Exploring the Arboretum, part 2

Posted on Tue Nov 8th, 2011 @ 5:16am by Lieutenant JG Jane Porter

893 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Orbital Yard Project Athena I
Location: Typhon Arboretum

ON

[OLD]

Rae Lyn looked up, surprised. "Of course not!" she said. She made a mental note to be careful.

[NEW]

"Come on," she said before turning back to the house. "I'll give you a tour." She walked quickly up the gangplank to the first part of the house, the main living area. It had a large living room, a kitchen and even a crude laundry facility. She opened cupboards and looked in storage rooms as she went from there to the four bedrooms and then up to the master bedroom on the top section. It was complete with a private bathroom and retractable roof for watching the stars at night. "Isn't this the most amazing place you've ever seen?" she asked Shandro. "Wouldn't it be great to live in a place like this?"

"Maybe we should ask the Captain if we can bring it on board with us. Wouldn't that be fun?" Shandro smiled as he looked at Rae. "I am sure Wilbur and Flower would love to walk around a place like this. Somewhere they wouldn't be scolded for. Somewhere that seems natural." Shandro looked at Rae as he smiled again. "Nice place for a bunch of kids." He said softly as he cleared his throat and then looked away. "You know, if there is any on board anyway."

"Yeah. I've always wanted to live in a place like this," she admitted. "I can just see a passel full of kids running up and down the walkways." She giggled and looked up at Shandro, he rexpression softening. "Yeah. Kids." She stood there for a moment, looking at Shandro. THen she blinked and turned away.

She was having fanciful thoughts about Shandro. A boy she'd just met. Her mamma warned her not to go all doe-eyed for some guy she just met and here she was, thinking he was all cute and nice and wanting to take him home and cuddle him and... She turned and headed back down the wooden ramp at a quick pace. "I don't know if the Captain will let me have a tree house. It would be a lot of fun, wouldn't it? I might even spend a night or two in there."

"I know an Admiral who has been nice to me since I joined up. Maybe I can get her to pull some strings." Shandro smiled as he looked at her. Shandro thought of a nice way make her smile. "I can always make you one. From scratch. A Swiss Family Robinson house in a tree." He ran a hand through his hair and then looked at her with his mechanized eyes. He didn't know how he was gonna make one, but he was sure he could look it up and try making one from scratch. The best gifts were always the ones made by hand.

"That is such a sweet gesture. Thank you," she said and kissed him on the cheek. "We'll have to see what the arboretum on the ship is like and what the captain says. I don't know if I'd ask you to build me one now, but if the Captain says okay, I might like your help getting it organized.

"I would be glad to help." He smiled as he looked into her eyes and then was interrupted by his combadge.

"This is Station Security to Ensign Shandro." A voice came over his combadge. Shandro was too caught up in looking at her that he didn't even hear it the first time. "Security to Ensign Shandro. Ensign come in."

Shandro was taken out of his slight trance as he cleared his throat and looked away for a moment. He tapped his combadge and kept his head down. "This is Ensign Shandro."

"Please report to the Security Office. There is an Admiral here to see you."

"Alright. Shandro Out." He tapped his combadge and then looked up at her with a smile. "Umm. I have to go. I'll probably see you later?" Shandro said softly as he nodded and then ran his hand through his hair.

"I hope so!" Rae said, then blushed. "I mean...well...I hope so." She grinned. "Go find your Admiral. You know where to find me."

As he climbed down he looked up at her and ten gave her a smile. He took a couple steps back and then almost tripped as he stumbled a bit. Shandro came to a sudden stop as he stood there and looked down. His hands out like he was trying to balance himself. There was a slight moment of silence and then he looked up at her. He laughed and then began to run off. He was a bit red in the face, but it should have cleared up after by the time he got to where he was going.

Rae Lyn watched him go, not ready to break eye contact or turn away. "Hey, if you get done in time, you're welcome to come to dinner!" she called, grinning. He was cute. Real cute. And he was nice, too. The kind of boy her mamma would be proud of.

When he was gone she sat on the swing for a while, thinking about Shandro.

OFF

Ensign Shandro
Chief Security Officer
USS Relentless

Lieutenant Rae Lyn Pickler
Chief Science Officer
USS Relentless

Lieutenant Jane Porter
Botanist
Starbase Typhon

RSS Feed