A Strangeness

Posted on Sun Apr 29th, 2012 @ 3:29am by Commander Raven Adams & Commander Buck Ducati

919 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: [Typhon] Through a Window Darkly
Location: Some Mess Hall

on

Leo found Raven and coughed to get her attention. "Commander, would you join me for lunch?"

Raven looked over at Leo and nodded. "All right."

"Really?" Leo asked wondering if the woman would take the invite as a date.

"No, I won't," she answered his unspoken question without a thought. "I take it as a business meeting. Colleagues talking over the information we've gathered about the murders. Am I correct?"

Leo blushed. "Forgive me. Yes, you are correct." He said returning to normal complexion. "Though I would like to see about a friendship with you, not that a solitary life isn't great or anything." He attempted a joke.

"You need to get out more, Leo. I don't mind being your friend, but I honestly don't socialize much. We tend to keep to ourselves when we're not working." She smiled kindly. "But that doesn't rule out lunch. So, do you have a preference as to where you like to eat?"

"You know I am not sure." Leo said as he looked around absently thinking about what place they should eat at. "Hmm, any suggestions?"

"There's a good Italian place. It was one of Rear Admiral Fannin's favorite places to eat," she suggested.

Leo smiled. "Wouldn't mind some pasta. Shall we?" He gestured and began walking but not too fast so Raven can walk comfortably beside him.

"How are you settling in to life on Typhon?" Raven asked as they walked.

"Pretty well considering I recently became Chief of Security and Tactical Officer." Leo replied.

Raven chuckled. "You'll either settle into the job or go nuts. Look at Darkmoon." She grinned impishly, not saying if she thought he was sane or crazy on purpose.

He stopped and looked at her. "Do you know something I don't?" Though he half smiled at her.

"Of course. I'm in Intelligence," she replied blandly. Although the twitch at the side of her mouth gave away the fact that she wasn't as serious as she pretended to be.

< Italian Place >

Leo gestured for Raven to enter first.

She walked in and smiled at the hostess who led them to an empty table.

Once seated, Raven looked around. "I still half expect to find Commodore Fannin holding court in here. He used to love to bring a group of people -- usually women -- here. I hope he's doing well with his new wife."

Leo sat down and looked at the menu; he glanced up and round. He spotted a man with three women seated next to him. "Oh look, is that him?" He asked.

Raven looked up. "No. That's where he used to sit, though."

"Oh we....." Leo began but was cut off.

Just then there was a loud noise outside, followed by screams. A herd of velociraptors raced past the window.

Two of the raptors entered the restaurant and went about sniffing the people inside though at that point those same people were all huddling against the wall. There was only the one entrance.

Leo pulled his phaser and was about to get to his feet when one of the raptors came up to him and Raven.

It sniffed at them but clearly disliked what it had smelt as it pulled its head back and screamed offendedly before rushing out of the restaurant. The other raptor did a sniff of the two and got the same reaction before following its brethren out.

Leo turned to Raven.

"Fascinating," Raven said, after watching the raptor in fascination. "It's like it's not really here. I can't quite place it. It's as if there's a barrier between us and them."

"Apparently there is something that smells bad." Leo commented about the dinosaurs expression.

Raven chuckled. "That, or indigestion."

"Shouldn't we go after them? They could be real." Leo said.

"They don't feel real," Raven replied.

One of the raptors detached itself from the others and seemed to be sniffing something beside Raven and Leonardo's table. It looked so close and so real that Raven reached out to see if she could touch it. around it. It felt like she was touching a cornstarch and water mixture: it felt both solid and liquid at the same time with a texture that was smooth as glass and yet goasamer fine at the same time.

There was a flash of purple and a loud POP and then the raptor was there. Raven could sense its surprise and fear at being in a strange place but overriding that was a fierce HUNGER. It darted its head past her and ate the food on her plate. Then it grabbed a nearby steak, swallowing it in one gulp. With an angry and frustrated cry, it turned and ran out the door.

"That one is very real," Raven said, standing quickly. "I think you should stop it before someone gets hurt. I'm going to look into what just happened."

"Oh......Kay." The security tactical chief already trying to come to grips with what was happening. Raven's words brought him back to reality and Leo nodded. "I'm all over it." Though he needed to get a weapon from a nearby locker but it's not like the Raptor can avoid being seen. ~Can it?~ Leo asked himself as he got to his feet and hurried after the dinosaur.

Raven settled the bill and headed to her office to see what this particular twist could mean to Typhon.

OFF

Lieutenant Commander Leonardo Rayon
Chief Security Officer

Commander Raven Adams
Chief Intelligence Officer

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