[Class of 2387] ihr Gaan/Russell/NPCs - “In Space, No One Can Hear You Curse, Part 3'”
Hudson, Robert
“In Space, No One Can Hear You Curse, Part 3'”
(Takes place during Summer Semester 2387)
Cadet Viollika ihr Gaan
Cadet Jo Russell
Assorted NPCs
[Special Thanks to Lynzie for letting me write for Jo]
Earth
San Francisco
Clockworks
“No, I’m not alone.” Jo glared at Camille who was stifling another laugh at her side of the exchange, and suddenly realized that S’Pruss was standing in the doorway as well, watching silently and sketching something on a PADD. “Camille and S’Pruss are here.”
S’Pruss held up his PADD, displaying the words: You *do* curse that much.
Camille snorted.
Jo glared.
Another quickly sketched phrase was held up for her: You frown too much. Your face will stick like that.
=/\= Say a greeting for me, please Jo, =/\= V interrupted Jo’s pithy retort. =/\= I have been remiss and have not been to enjoy tea, and talk to Camille and Grumpy Vulcan Grandpa Gardener for too long now. =/\=
“You’re changing the subject, V.” Jo frowned, a suspicion as to why V had been absent from Clockworks forming in her mind. “What’s wrong?” She mimed a wave from V to the others, drawing a return wave from Camille and a PADD delivered message from S’Pruss that displayed a hand making the traditional Vulcan salute of greeting.
=/\= Nothing is wrong that I have not told you, Jo. I am trying to visually acquire Cadet Hendl and intercept him, as my tricorder’s readings are not good and cannot be trusted. I am worried that I will miss him, and he is all alone, with no one to speak to, like I am speaking to you. =/\=
“Camille and S’Pruss say hello back.” Jo relayed with another glare at S’Press, who merely raised an eyebrow at her. “Hold on a moment while I strangle one of them.”
=/\= Do not strangle someone you will regret strangling later, Jo, =/\= V returned seriously. =/\= It is very difficult to undo a proper strangle once you have strangled it. =/\=
The absurdity of the statement stopped Jo’s thoughts in their tracks for a moment before she finally laughed a little. “You say the funniest things, V.”
=/\= Sometimes I even say the things that are funniest on purpose, Jo. =/\=
Jo snorted again. “Hold on a minute, V.”
=/\= Of course I will hold onto your minute, Jo. =/\=
Rolling her eyes, Jo updated Camille and S’Pruss. “...and that’s what’s happening,” she finished. “She’s there and I’m here and…”
“...and you want to help her, and you can’t, because she’s too far away,” Camille finished for her. “Even if you stole a shuttle, by the time you got there, everything that is going to happen will have already happened.”
Jo nodded. “Yeah. I feel… I don’t like feeling how I feel.”
“You can’t save everyone, Jo,” Camille said gently. “Not every time. Sometimes you have to trust people and let them save themselves.”
“But…”
“You are a doer, Jo,” Camille smiled. “To act, to protect, to move forward is in your nature. Standing down is one of the hardest lessons for someone like you to accept..” She laid a hand on Jo’s arm. “So is trusting someone. Trust Viollika. Trust yourself. Is there someone that you can contact to pass on this information?”
“I don’t know…” Jo toggled the com back on. “V, who can I call?”
=/\= If you would send a message to the Safe Spaces Security Survey group at Starfleet Academy it would please me greatly, Jo. They will know who to call. =/\=
“The who now? The Safe Spaces Security Survey Group at the Academy? Who are they, V, and why do I need to send them the information about where you are and what’s happening?"
=/\= They are the team that spies on me for Starfleet Academy Security according to my solicitor. =/\=
S’Pruss began typing on his PADD rapidly.
“What?” Jo’s voice climbed angrily and one hand clenched into a fist. “You told me that they checked on you but there’s a frakking team of Security people that do nothing but spy on you? And you know who they are? Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
=/\= Because you would have punched them, Jo. They are just doing their job and should not be punched for that. =/\=
“Of course I would have punched them!” Jo snapped.
=/\= There is no need to punch anyone, Jo. My solicitor, T’der, will make them argue law with her if they overstep their boundaries. Punching people only hurts for a short time, but arguing law with a Vulcan lawyer is pain that can last a lifetime. =/\=
Jo’s snorting laugh made Camille blink and forced an explanation, that made Camille, in turn, laugh. S’Pruss simply raised an eyebrow, shook his head negatively, and held up his PADD with the words ‘Two lifetimes’ displayed on it, which triggered the other two all over again.
=/\= Laughing is a better reaction than punching in this situation, Jo. Since you are in a good mood, is it that you will tell me who I must send the traditional Thankful Flowers of Embarrassment to? =/\=
Jo snort-laughed again. “You are relentless, V.”
=/\= If I ask someone something enough times more often than not they will tell me what I want to know just to make me go away, Jo. It is a good information-gathering tactic, especially with bureaucracies,=/\= the Chameloid replied seriously.
“And.. friends… too V,” Jo tapped her chin in contemplation before letting out a sigh of resignation. “Fine, it was Admiral Brennan, he’s the one. I don’t know what flowers to send him that would be embarrassing, though.”
S’Pruss cocked his head to one side at that, thought a moment, typed something, and held his PADD up, displaying, ‘Aldeberanian Whistling Roses.’
Jo blinked. “What?”
=/\= What, what, Jo? =/\=
“S’Pruss says ‘Aldeberanian Whistling Roses’ are what you should send. I have no idea what those are.” She smiled suddenly, envisioning a pot of roses that whistled and snapped at Brennan.
The Vulcan held up his PADD again. ‘Aldebaranian Whistling Roses draw air into their roots overnight and release it at intervals during the day, making sounds to attract insects to provide nutrients. Humans say this sound resembles digestive gas discharge.’
Cackling like a madwoman, Jo replied, “Definitely Aldeberanian Whistling Roses, V. They’re perfect.”
=/\= I will order them in an assortment of colors and have them delivered as soon as I return to the Academy, Jo. Please Tell Grumpy Vulcan Gardner Grandpa that I appreciate his help. I am certain that Brennan Admiral will feel the same way as well. =/\=
“Oh it will definitely hit him in the feels, V. Definitely,” Jo snorted.
=/\= I am about to be very busy, Jo. I can see Cadet Hendl now and must adjust my trajectory to intercept him. I will leave my mike open though, so you will not worry more than you normally do. =/\=
“You’ve got this, V. You can do it.”
=/\= I hope so, Jo. For Cadet Hendl’s sake. =/\=
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