===Mess hall, deck 2=== Corporal Josh Johnson walked in to the mess hall. He had spent the better part of the day working on removing the alien device form the wall outside main engineering. It had intrigued him so much that he had forgotten to stop for something to eat. Now he was really hungry. He walked over to a replicator and ordered, "Computer. One giant roast beef sandwich, an order of Philly fries, with cheese and a large cola." Private Vandetta Rose stumbled into what seemed to her to be the mess hall. She had tripped over her own feet and despite the fact that virtually no one was in the room that she now stood, she started to flush a rosy pink color. Hopefully no one had seen her come in and she could just leave without anyone stopping her. She had been stopped enough today, what with people not knowing her, and right now she could not stand the thought of staying in that room. The thought of food and the distinct smell of Philly fries with cheese was getting to her and her stomach as seriously becoming upset. Josh grabbed his plate of food and his glass of soda and quickly turned around. Since the room had been relitati8vly empty, he was heading for the closest table near the replicators and doors. Much to his surprise, he was interrupted on his jog bay the presence of a female dressed in green, right in his path. Josh crashed squarely in to the females. His soda splashed all over the both of them as he dropped it. Luckily for him is food did not soil his already dirty uniform. But he could say less for the once pristine looking private. She now wore the distinct orange color of his cheese fries all over her tunic and left pants leg. After steading himself, Josh looked the private up and down, lingering on the occasional cheese fries walking down her pants leg. He smiled, "Sorry there private, did not see you." He said in a slightly embarrassed tone. She stood there dumbfounded. The smells that had once upset her stomach, she now wore. She kept her mouth shut and blinked her eyes repeatedly. Her outstretched arms that she had put up to stop the impact now lay limply at her side. She wanted to cry. She let a few tears fall down her cheek but quickly brushed them away. She looked down disbelieving at her uniform. Her brand new uniform...RUINED by a clumsy corporal. She stared up at him and lets a few more tears spill out of her emerald eyes. Josh was a bit surprised at the reaction form the unfamiliar private. Normally most marines would belt ya, or simply scream in disbelief, no matter the rank. But this one was beginning to cry. Josh quickly looked around. He noticed a towel on the bar near them. He grabbed it and quickly began trying to clean her off. ""Oh please, forgive me. I did not mean to... I mena... dont cry.... er... It will be ok. I will clean you up. you will see it will be as good as new." "good as new?" Vandettea asked. " It was good as new when I got on the ship" she took a deep breath and composed herself..."it's okay. Please get up" she chuckled at little and then knelt down beside him. Josh blushed a little at his folly. he then turned his attention to the food all over the floor. He looked down, avoiding eye contact as he picked up the food, piece by piece and placed it on the plate near by. "Well you might find out that a uniform hardly stays clean around here. " he motioned to his own uniform. "but then no one ever said being a marine was a clean job." he smiled and looked up at her. "I am corporal Josh Johnson, Engineering specialist in the oda. You are new aren't you?" Vandetta took the towel from his hands and smiled at him. He was quite handsome and she was struck by his eyes. "yes i am. just got here today." she pulled her long, fire red hair back and placed it over her left shoulder. she held out her hand "private Vandetta Rose. you can call me Detta" her pale skin once again turned a rosy pink as she spoke. she smiled at josh waiting for his reply. Josh wiped his now food covered fingers off on his pants and returned the handshake. "Nice to meet you Detta." Josh thought for a second and then snapped his fingers and pointed to her. " Your not a communication specialist? I thought I overheard a conversation about a new one for alpha team being assigned to the ship." Detta smiled. "As a matter of fact I am" she stared to try to clean the cheese off the floor. "Why?" Josh shrugged his shoulder, "no reason really, just guessing if you are the new communication specialist. Actually it is a wonder I know at all, I am in bravo team, so you're not really in my chain of command." He stood up and picked up the plate and glass. After narrowly missing bumping his head against hers, he stepped back a pace, carefully and then placed the plate on the replicator. He then pressed a button to make it disappear and then looked back to Detta. "So is this your first posting to a ship? Finding your way around ok?" he asked trying to move beyond the food incident. "Yes, it is, and sadly no I'm not " she flushed even more now. "I'm just not very good with directions is all. Nothing major I'll get used to it sooner or later, thank you for the concern." she looked up