JP - Lt. Robin Hopper & Lt. JG Nathan Richards: World Beyond Zero (Part 3)
Robin Hopper
((“STARLITE Drive In Cinema“ – Holodeck C))
They coasted off the highway and onto the short drive that led to the entry. As they reached the theater, the car slowed to a halt and a friendly attendant approached with a roll of tickets strapped to his belt.
Attendant: Howdy folks. You here for tonight’s picture? ::Smiling at Robin:: Hey, haven’t I seen you here before?
Hopper: ::Leaning out the window:: You better believe it!
She looked back at Nathan with a big dumb grin on her face as the song on the radio faded and the DJ began setting up the next track.
Richards: ::Turning the radio off, quietly:: This is…a first for me.
Hopper: ::Patting Nathan’s leg:: Fortunately, he listens to good advice when he hears it.
Attendant: ::Chuckling:: Alright, that’ll be two dollars.
Robin opened the car’s glove compartment and pulled out a small clutch purse, opening it up to a stack of single American dollar bills. Pulling two from the purse, she handed them happily to the attendant, who ripped two tickets off his roll and passed them back over, tucking the money into his pocket.
Attendant: There ya go, miss. ::Looking from one to the other:: You kids enjoy the show, now.
Hopper: ::Taking the tickets and putting them in the clutch:: Thank you very much!
Richards: Thank you, sir!
The attendant stepped back and Nathan pulled the car forward, driving into an open spot that provided an excellent view of the large projection screen ahead of them. Once the sun had set, the image of the movie would be projected on the screen as clear as day… And that would only be a few minutes from then. Nathan grabbed one of the small speakers that hung from the nearby post and hung it on the door to be ready when the movie started.
Robin checked the clock in the car’s dashboard. They still had about twelve minutes before the movie would begin, in part on account of how fast they’d made the journey down the highway. But that was fine with her.
Hopper: Let’s get some snacks! ::Gesturing over her shoulder with her thumb:: That’s the concession over there. Wanna come with? ::Winking:: We can always order ‘off menu’ items, but I’m personally kind of a sucker for the stale red licorice and over-buttered popcorn they serve here.
Richards: I could go for some popcorn.
Robin smiled, pleased, and opened her car door, hopping out with a bounce in her step. Nathan climbed from the car, and followed Robin towards the concession stand.
Richards: Oh! Do you think they will have nachos? I've heard drive-ins had amazing nachos.
Hopper: ::Screwing up her mouth to one side:: Hmm… You know, I’m not sure. ::Smacking his arm playfully:: This is why I’m so glad you came along. I’m sort of a creature of habit. I need friends like you to help me break out of my routines. Order ‘em. We’ll find out.
Nathan looked at Robin and smiled as they entered the mostly empty building and stepped up to the counter. A young woman, no more than sixteen, stood behind the counter by a cash register in a striped shirt and suspenders. She offered them a polite smile.
Richards: ::looking at the selection of candy and snacks:: Oh, boy. What to choose.
Hopper: Go ahead and place your order. I… ::coy:: am just going to ‘powder my nose’...
Without explaining her purposes any further, Robin slipped away – heading towards the washroom, disappearing behind the swinging door. Nathan was left alone with the cashier at the concession stand, some decisions to make.
Richards: ::Scratching his chin:: Well, I'll have a small popcorn, some…Starbursts? Interesting. Yeah those. And…::spotting bags of chips and Nacho cheese:: NACHOS! Sorry… ::ahem:: some nachos please.
Cashier: You got it, sir! ::Typing on the old analog register:: That’s a small popcorn, one bag of starbursts, and an order of nachos. Anything else, for your date?
Richards: Oh, uh…we aren't…on a…
Nathan felt his cheeks grow warm as they certainly turned a shade of red. The girl at the register looked in the direction Robin had gone, then back to Nathan.
Cashier: ::Slightly befuddled:: Really? It just seemed like– ::Stopping herself, trying to maintain a ‘customer service’ smile:: I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean anything by it. Did you want to order something for the lady?
Richards: Yeah, I think she said she wanted…
At that moment, Robin re-emerged. She had taken a moment to replicate herself a new outfit – a 1960’s era dress with a floral pattern; the top half tightly-fitted to her waist, where a thin black belt wrapped around her midpoint; the wider ‘skirt’ and the longer sleeves gave her a classic hourglass figure. As Nathan noticed her, she did a little spin and ‘floofed’ her hair. He stared for a moment before realizing that his jaw was laying on the floor at his feet. He shook his head and smiled.
Hopper: Well, what do you think?
Richards: Wow, you look oO HOT! Oo great! ::Chuckling:: I wasn't expecting a costume change.
Hopper: ::Beaming:: I thought it’d be fun to get into ‘wardrobe’ – since you bought us the extra time.
She walked over towards the concession, smiling at the young freckled cashier.
Hopper: Hi! I’d like a box of raisin Glossettes, a small popcorn, and– ::glancing at Nathan:: –did you order Nachos?
