A Subspace Message

Posted on Tue Oct 17, 2017 @ 2:48pm by Elsie Cusack & Commodore Michael Aravan

Mission: Strange Matter
Location: Cusack's Quarters
Timeline: MD 29 || 1300 Hours

The computer terminal in the quarters shared by the Cusack's beeped to alert the residents that a message was waiting.

Martha and Lucia were on duty. Elsie was present having not long woken up after her long shift yesterday. Grateful for the day off she had been given the beep attracted her attention towards the computer terminal. Elsie sat down behind the terminal and typed in the code to unlock it and then accepted the call.

"Hey...I'm sorry if I look a bit...scruffy. I've literally just got out of bed" Elsie said.

"Hello, my Fiore Dolce," Vincenzo's smiling face said. "I wasn't certain if it's night or day where you are, but I had to talk to you."

It was certainly a wonderful (belated) start to her day. She was still in her pyjamas and had not yet done her hair or put her make up on. Seeing the boy's smile made her heart soar - Elsie didn't think she'd hear from Vincenzo again for a very long time.

Elsie smiled. "It's the early afternoon. I had a super long day yesterday and I've slept for like 15 hours. How are you today?"

"I'm doing much better now that I've seen the face of beauty," he said. "I had to convince my parents to let me send a subspace message live to you. It's three in the morning here."

Elsie beamed. "You're sweet Vincenzo. How are things back there? I wish I was there with you on the beach...it's kinda boring now I'm back home on the ship"

"Boring on the pride of the fleet?" Vincenzo asked with a raised eyebrow. "I would have figured that you'd spend all your time in the holodecks and suites, shopping on the promenade or fending off the other buys."

Elsie shrugged. "Nobody to spend it with apart from myself usually. Either I'm working and my parents aren't or it's the other way around. We rarely get any time as a family...and I don't really have any friends here"

"Are they all blind on the ship?" he asked with a look of disbelief. "Or are they afraid of your beauty?"

Elsie blushed and looked away from the screen. She wasn't used to these sorts of compliments - so much so whenever Elsie received them she didn't really know how to accept them.

"Thanks...I guess" Elsie responded.

Vincenzo smiled. "So other than working, what have you been doing?"

"Just thinking about things. What I want to do with the rest of my life and how to make some new friends. I've been considering doing a bit of early training in case I decide to join Starfleet but I'm not sure what field to choose. I really like Science but I also like Tactical too" Elsie responded.

"That's two different areas entirely, but Tactical is a lot more dangerous," he said. "Why don't you come back to Earth and open a gelato stand with me and we can spend our days on the canals?"

Elsie smiled. "Oh now you're tempting me...you know how much I loved that gelato you and I shared while I was there. I've always been good at Science and I was thinking of taking that to another level at some point - whether it's in Starfleet or it isn't. I've got plenty of time to think about that though"

Elsie paused for a moment to remove an elastic hair band from her wrist before tying her hair up into a ponytail.

"That's enough about me though. How are you and what have you been up to?" Elsie asked.

"Not much," Vincenzo said. "I've been doing a lot of stargazing since you left and doing some research. I think I've found a new appreciation in space since I met the lovely Fiore Dolce."

Elsie beamed. "It's a beautiful place. I've lived aboard starships pretty much all my life so I've got to see quite a few different planets and phenomena. If I think to I'll send you some of my favourite photos of nebulae and planets I've visited"

"I'd love to see them, but I'd love to see you more, Elsie," he said with a soft smile. "Which is why I'm working on convincing my parents to try to contract out to Starfleet and get an assignment on Triumphant."

Elsie could hardly contain her excitement.

"If you came here that would be so amazing. I could give you the tour of the ship then...after all...you did give me a wonderful tour while I was there on holiday. What jobs would they do here?" Elsie replied.

"My mom is a linguist for Federation ambassadors when universal translators don't work," Vincenzo said. "She speaks forty-nine languages fluently and has helped create new language keys for other languages."

Elsie beamed. "Well maybe you can teach me a new language if or when you arrive on the ship. I've really wanted to learn a new language for ages but I've never really found the time to unfortunately"

"I only speak Italian and Standard," he said with a laugh. "My Mom said the only thing my tongue is good for is talking and tasting gelato."

