On hands and Knees

Posted on Monday 11 July 2016 @ 05:37 by Captain Melody Jones & Commander Cale Llewellyn DSci
Edited on on Monday 11 July 2016 @ 05:38

Mission: Old, New Ship
Location: Bridge / Jefferies Tubes
1134 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

OCC: Hi. thought you could start this one waiting on the bridge for Melody to turn up (She has asked to meet you here to explore the ship) is that ok?

Cale entered the bridge with a smile on his face and a song in his heart. He was also whistling an old Earth tune known as "Frere Jacques". He as surprised when he heard the Ops Officer on duty break into song and started singing in rondo form with him. He took a seat at the auxiliary science station and waited for Lieutenant Jones to arrive.

"Are you ready Cale?" Melody's voice came from behind him. She had prepared herself for the task of crawling through the bowels of the ship.

Melody had removed her uniform jacket leaving her regulation vest top on. Her long red hair was tied back. She had a backpack on which contained some water, some sandwiches, a palm beacon and a few other surprises. She also had a small data pad which clipped onto her belt containing a deck plan and Jefferies tube layout. She had also padded her knees, which got quite bruised the last time she had been crawling through service tunnels.

She placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow "Shall we?"

Cale stood from his seat, grabbed his satchel and kit (just in case he needed his diagnostic equipment) and smiled. "I'm looking forward to it. We shall. After you," he said the science officer.

"Right then" melody said glancing at her deck plan. "We'll start here on the bridge and just go over all the emergency access points then take it deck by deck visiting key areas."

Soon they were making their way deep and deeper into the ship. The first few decks were mainly the senior officers quarters and recreational spaces including the holodecks, library and crew lounge. The tactical information center was located on deck 5 with the next deck being primarily science and research labs.

"Deck 7, sickbay. Always good to know exactly how to get here" Melody paused and looked back at Cale "You ok so far? A few more decks and we reach the primary computer core. We'll have a rest there. Just remember, this is what starship designers call easy access."

"Are all starship designers this short?" Cale asked

"Either that, or they think all Starfleet officers are contortionists. Come on, only a few more decks" Melody resumed crawling.

Upon reaching deck 10, they made their first major stop at the primary computer core. "Here" Melody said as she tossed Cale a bottle of water. "Smooth sailing so far. I hear you whistling on the bridge, you like music?"

"Like music, no. I love music. It's my passion even before science. I play the flute, oboe as well as the piano and other keyboard instruments. I am also a composer and arranger of music," Cale said happily. "Do you have any musical talents?"

Melody let out a slow impressed whistle "That's quite a resume. I also play the piano, in fact on this little trip I'm looking to see if I can find the best acoustic place on the ship. I picked up a portable keyboard from Mataline Two and I brought it with me" She said as she patted her backpack. " I listen to a lot of classical music, it really helps me relax. I've also made some holodeck programs with full orchestra . Some times I play along, sometimes I just sit and listen. We'll have to have a jamming session sometime."

Melody stood and put her water back in her backpack "Ready to go a bit further?"

"As always, I am ready for anything, Mel. I would love to have a 'jamming session' as well. I don't often find too many people interested in original music anymore," Cale said sadly.

"Come on, cheer up. We only have another 30 decks to cover" Melody said. They continued on deck by deck passing the main science labs, crew lounge, transporter rooms and the top of the main warp core. As they reached the fourth intersection of Jefferies tube 25 on deck 24 Melody stopped and listened.

"I think we have found it" She set her backpack down and pulled out a keyboard that was rolled up. She lay it flat and proceeded to play a little Chopin she had been working on. "Oh yes, this is place" She informed Cale. The keyboard made a very realistic sound for a small portable instrument. "Would you like to try?" she asked.

"Yes, Mel, I believe we did. This is the 'sweet spot'." Cale did a little vocalization and his demeanor brightened up considerably. "Yes this is it!" Cale mood had been visibly changed. "Ah, this is just what I needed. Thank you, Melody. You have made my day."

Melody smiled "Glad I could help. You have a really beautiful singing voice. Although we could probably spend all day here, we really must finish this little expedition."

They passed through main engineering and continued down towards the very bottom of the ship, past the antimatter injectors, storage tanks an into the lower cargo decks. When they reached the last deck, they emerged into a corridor and Melody stretched out. "I think we have seen just about every millimeter of the ship now and I think that is a job well done" she pulled the band out of her hair, shook her head and ran her fingers through her thick red mane it before letting hang free. She turned to Cale "Give me an hour, I need a bath. Then you can take me out to dinner" she added with a wink

Cale just looked dumbfounded. But he thought 'This will be a good day to die'.

"So what did you have in mind" She asked him, reading the look on his face while giving him a sideways coy smile "The Round Table or somewhere a bit more......... cozy?

"Let's go to the Round Table, if that's alright with you," he suggested. Mel had no idea of his proclivities but how could she not know? he asked himself. How could he tell her? How could he not? What was he going to do about this?

"That's fine with me" She studied his face for a moment as a flicker of something pass over. but she could read what it was. Something was bothering him, but she decided not to push him to quickly. Then stepping into the nearest turbolift, managed to get out "I'll see you in an hour" before the doors closed.

Cale let out an audible sigh and relaxed his shoulders. Maybe this wasn't a good day to die after all.

OFF:

Lieutenant JG Melody Jones
Chief flight control officer
USS Merlin

&

Lieutenant, jg Cale Llewellyn
Chief Science Officer
USS Merlin