Richards: ::Still in awe at the dress:: Uh…yeah. Yeah I did.
Hopper: Good. We can share those. ::Back to the cashier:: And a couple sodas from the fountain.
Cashier: ::Looking back-and-forth between them:: Okay, miss. Two small popcorns, a bag of starbursts and a box of gloss–
Hopper: We can just get a large popcorn and share it too. ::Glance at Nathan:: You don’t mind, right?
Richards: No, that should work just fine.
Cashier: Sure.
As the cashier finished ringing them up, Robin producing more cash from her clutch purse, she gave Nathan an impish look.
Hopper: What about you? There’s still a few minutes if you want to ‘dress the part’...
Nathan looked down at his plain gray t-shirt and straight-cut jeans. Maybe he should.
Richards: You know, I think I will.
He excused himself and made his way to the washroom as well. He had no idea what he was going to change into, but wanted it to be good.
As the cashier placed a paper bag filled with buttered popcorn on the counter, beside the candies, she leaned forward and spoke softly to Robin.
Cashier: ::Dropping the ‘Customer Service’ smile and tone:: You sure you two ain’t on a date?
Hopper: ::Flustered:: I– Uh. Sorry, what? ::Looking away, adjusting her hair:: Where did you get that– No. No, we’re just friends. ::Turning back, slightly perturbed:: And why is that your business?
oO Ugh… Oo Teenagers could be so impertinent. Even simulated ones. Robin shook her head, trying to work out why that question had thrown her so much. oO Wait, did she ask Nathan that? He must have said ‘no’... Well, that’s good. Right? Yes. Of course. Oo
Cashier: If you say so. I saw the way he looked at you. That boy…
Hopper: ::Holding up a finger:: Ah-ah-ah. Pause simulation. Computer… Change social parameters of the cashier character… Make her a little less, um, nosy. ::The cashier ‘refreshed’ before Robin’s eyes.:: And make her a little older.
She aged a few years, her freckles fading and her braces disappearing. Robin nodded in approval, but a small part of her wondered just how insightful the girl had been… oO This is not a date, Oo she reminded herself. But before she could consider her feelings further, the door to the washroom swung open.
Hopper: ::Quickly:: Computer-resume-program.
Nathan stepped back into the main room tugging down the gray vest he had over the white, long sleeve button-up shirt. He rolled up the sleeves and held his arms out slightly and spun around. He had trouble finding anything inside the replicator programming that he felt like he would be comfortable in. He had finally decided on the vest and button-up combo with some worn, boot-cut jeans. He wasn’t sure if that was all in fashion in the 1960’s, but it seemed to fit the aesthetic.
Richards: How’s this?
Hopper: ::Amused:: It’ll do… I should give you access to my catalog. There’s some good stuff in there. ::Smirking, looking him over:: It’s – oO Don’t say ‘cute’... Oo – very becoming. oO Yeesh. Oo
Richards: I didn’t see anything that really appealed to me. So I threw something together that seemed to fit in with the rest.
At that moment, the lights outside began to dim. The cashier, now in her early 20s, passed them a couple cups which they hurriedly filled with soda from the fountain and rushed back to the car, snacks in hand. The theater’s projector kicked into life and the screen flickered for a moment before displaying the Starlite Theater’s logo, and an announcer began reciting a quick introductory message.
Announcer: We thank you for attending Starlite Cinemas – America’s Favorite Drive-In Experience! Please make sure to keep your automobiles–
Hopper: ::Whispering to Nathan over the announcer:: Ahh! I’m excited. I haven’t actually watched this movie in… nearly two years.
Nathan smiled, tossing some popcorn in his mouth. oO Wow…that is a lot of butter… Oo
Richards: ::Whispering:: I haven’t seen an actual movie in a long time. ::Chuckling:: I’m looking forward to it.
Hopper: Thanks for indulging me, by the way. This movie is really dumb, honestly. But they’re all so committed to it… I think you’ll get a kick out of it.
Richards: Thank you for inviting me! I love ‘dumb movies’. ::Chuckling::
She smiled at him. It seemed hard not to smile when Nathan was around. Then the stupid cashier girl’s words rattled in her brain again. She had to admit, it did sort of feel like they were on a date… But then, where exactly was the line between two friends just ‘hanging out’ and a ‘date?’ It certainly didn’t simplify matters that they had already confided they found each other attractive after only a few weeks of working together.
oO It’s the 25th century… Oo she tried to remind herself, despite her 1960s-style surroundings and outfit. oO There’s no good reason we can’t maintain a friendship, or a professional relationship, even if we each think the other is good-looking. People do it all the time. Starfleet is full of attractive people. Amity’s full of attractive people! It just requires a little self-discipline… Oo
Subconsciously, she sighed.
TBC in part 4/6…
Lt. Robin Hopper
Chief Science Officer,
Amity Outpost
V239806K11
Lt. JG Nathan Richards
Engineering Officer
Amity Outpost
A239905NR1