"Well Vincenzo....I can't speak Italian...so you can teach me that. My stepmum speaks Italian but four years later she's never got around to teaching me any. Maybe we can get started once you're here?" Elsie replied.

"That, my Fiore Dolce, I can do," Vincenzo said. "You'll be speaking it before you know it."

Elsie smiled cutely at Vincenzo. She'd always wanted to learn Italian and be able to speak with Lucia in her native language. Now she would give given that ability thanks to the person she was conversing with on the monitor.

"I can't wait. Maybe you can have a read of some of the books in my library. I have some really old books which you might like to read - or maybe we could read them together? There's a few different genres but I'm sure there'll be something you'd like to read" Elsie said.

"As long as you're there, I doubt I'd be able to focus on anything or anyone else," he said. "After all, you're the most beautiful work of art I've ever seen."

Elsie almost instantly blushed a deep shade of red. She had never been complimented this much before and she wasn't used to it.

Elsie replied. "Vincenzo...you're making me blush"

"You should make a gelato for yourself," Vincenzo said with a smile. "It will help cool your cheeks down, not that it doesn't add to your beauty."

Elsie went over to the replicator just out of sight of the screen but continued talking. She had decided to have ice cream and waffles for her lunch - as soon Vincenzo had mentioned ice cream Elsie knew she wanted some. She ordered three scoops - one vanilla, one mint and one strawberry.

"I've just replicated myself some ice cream now" Elsie responded.

She carried it over to the screen and showed it to Vincenzo before starting to eat it.

Elsie smiled. "This is my favourite dessert. Although I'm not sure what my mum would say about me having dessert for lunch..."

"I won't tell if you don't," he said with a smile. "You should try that in a donut cone one day with caramel injected into it. They're incredible."

"I'm going to have to. They sound amazing...I'm not sure if anywhere here sells those but I haven't been to any other eateries other than The Black Hole - that's where I work. Or...I can wait until you get here so you can I can try one together?" Elsie suggested.

"Ask the computer," Vincenzo suggested. "It should know everything. I'd be more than happy to have one with you, my Fiore Dulce."

Elsie decided to ask the computer about the dessert that Vincenzo had mentioned. When they came up on the screen Elsie knew she had to try them.

"I'm not sure I can wait until you get here...I may have to try one of those before you arrive. I love ice cream with waffles but ice cream and doughnuts might just beat that..." Elsie said.

She then broke off a piece of waffle and some strawberry ice cream before eating it.

"Then have one while you think of me," he said. "I'll do the same here on Earth."

Elsie smiled. "I know I didn't really say it when I was there but...I really enjoyed our time together Vincenzo. I'm glad I met you because you've made me feel so much better about myself. Thank you"

"You are welcome, Fiore Dulce," Vincenzo said. "You made my year by allowing me time to get to know you."

Having some more of her ice cream Elsie continued. Just talking to Vincenzo was already making her feel so much happier compared to when she woke up.

"Mine too...it's been a difficult year but meeting you has been one of the highlights. I'm glad I've had such a positive impact on your life - it's made a difference to me too" Elsie replied.

"I'm really glad, Elsie. You're all I've been able to think about. So how soon do you think it'll be before your ship is coming back to Earth?" he asked.

Elsie paused for a moment to think. Martha had told her when the Triumphant would be returning to Earth and after a few moments it came to her.

Elsie shrugged. "Soon I think. Not for long though - maybe for a couple of days at the most. Plenty of time for you and your family to get here and move on board"

"I'll let my Mom know and hope she has some contacts she can use to get a linguist contract on the Triumphant," Vincenzo said. "She has high enough clearance and all kinds of ambassadors to help her out."

Elsie nodded. "I really hope so Vincenzo. I don't think we'll be leaving the ship this time because this visit to Earth is so short...but you coming aboard will more than make up for that"

"I'll let her know when she wakes up in the morning," he promised. "I can't wait to see you again."