at him and smiled and fixed her hair. Doing that kept her hands busy. she looked down at her uniform and laughed. "Are you usually that clumsy josh?" Josh frowned, "Well I would not worry too much about getting t know the place. The nice things about these old intrepid ships are that they are small. Only 15 decks tall and pretty much laid out sensibly." He then shrugged his shoulders, "Well no, not normally." he pointed to a chair as if to motion to sit. He then stepped forward slowly, "But I have my moments. Oddly enough it happens a lot around beautiful women." he grinned sheepishly. She smiled well at least he thought she was pretty. She had accomplished something. He had an interesting face and she couldn't help but stare at him. She sat down across from him at the table. She folded her hands neatly in front of her and smiled. "Well then this couldn't have been one of those moments now could it?" she asked sweetly Josh blushed a bit at her reply. He grinned and adjusted himself in his seat. "Well you are wearing food now aren't you?" he smiled in reply. "Well it seems as though I am" she chuckled. even when they were sitting he was taller than her. she beamed at him. "so josh, what is there to do for fun around here?" Josh chuckled, "Well right now not much. There are two holodecks we get to reserve form time to time. But with he latest troubles and low power, you have to settle for damja (trek billiards) in the little recreation room the enlisted have." He paused for a second. "Oh and there is the occasional game of poker a few of use have once a month." Detta smiled at the thought of poker. Something familiar and fun. She would show them when her time came how good she was at it. she set her chin in the palm of her hand. she had forgotten about the food and her upset stomach. She had met a nice guy and she was completely overwhelmed in the conversation. She smiled at josh. "not much to do tonight then eh?" Josh shook his head, "no, and I don't think any of use will be having much fun." he leaned in a bit and lowered his voice. "I just heard that they are chasing an intruder about the ship. And if they are right, one touch form these ghouls can kill ya." he said straight faced. She gasped at the thought. "Well gee now I'm afraid to walk to my room. seeing as how I usually get lost anyway I'll prolly end up down a long corridor being chased by one and end up dead" she shivered at the thought Josh nodded. "Well I think I can help you there. Have you been to your quarters yet?" he asked. "Yes I have, just can't quite remember where it is" she smiled sheepishly..."i don't want to be a burden. I can find it myself" Josh waved a hand about, "No don't be silly. Is no burden. Any way Look at me. I could use a shower and a clean uniform my self. Any way, all of our quarters are housed on deck 5, so is not like I am going out of my way. " he grinned. Josh stood up from the table, forgetting all about his food. After all it is not often he gets to escort a lovely young woman to her quarters. He motioned to the door. "Well private, this is the mess hall on deck 2. Get to know it because we don't have replicators in our quarters," he grinned, "We don't even get our own quarters, we have to share them with other enlisted." She smiled. "Josh..honey...before we leave, you have a little cheese on your cheek." she grinned Josh stopped suddenly and wiped his left cheek. He saw Detta grin and point to the other cheek. he wiped the other cheek and looked at Detta. She grinned and shook her head no. Over and over he wiped his cheek, finally getting her approval that he had removed it. Josh then motioned back to the door. "Ok now that I am acceptable, " he said wiping his now cheesy hand on his trousers," let me show you the 'turbo lift'". He grinned She waited a moment for him to hold out his arm like a true gentleman, but with no such luck she hurried beside him towards the lift. Josh started for the door of the mess hall and then realized he had moved out a bit quickly. He looked back over his shoulder to see Detta hurrying up to catch him. He stopped and waited for her to catch up. {Idiot. here you were having a wonderful conversation with a pretty woman, and you walk off on her! that is no way to win her over. and especially since she is not in your squad!} he thought to himself. He blushed at his mistake as she caught up with him. Sheepishly he looked at her, "sorry about that. Some times I get too business like and think I am ordering around members of my team." Josh then bowed slightly and motioned with a gentle hand. After you?" he said offering up a bent elbow. She smiled and tucked her arm in his. It seemed to fit well and she felt more comfortable now than ever before on the ship. She stood on her tip toes and gave josh a peck on the cheek. "Thank you" Josh blushed at the gift he received. He was not accustomed to women giving him such presents so soon after meeting them. His lips moved as to say something, but in reality he was dumbfounded. He stammered with a few uhms and ahs, but decided it was best just to say, "I am honored." with a gentle nod of the head. the two continued