Unexpected

Unexpected

Day 5

Smitty

0706 Hours

 

Stifling a yawn, Smitty stumbled as he left the lift. I can't believe how often I woke up last night. Blasted dreams! Surely Lt Bugalu did not really wake me up to pull her out of my bed! At this rate, I'll soon hallucinate that every woman aboard has red hair!

He yawned again, looked around the secondary bridge, turning his thoughts to the remaining work. A display was on in the science section. I didn't leave anything on. We never got to the science console.

He moved forward to investigate, saw a tray of dirty dishes on a chair. A tryst, here? I'll have their heads! He continued forward, his gaze on the screen display.

This is a wiring diagram. Unusual on this console, but not difficult, I suppose. Just need to go outside the usual parameters for this terminal. But why are most of the components gray, instead of their usual color? Makes it difficult to recognize things. If this box is the--

He leaned forward, put a hand down to steady himself. That hand found a smooth, soft surface earlier than expected. Looking down in surprise, he saw red curls spread over the console, while his hand rubbed a shoulder clad in bright orange. Hallucination! I've heard and seen her all night, now I feel her, smell her perfume. Lilacs.

"I'm awake," the vision groaned.

He snatched his hand away. She can’t be here! Both MacGreg and Bugalu have private bedrooms. There wouldn’t be any need-- She was with MacGreg last night!

“You weren’t supposed to let me fall asleep,” the redhead complained.

She stretched, and he was transfixed by the view down her plunging neckline. Her shoulder touched his abdomen; his penis twitched in response. No life left in it this morning, thank space. But if I don’t put some distance between us, it’ll find some life. “MacDowell,” he choked out.

Her head fell back and round green eyes looked up at him. “Smit!”

“Why are you here?” His voice was hoarse.

She scrambled to her feet, whirled to face him. He got a dizzying view of white breasts pressed against him. Before his body could react, he stepped away. “What?” Whatever she said, I didn’t hear it.

Her face was pink. “I said, I tried to finish the job, Mr Smythe.”

I can’t believe MacGreg let her out of his bed during the night. I wouldn’t have. Blast, Smitty, stop thinking that! “What job?”

Her arm wave encompassed the entire bridge. “What you’ve had me working on. I clean up my own mess.”

“Mess?” he repeated. “It’s not a mess. It’s an assignment. Your part was done.”

“The assignment wasn't done," she protested. "I do my own work, Mr Smythe, not leave it for someone else. You gave me the assignment; I came to finish it.” She glanced at the screen behind her. “It shouldn’t take much longer.” Turning, her eyes focused on something behind him. “There you are! I told you not to let me fall asleep until I got done!”

Smitty turned to see a woman approaching with two cups. The AmerInd rolled her eyes and handed the cups to Smitty. Taking Colleen’s hand, she smashed the redhead’s finger onto the console's ‘execute’ button. The remaining colored items on the screen turned gray.

“I’m done? All right! I got done!” She actually gave a jump of joy.

Smitty tore his eyes away, gulped the contents of a mug. Coffee! Could have hoped for something stronger.

She gave him a brilliant grin. “Mission accomplished, Mr Smythe! Now you and Wilson don’t have to do it!”

“That’s my decision!” he barked. He shoved the cups toward her, but she wasn’t far enough away, and the beverage spilled down the front of her shirt. Large breasts rose and fell, her ribs narrowed to a tiny waist, and the abdomen was completely flat. His body definitely began to respond. “Leave,” he growled.

“I could have used that,” she lamented, looking down. “YD, aren’t there still some napkins from our midnight snack? Toss them here so I can wipe the floor.”

“Don’t!” he said sharply. Got to get her out of here, before I do something foolish! “It’s my mess. I’ll clean it up!” He tried to calm down. “Just go, start your shore leave.”

She looked again at her wet shirt, her face red. “I’ll need something to wear. Um, YD--?”

“Yes,” the other woman agreed. She exchanged napkins for the cups he still held, and pulled the redhead away. They took the dirty dishes with them.

He stood where they’d left him for several moments, trying to make sense of the display on the screen, but thoughts of the redhead kept interrupting. Oh, blast, it’s hopeless. He dropped the napkins onto the small puddle of coffee and reached for the nearest intercom connection. “Lt Wilson.”

It took her a moment to answer. “Yes, sir?”

“As soon as you can, report to the emergency bridge. There’s a … puzzle … on the science console display screen. See if you can figure out what it is. I’ll be in the transport room when you get done. Or else I’ll meet you here.”

“Understood,” she answered.

I doubt it. I hardly understood it myself. Probably thinks I’ve flipped. Space, I think I’ve flipped. He mopped up the coffee, then headed for the mess hall for breakfast.