Lt Alex Storm - One of Life's Curveballs
Karen Morris
((Kerrit Dromos - City One - Rylor))
Alex sat on the stands with the small group from the Artemis. It seemed that two of them were pulling for Munro and four for Roy. Her lips pressed into a line. She wasn’t even sure what she was doing there, but she could almost feel the energy crackling through the stands, and with the slip of paper in her pocket, she also felt the stakes. Her fingers wrapped around the underside of the seat, gripping it tightly. Until one digit ended up in something sticky.
Alex reflexively yanked that hand back out. Looking down at her finger, it was coated in sticky green goop--gum. oO That is positively disgusting! Who even chews that anymore? Oo
But the noise drew her eyes back up to the race. Roy was behind, but she could see the set of his jaw. She had seen that only once before, and she knew he wasn’t about to acquiesce.
Storm: How much of a chance do you think he’s really got?
Vailani: I think he needs a blessing from the Prophets themselves at this point.
But as Vailani spoke about a blessing...instead, the cat jumped up and caught Roy. oO Wait. Did it bite Roy? Oh. It just got his outfit. But still! Oo
But then Mercer and Talbott ran out onto the track. Were they going to try to distract the cat? Someone else -- inspired by them or chasing them, Alex wasn't sure which -- sprinted after the two.
K’Wara: That big of a lead this early on isn’t encouraging, at least. ::looks around:: I hope he gains a bit though. There’s nothing as exciting as a close race with a photo finish at the end.
Vailani: I like a sure thing :: satisfied smugness :: This race is going exactly how I expected. Except the enormous purple cat. I didn't expect that.
Imril: ::Pointing at Roy’s rescue squad:: And the cat doesn’t expect them.
Alex stifled a chuckle.
Storm: Just think, when I met them, all of twenty-minutes ago, I didn’t think I was going to like them. But that cat, purple or not, is a nuisance and a danger to…if not society - at least to the race.
K’Wara: Yeah... ::chuckles:: I wonder where that thing came from?
Fortunately for Roy, the sabrecat took a detour to play with some new friends. It ended up looking more like a four-way cat fight.
Vailani: Must be a friendly native species of some kind? Or someone's very excitable pet?
Imril: Is there a petting zoo around here that I don’t know about? One with really bad security?
Storm: If it is a pet, it needs to be kept on a leash.
K'Wara: Response
Vailani: It's an unusual place. I can see why they chose to build a colony here. I might even use it for my next holo-programme.
Imril: ::Genuinely interested:: You write holos? What kind?
Storm: That’s kinda cool.
K'Wara: Response
Vailani: Oh it's nothing you would be interested in. Just a series of holo-walks. Boring :: points towards the track :: Look! What's he doing now?
Imril: Coming around the bend.
And he was. His head was up, his arms were pumping, and even his mustache was rippling in the wind despite still being significantly behind Munro. From their position, Alex thought they’d be within hearing range.
Storm: Come on, Roy!
Sometimes life will throw you unexpected curveballs. oO Now would be a great time for a curveball in Roy's favor. Oo Her eyes drifted from Roy to the ensigns trying to entice the cat off the course. Mercer, while dangling her Starfleet jacket for the cat to play with, turned her head slightly to yell….
Mercer: We’re taking care of the cat for you, now win this thing!
K'Wara/Vailani: Response
Imril: ::Squinting:: I think he just said something.
Storm: Any idea what it was? I may be able to read minds, but I can’t read lips.
K'Wara/Vailani: Response
Imril: He’s not quitting. That’s for sure.
Storm: I don’t think it’s in his blood to quit. I think he’d finish even if he had to crawl across the finish line, and by the Five, that better not happen.
But Ensign Garlonak heard what Alex had said, and nodded his head at that.
Garlonak: Two to one against Lieutenant Bancroft crawling across the finish line!
Alex glared at him.
K'Wara/Vailani: Response
As the bubbly ensigns nearly had the purple cat off the track, someone else came bounding out of nowhere and called something unintelligible - at least from their current vantage point. Seeing the man, it ran at him and knocked him down, pouncing onto his chest, licking him all over the face and hands, as the man tried to shield himself from the cat’s show of affection.
The problem was that the man happened to fall right in the middle of the track. Granted, there was still a little time before Ava got there.
Storm: Oh my! Look at this now. ::Gesturing to the supine man laying on the track.::
K’wara/Vailani/Imril: Response
While trying to fend the cat off, the man also tried to catch its collar. He had a leash in his hand, but the cat wouldn’t stay still long enough for him to hook it.
Then the cat pounced off, but as the man tried to get up, it tackled him again.
Storm: I’m not sure they’re going to be gone in time for Commander Munro to run that section of the track.
K’wara/Vailani/Imril: Response
Prying her eyes off the scene to glance back at Roy, Alex blinked. Was he gaining on her? She thought so. Not by leaps and bounds, but he looked - at least slightly closer than the last time she had looked in his direction.
Storm: I think Ro…ctor. Bancroft is gaining on her.
K’wara/Vailani/Imril: Response
~*~
Tags / TBC!
~*~
Lt Alex Storm
Tactical Officer
USS Artemis
O240103SK2