's boss, the closest thing to a god on board. It was all she could do to stay calm, and hand the envelope she held to The Power That Is... but she managed it.
"Dismissed."
Ensign Matthews, utterly relieved, managed to hold her composure long enough to leave the bridge. Once the door had closed behind her, she sat down, her back against the nearest wall, and wiped her brow with one hand. That actually wasn't so bad. I might make a decent officer, after all!Back on the bridge, the admiral was running her fingers over the slightly lumpy envelope, deep in thought.
That ensign will make quite the officer... once she learns to relax a little. Now, what are you, my little friend? Slipping a finger into the envelope, the admiral tore open the top of it, pulling out the contents.
Interesting. A data solid, a letter- handwritten, no less!- and what is this? She held up the mysterious object, looking it over from all sides. Plastic case, labeled Sandisk? Is that a name? A company? A model?
... that looks like some sort of electronic connection... it extends? Very clever! Now, let's see what's on the solid, hmm?
Connecting the chip to her computer, the admiral quickly brought up the full contents of the card. It wasn't much- just a handful of image files. Interesting art style... is that *me*? Those look like my quarters... and that couldn't be anything but Clyde. The likeness is impressive. And is that... it must be!
Shocked by what she was seeing, the admiral opened the letter, and began to read. A minute later, she set the letter down on her console, carefully picked up her customary cup of tea, and downed it all in a single gulp.
Opening a channel to her helmsman, Admiral Lindy Harlaown got right down to business. "Plot a course to Non-Administrated World #97, and take us there with all available speed. I've just been sent a rather important piece of evidence." Immediately after giving the order, she closed the connection, and settled in to read back over the letter she'd been sent. Occasionally, she brought up one of the pictures from the data solid, a thoughtful look on her face.
That evening, the mysterious envelope went in her personal safe, the letter, solid, and USB drive tucked solidly inside. As the admiral went to sleep, the second to last thought to cross her mind was Of all the admirals out there, why did this 'Ford Prefect' dump all this on me?
Her last thought was Where on this 'Earth' planet can I find some of those tiny trees?
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.
Anybody ever had that happen to them?
**********
The door opened with its usual hiss, letting Ensign Alicia Matthews onto the command deck of her most recent posting. It was actually her first posting, so the sense of nervous dread she was attempting to ignore was perfectly understandable.
After all, it's not every day that an officer-in-training meets an admiral.
By the time she reached the admiral's chair, the ensign as outwardly the picture of an up-and-coming young TSA Navy officer; composed, decisive, and energetic.
OhmygodwhatifIscrewupI'llbedemotedandlosemycommissionandmyfamilywillbesoASHAMED- don'tscrewupdon'tscrewupDON'T SCREW UPPPPPPPPP!!!
It was a remarkably good acting job, really.
Marshaling her courage, Ensign Matthews came to attention, the click of her heels letting the admiral know somebody was there, and announced herself. "M-message for you, Admiral!"
The command chair turned, putting her face-to-face with her boss's boss's boss, the closest thing to a god on board. It was all she could do to stay calm, and hand the envelope she held to The Power That Is... but she managed it.
"Dismissed."
Ensign Matthews, utterly relieved, managed to hold her composure long enough to leave the bridge. Once the door had closed behind her, she sat down, her back against the nearest wall, and wiped her brow with one hand. That actually wasn't so bad. I might make a decent officer, after all!Back on the bridge, the admiral was running her fingers over the slightly lumpy envelope, deep in thought.
That ensign will make quite the officer... once she learns to relax a little. Now, what are you, my little friend? Slipping a finger into the envelope, the admiral tore open the top of it, pulling out the contents.
Interesting. A data solid, a letter- handwritten, no less!- and what is this? She held up the mysterious object, looking it over from all sides. Plastic case, labeled Sandisk? Is that a name? A company? A model?
... that looks like some sort of electronic connection... it extends? Very clever! Now, let's see what's on the solid, hmm?
Connecting the chip to her computer, the admiral quickly brought up the full contents of the card. It wasn't much- just a handful of image files. Interesting art style... is that *me*? Those look like my quarters... and that couldn't be anything but Clyde. The likeness is impressive. And is that... it must be!
Shocked by what she was seeing, the admiral opened the letter, and began to read. A minute later, she set the letter down on her console, carefully picked up her customary cup of tea, and downed it all in a single gulp.
Opening a channel to her helmsman, Admiral Lindy Harlaown got right down to business. "Plot a course to Non-Administrated World #97, and take us there with all available speed. I've just been sent a rather important piece of evidence." Immediately after giving the order, she closed the connection, and settled in to read back over the letter she'd been sent. Occasionally, she brought up one of the pictures from the data solid, a thoughtful look on her face.
That evening, the mysterious envelope went in her personal safe, the letter, solid, and USB drive tucked solidly inside. As the admiral went to sleep, the second to last thought to cross her mind was Of all the admirals out there, why did this 'Ford Prefect' dump all this on me?
Her last thought was Where on this 'Earth' planet can I find some of those tiny trees?
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.