"Me neither. By the time she wakes up I'll probably be out for dinner with my parents...although if you hear anything please let me know as soon as you find out. I'm really excited to see you again...I really really hope you can move aboard the ship" Elsie replied.

"I hope so, too, but I'll send a message and let you know," Vincenzo promised her.

Elsie ate some more of her ice creams and waffles before responding.

Elsie smiled. "Good. So...what are your plans after you get up in the morning?"

"Thinking of you and trying to get Mom to get us on the ship so I can see you and think about you," He said with a smile.

Elsie giggled. "You're so sweet Vincenzo. I wish I could say the rest of my day is going to be exciting...but it probably won't. I'll probably just stay here all day and find something to do like read a book or watch a film. Once you get here I'll have to take you to the place I work for lunch or something"

"How can it not be exciting when there's so much to do on ships?" Vincenzo asked. "I'd love to have lunch with you, and dinner and dessert."

"I know there's lots of stuff to do here but there's nobody to visit all these places with - once you're here then I'll probably get out a bit more. I might ask my parents if you can visit for dinner one night...although I'll probably wait until you've settled in first before you come and see if you like my cooking" Elsie replied.

"I'm sure I would," he said. "But I'm still sad that you don't have anyone to go check out the places with. Are there age restrictions?"

Elsie nodded. "There are. I don't mind waiting though...and once you're here I'll have someone to sit in the library or arboretum with - that's if you want to join me when I go to either of them. There's a lot to do here...but I don't really enjoy sitting by myself all the time...and yet that's all I do. I hope that'll change really soon though"

Vincenzo yawned but tried to hide it. "I'm really hoping that I can go there and sit with you soon," he said.

Elsie smiled. "You will be...I'm optimistic that you'll be here before we know it. Are you tired Vincenzo? I saw you yawning...you didn't hide it very well"

"I'm sorry, Elsie," he said. "It's three in the morning here, but I had to talk to you."

"It's alright Vincenzo. I really appreciate you staying up so late to talk to me...the time difference is annoying but once you're here it won't be a problem. I'm used to time differences because I've always lived on board starships" Elsie responded.

"Don't they call that ships time?" Vincenzo asked. "To keep everyone's internal clock on one time instead of planet and time zone times?"

Elsie nodded. "Yeah it's ship's time. It's a bit disorientating when you go down to a planet when it's night time and then come back up to the ship and it's still the morning or the afternoon. You'll get used to it though"

"Yeah, but how often do you get to go planet side?" he asked her. "I'm sure your Moms wouldn't let you go on a strange planet without it being shore leave."

Elsie shrugged. Planetside visits for her were very rare and although the holodeck was an option it wasn't the same.

"Very rarely. I can't remember the last time I went down to a planet before I went down to Earth on shore leave. Maybe like...a year before then? I can't even remember what planet it was either" Elsie replied.

"Do you get many shore leaves?" Vincenzo asked. "I'd go crazy if I had to stay on a ship for years at a time."

Elsie shrugged again. "Well I can take time off as and when I like - as long as it's alright with my boss - but my parents usually get shore leave at least once maybe twice a year...so I just wait until then. It depends on if there's enough cover and if they have enough holidays to use"

"Once I get there, we'll never have to worry about shore leave because I'll make everyday a vacation," he promised her.

Elsie beamed. "That sounds amazing. There's so many places I want to go but I probably never will...I know I can use the holodeck but it really isn't the same as the real place"

"As long as it was with you," Vincenzo said with a twinkle in his eyes. "It would be as real as I could want it."

Elsie took the last mouthful of her lunch and moved the empty plate to one side ready to be recycled.

"I know I've said it before so many times...but you're so sweet Vincenzo. When you get here it's going to be wonderful" Elsie said.

"I'm looking forward to it my Fiore Dolce," he told her. "For now, though, I think I need to get some sleep."

Elsie nodded. "I think you should...you look really tired and it's really late there. Thank you so much for staying up to talk to me though because you've really made my day so much better. I can't wait to see you again"

"Nor I you," Vincenzo said with a smile. "I'll contact you again as soon as I know more," he promised her. "Until then, my Fiorce Dulce."

The transmission ended a few seconds later.