Ensign Meris - MacKenzie à la Mode
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(( Third Promenade – Decks 229–230, Deep Space 224 ))
Meris: Gelato.
They licked at the cone in their hand. Sitting on a stool on Deep Space 224’s third promenade, they focused intently on the dessert as they tasted it. It was sweet. Creamy. The vendor had told them it was a popular Italian frozen dessert from Earth. Despite spending four years in San Francisco, they’d never been exposed to gelato. But then, they’d never visited Italy either.
Meris: Gelllaaatttooo.
The J’naii repeated themself, savoring the word as much as they savored the flavorful treat. How could milk, cream, and sugar be combined to create something so completely different from its constituent components? They imagined slowly churning the gelato and watching it result in a denser, smoother texture and more intense flavor than the ice cream that was much more common at the Academy.
They licked their cone again, but this time the scoop of gelato came loose and plopped down onto the data PADD they had been reading from.
Meris: Oh!
The scoop had landed squarely on the face of Addison MacKenzie, which had been staring up at them from the surface of the PADD. They had been studying their commanding officer, but now used their free hand to wipe the device while holding the empty cone in the other. The napkin only seemed to smear the mess around. Not satisfied, they wadded it up and laid it aside. Instead, they picked up the PADD and licked the surface clean. It took a few swipes of their tongue, but eventually Captain MacKenzie’s face was mostly free of gelato streaks.
Looking from the data PADD to the empty cone, Meris shrugged. The gelato was still delicious, they decided - even when eaten off the Captain’s face.
Announcement: =/\= Now hear this. USS Artemis-A arriving. Maintenance Section. =/\=
Meris gathered their things, disposed of the napkin and cone, and headed for the nearest turbolift, wiping their cone hand on their duty uniform slacks as they went.
(( Time Skip – 15 Minutes ))
(( Maintenance Observation Lounge – Deck 372, Deep Space 224 ))
Meris stepped off the turbolift into the Maintenance Observation Lounge. With a small personal duffel slung over their shoulder and the gelato-smeared PADD clutched to their side, they made their way to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the maintenance bay. They couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the corners of their mouth as they caught sight of the Luna-class USS Artemis-A.
When they had graduated from the Academy - finishing in the bottom half of their class - they’d initially been assigned to make milk runs between Earth and Mars, piloting shuttles for visitors to the Martian Colonies and Utopia Planitia. They couldn’t imagine anything more dull than a career as a glorified chauffeur. That wasn’t what had drawn them to Starfleet. What were they supposed to learn doing that? What would they bring back to their people, if all they did was fly the same route every day?
When they’d petitioned the Starfleet Human Resources board - arguing that service aboard a starship would not only benefit their personal development but enrich J’naii society upon their return to the homeworld - they’d never imagined the request would actually be granted. Let alone land them such an illustrious posting. They’d thought, at best, they might wrangle an assignment aboard a science vessel or a medical ship. But here they were, orders in hand, and they intended to take full advantage of the opportunity.
Taking a deep breath, Meris approached the embarkation station and presented their credentials to the security officer at the gangway.
Security: Ensign Meris. Welcome aboard the Artemis.
Meris gave that same small smile once again and came aboard.
(( Time Skip – 15 Minutes ))
(( Captain’s Ready Room – Deck 1, USS Artemis-A ))
The turbolift ride to the bridge was uneventful. Meris fidgeted, using a thumb to pick at the cuticle of their index finger. Captain MacKenzie’s face remained firmly lodged in their armpit. When the lift stopped, they stepped out and took a moment to look around the bridge from the aft turbolift alcove.
Docked, the Artemis had only a skeleton crew on the bridge. No one paid them any mind. The Helm station sat unoccupied, and they fought the urge to approach it and take a seat, but they knew better than to jump in before formally reporting for duty.
oO It will happen soon enough. Oo
Instead, they crossed the rear of the bridge passing between Mission Ops and the Master Systems Display before entering the short corridor leading to the Captain’s Ready Room. There, they pressed the chime and waited.
MacKenzie: Response.
Meris entered and caught their first real glimpse of Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie. The woman was only twelve years older than Meris. The J’naii couldn’t help but wonder how she had accomplished so much in so little time. Idly, Meris considered what they had been doing twelve years prior. They and their twin, Seral, had just finished primary schooling and were preparing for secondary studies.
Meris: Your honor ... I mean, Captain, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Ensign Meris, reporting for duty as your new helmsperson.
MacKenzie: Response.
They pulled the data PADD from their armpit and examined it. Some dried gelato residue still marred the surface. They made a half-hearted attempt to wipe it off on their sleeve, but the effort didn’t help much. Resigned, they tapped a few commands to close the Captain’s profile and pull up their orders instead. Then, they stepped forward and placed the PADD on the desk before stepping back and adopting a posture that, once upon a time, might have vaguely resembled attention. Formalities weren't their strong suit.
MacKenzie: Response.
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Ensign Meris
Helm Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240207M14