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"Friendly Chat"
Previous post – Renda's "A Dance of Diplomacy"
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Main Engineering
Stardate: 30151.1130

Everyone had been busy with getting ready for the upcoming mission to the MASQUERADE DREAMS, either through researching the ship and staff or putting things in order to make sure nothing had been forgotten while packing.  Everyone save the ANUBIS' redheaded engineer who had been elbow deep inside the inactive and opened warp core.

"You engineer types are all the same," Shar'El said with a shake of her head.  "Only happy when you are taking something apart and fixing it."

"You should be thankful that I'm not a Counselor or a Doctor," Sonja said, her unseen grin could be easily heard in her voice.  "Taking people apart is a lot messier, although I will admit easier and slightly more fun depending on who you are working on."

"Guess I will put your name at the top of my list should I ever need the services of an interrogator," Shar'El said, her arms having come to cross over her chest.  "Think you can spare a few minutes?"

"Fine," the engineer huffed in mock annoyance as she left her work to be able to turn and look at the acting Executive Officer.  Sonja's expression suddenly changed as she saw the ILO, or more specifically the pips on her collar.  Not that long ago the two of them had been sharing drunken stories with Eve as equals, but now the raven haired woman stood several ranks above her, commanding a different kind of respect and acknowledgement.  "Sorry Commander, no disrespect was intended."

"At ease 'Red'," Shar'El grinned, hoping that using a nickname would make the CEO realize that nothing had truly changed between them despite the promotion and assignment as ExO to the ANUBIS. "If I want to be saluted, I can always drop in on the crew's mess hall and click my heels three times."

“If you do that don’t forget to bring Toto along,” the redhead said with a grin.

"If memory serves, Captain Troguun, the CO of the USS APOPHIS as a Mizarian Frux as a pet, a creature that appears as a cross between a Terran Pomeranian dog and a Romulan Long-Haired Seekul," the Executive Officer said in all seriousness.  "Think he would let me borrow it?"

The two of them shared a look that made the ILO realize how much she had changed since her first stepping on board the ANUBIS.  Closed in and reclused, the raven haired woman had not been one to consider making friends, always falling back on her duties and responsibilities as an Intel officer to maintain a safe emotional distance.  The truth had been that she had been scared and unsure of even how to proceed in that domain.  Now though, after all that she had endured in such a short period of time, Shar'El had come to realise and appreciate the few friendships she had stumbled upon and now desperately hoped that her new position and rank would not endanger them.

Feeling a great deal more at ease with Shar'El, Sonja relaxed her stand and took a few steps closer to bridge the distance that stood between them.  "So, as the new Acting ExO *and* ILO, does that makes you a Super Spy Girl?"  With this, the redheaded CEO had hoped to convey to the raven haired Officer that their friendship had remained as it had been while still taking into account the change in rank and responsibilities.

"Just don't call me a 'Bond Girl'," the ILO replied after a few seconds of silence, the woman having obviously scanned the engineer's most prominent memories.  "I don't think I have the requires *skills* for that specific role," Shar'El added as she gestured to her body which did not match in any way the standards set for that specific role

"Wait, and I do?" Sonja inquired with a huge grin as she mimicked the gesture towards her own body.  "What do you have though is something better," the CEO added as she gently tapped the side of her head with a single finger, "You just need to be careful on who and how you use it."

"Only between friends," the ILO proudly replied, more than happy to be able to call the redheaded engineer that - a friend.

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Lorraine Paquette


Lieutenant JG Sonja Paquette
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501