slowly to the turbo lift. As soon as they arrived, josh finally got the nerve up to say something. He tapped on the console next to the lift and pressed a yellow button. "Detta? These panels are scattered about the ship in various places." he tapped on a green button next. "If you enter the right commands you can activate the ships map." he then looked at the panel. "Computer show me the quarters of Josh Johnson." he stated. He computer changed the map display and spoke. [Corporal Josh Johnson's quarters are on deck 5, section 13, room 4." Take the turbo lift down 3 levels and follow the flashing yellow line." He then looked over to Detta. "See. So now any time you want some one to talk to or are interested in a poker game, " he smiled," you can find me and I will be glad to be of any assistance for you." She laughed to herself. This was not a guy too familiar with the opposite sex. "Well I always need someone to talk to, josh, and you can expect to lose at poker." she grinned at him " I might need assistance often" she winked at him and walked into the lift leaving josh standing there dumbfounded Josh stood there for a moment, wondering what just happened. he was trying to give a subtitle hint at his intentions, but in return , he felt he was just smacked up side his head with a reply. He was confused. He was not sure if Detta was toying with him, or that her intentions were otherwise. He walked slowly in to the lift trying to figure out which it was. He entered the lift and grinned. "Deck 5" he called out to the computer. Soon the lift hummed in motion. Josh stood silently for a moment, fumbling with his thoughts of what to say. "So Detta, have any thing planned for this evening?" he said realizing his words might have sounded like a bad pickup line. "Er I mean with everything that is ongoing on, it might be best if we sort of kept each other company. " he paused, " you know safety in numbers?" She smiled {took him long enough} she thought to herself. It was about time he had asked to spend some time with her. "no I'm not busy..really I have nothing to do. I'm already unpacked and everything" she was obviously incredibly attracted to him but she still wasn't sure if he felt anything near the same as she did. "I would feel safer if you were with me" she moved closer to him. she was now only inches away. She felt him get nervous and she smiled to herself. she looked up and her emerald eyes beamed at him. she stood waiting for his next move. Josh sighed a sigh of relief in his mind. {Whew, ok may be she is not toying with me. now what should we do? something not sappy but not too forward.} he then realized she got closer to him. He tensed up for a moment not really knowing why and then forced himself to relax. he then spoke. "Well I would suggest that we might visit the small arboretum on the ship, but with the intruders about, it would probably be best if we not go roaming about." He thought for a moment and then continued. "Do you like movies?" She nodded. "I do" {no physical contact} she thought {he had a hard time shaking my hand} she was beginning to feel as though she wasn't attractive and that he didn't like her as much as she had hoped. "What do you have in mind?" Josh relaxed a bit more. He smiled softly. "Well I am a fan of 20th century movies, especially the black and white genera. You ever hear of casa blanka?" He asked hoping she was interest in the same type of movies. "One of the best movies of all time" she thought of Humphrey Bogart and smiled. She moved ever so closer to him and whispered "play it again Sam" "its been a while since I've seen it" she leaned back and smiled Josh smiled with relief. "Good. Is one of my favorites as well." The lift then stopped and the doors opened. Josh extended an elbow. "So how do you like your popcorn? Extra butter, or sloppy with butter?" "I don't like popcorn...allergic" she flushed "I usually don't eat during a movie anyway. Usually I'm busy doing other things..." she moved once again even closer to him and smiled Josh grinned. "Hrm... Good point. Just gets in the way any way." he said in an understanding tone. Josh though about where they would watch the movie. {Need some place private, the rec room is too public.} He then looked over to Detta, "Why don't we watch the movie in my quarters. I only have one roommate and he is on duty for the next 8 hours." He then grinned, "Would not want any one to interrupt our favorite movie you know." he winked. She smiled..."good idea...I'd love to but if you could walk me by my quarters, I'd like to change and grab my pillow" she stood up on her tip toes planted a big kiss on his lips and walked off the lift once again leaving josh dumbfounded. Josh stood there for a moment, still embracing the kiss planted on him. He watched at Detta walked away. He then shook his head and looked down at his dirt and food covered uniform. {oh this will not do.}He thought to himself. He quickly went to his quarters to clean up, put on some civilian cloths and kick his roommate out for the night. ==End Log== Pvt Vandetta Rose Communication Specialist & Cpl Josh Johnson (NPC) Engineering Sepcialist (APB Indy)