Mikali sh'Shar - Andorian Blues: The First Day, Part II
2 views
Skip to first unread message
David Adams
Oct 31, 2020, 9:07:25 AM10/31/20
to Gorkon
(( Near YanCo Employee Domicile 14, Iana Station ))
The first work shift passed uneventfully, with orientation, being shown around the drydock, and culminating in a meet-and-greet of all the other workers there. Everyone shook hands, seemed pleased to see them, and incredibly supportive. Catscratch spent most of the day drinking or eating something, and seemed interested more in meeting her than the actual work.
It was only after the shift ended and they walked back to their (apparently) shared residence, though, that they really got to talking.
Catscratch: So. You've seen our place, what's it like? Want to give me the grand tour?
Mikali wasn't really sure about that, but she nodded politely.
sh'Shar: Okay. I haven't spent much time in there yet, but spoiler alert, there's not much to show. A toilet. Shower. Cupboard. Pair of bunk beds—
Catscratch: I call top bunk! Hah-hah!
Mikali's antenna twitched, but she inclined her head as they walked.
sh'Shar: Sure.
Catscratch laughed and playfully flicked her tail, tickling Mikali's side.
Catscratch: So. Hey. Haven't really met an Andorian before.
Mikali chuckled, inclining her antenna toward her new friend.
sh'Shar: We're not uncommon, but I guess we're rare enough. Any questions I can answer?
Catscratch slurped on her slurpee, third of the day, her tail lashing happily as she drank it down.
Catscratch: Just wondering what it'll be like sharing a room with you, that's all. Anything I should be aware of?
She thought about it.
sh'Shar: Um. I hope not. I snore, so feel free to kick me awake if that's a problem.
Catscratch kissed her teeth, taking an annoying slurp of her drink.
Catscratch: Right. Noted.
They arrived at their residence, and sh'Shar made a show of giving her new roommate "The Tour".
sh'Shar: As promised. Bathroom. Main living area. Bunkbeds. Vanities. Sink. Not much here, I'm afraid, but there's enough.
Catscratch climbed nimbly up to the top bunk, slipping into it like a snake, tossing her empty plastic drink onto the ground.
Mikali narrowed her eyes, picked up the thing, and put it in the replicator. A shower of blue sparks dissolved it back into energy.
Catscratch: Thanks, love!
Mikali reached up and brushed back her hair.
sh'Shar: Not a problem. We're both here to help each other out.
Catscratch stretched out languishly on her bunk.
Catscratch: Yep. ::she clicked her tongue:: So. you've got to be what, mid thirties? Forty even? ::she grinned:: Starfleet?
Mikali shifted her weight to her heels, nibbling on the inside of her lip. It felt strange to be so chummy with someone she'd just met, and Catscratch seemed to want to go for the jugular of meaty topics right away, but she otherwise kept her composure.
sh'Shar: Thirty five. And I... was. Until they gave me the boot.
Catscratch: Nice. I'm twenty six. Joined late in life, huh?
sh'Shar: No. I... I enlisted when I was eighteen. ::she fiddled with a strand of her hair::
Catscratch: Jeez, you were a JG for seventeen years? ::she folded her arms behind her head:: You must be a bigger screwup than me.
Mikali's antenna twitched in annoyance.
sh'Shar: I've been out for a while, actually, but I'm trying to get back in. Hey, look, I don't want to talk about it, okay? Not yet.
The Caitain laughed.
Catscratch: That's too bad, because I do wanna talk about it. We're going to be roommates, you know! We shouldn't have secrets. ::she squinted, golden eyes narrowing to thin, curious slits:: You look pretty tough. You were in... let me guess, security? Punching people in the head for a living?
Okay. So they were doing this. Mikali folded her hands over her chest, taking a breath.
sh'Shar: Nah. FA-150 Mauls. I was a navigator. And pilot, sometimes, when the need called for it. I flew in Operation: Bright Star. I also drove starships. Prometheus-class, Luna-class, Nova-class. ::wistfully:: I... I was a good pilot.
Catscratch laughed cheekily.
Catscratch: The "P" word, uh oh. Grease monkeys don't take kindly to your kind. You're always breaking things and we have to fix 'em. ::she leered playfully:: Now you're one of us. Must be rough.
"Must be rough"? Was Catscratch trying to annoy her?
Regardless, it didn't work. A good pilot knew machines inside and out, not just how to fly them. Every good pilot she had known had also been something of a mechanic.
sh'Shar: Yeah. Guess so. So you're a mechanic? Ever serve, or...?
Catscratch: Nope. I was all set to inherit my father's company, but he wanted me to "see how it all works from the ground up" first. So he put me into engineers school. Now I'm here.
There were a few details missing from that, obviously.
Catscratch narrowed her yellow eyes.
Catscratch: Wait. FA-150... only officers can fly those things. You were an officer, too?
sh'Shar: Yeah. A Jay Gee if you can believe it. Lieutenant Junior Grade Mikali sh'Shar. ::she saluted playfully::
Catscratch: I actually cannot. ::she paused:: No. Really. I can't. ::she swung her legs off the edge of her bunk:: I'm going to look up your record.
sh'Shar: Wait! Hey, woah. Slow down.
The Caitian folded her arms in front of her.
Catscratch: So, tell me. Or I'll look it up.
She sighed, antenna drooping. It would be better if it came from her directly. Not a computer.
sh'Shar: I'll... okay. Might as well. ::she took a deep breath:: Let me tell you a story, about a stupid blue pilot named Lieutenant Mikali sh'Shar and how she screwed up her whole life.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages