An Education

Posted on Tue Mar 6, 2018 @ 8:49pm by Commodore Michael Aravan & Captain Madelina Weisz & Ensign Zahara

Mission: Falling Star
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: MD 33 || 0900 Hours

Michael turned command of the ship over to Maddy after they had gotten underway and headed to the Ready Room. He already had a mountain of PADDs to sort through despite the efforts of his Yeoman and he was more than certain that he also had dozens of communiques from the starship captains in the task force he had been placed in charge of.

He shook his head and entered his Ready Room and was revitalized by the fresh, clean smell of the room and glanced at his bonsai trees. He saw immediately that his favorite tree had once again reverted to its previous state. "What the hell?" he muttered as he approached it.

"Computer, begin recording audio and video of this room until further notice and take separate footage of the bonsai tree located by my seat, effective immediately," Michael ordered and waited for the computer to confirm.

Once it did, he went to get a cup of coffee before he turned his attention to the PADDs laying on the black table that dominated the Ready Room. "Why does he bring me physical PADD's?" he asked noone as he went to activate the LCARS interface on the tables surface. "Transfer all data from the PADDs laying on this surface and sync to file in the main computer, authorization Aravan, Michael Commodore, Alpha Tango Four Nine and display in order of priority onscreen."

Zahara sat behind the desk inside the ready room watching Michael as he moved round the room. Being what she was definitely had its perks, but now those abilities were going to be used for good. The need to redeem herself for all the hurt she caused was still necessary, and she'd spend as much time as needed making it happen. What she'd done with the Borg wasn't even the tip of that iceberg.

A smile formed on her lips as she manifested in her birthday suit. "Would you like me to speak with him on your behalf, Commodore?" the Thasian woman asked as she rose to her feet. "I would be willing to do that if it is your wish."

Michael jumped when Zahara's voice and her appearance manifested near him and he closed his eyes for a second. He could have sworn she was naked and he thought of that night with Spencer. When he opened his eyes, he saw that she was naked and couldn't decide what he wanted to address first. He also couldn't decide if he wanted to ask her to put on clothes as the Federation didn't interfere with any cultural traditions and for all he knew, the Thasians could have all ran around naked on their world.

"Uh, no, but thank you, Zahara," he managed and took a drink of coffee. "I haven't seen you around lately." Especially not this much of you. he mentally added.

"I thought I would extend the offer," she said. "I have been busy just as you have been, but that needed to be rectified. I wished to check in and assure you that I am fine after my encounter with the Borg."

"I read the reports on that, but I can't thank you enough for doing what you did," Michael said and did his best to keep his eyes above her neck, but still caught himself glancing downwards a time or two.

Zahara opened her mouth to speak, but took note that he couldn't maintain eye contact. That prompted her to look down as well, a moment if shame crossing her features. "I apologize, Commodore. I was not concentrating enough on my attire," she said in an apologetic tone. It wasn't long before she was in uniform bearing her honorary rank of Ensign. "I do not wish to offend."

"No!" he started. "Er...I mean you don't have to do that. I didn't realize that I could be offending your culture by your lack of attire. You don't need to make clothes for yourself when no one else is around."

"You would not offend my culture, Commodore," Zahara said in an effort to reassure him. "I sometimes forget to concentrate as I am not used to doing so. Life inside a satellite did not allow for much interaction with others." She found herself studying him. "It is no secret that I am closer to you and Master Chief Barnes, but I have some questions, and I am not sure that he would feel comfortable answering those for me."

Michael didn't know if he wanted to curse or be relieved that she didn't make the clothes go away again. He quickly sat in a chair so his body wouldn't betray him and took deep drink of his coffee. It helped clear his mind and he decided he could speak again. "I'd be happy to answer any questions you have," he told her.

Zahara looked please with the fact he was willing to answer her questions. Rather than beat around the bush, she got right into it. "I was on my way back to my quarters last night and came across what I assume was a couple. They were speaking of something that made me realize I am not familiar with all that I should be," the white haired woman said. "What are these... pleasures of the skin... they were speaking of?"

"It's a physical act that people do for procreation or when they really care about each other," he responded neutrally when he wanted to show her. "Attraction is usually required but in some cultures, it's an imperative to reproduce. It can be pleasurable or entirely businesslike depending on the species, or outright brutal in some cultures like the Klingon Empire."

"Do you... care about me?" Zahara found herself asking.

"Well, I like you and I'm grateful to you," Michael said as he found himself in a minefield. "Why do you ask?"

"Can you show me?" the Thasian woman asked.

"Show you what?" he asked hesitantly.

Zahara had no idea he was purposely evading. "Pleasures of the skin. I am curious, and you have said that you like me, which is another form of caring, yes?" she questioned. "Then, it's okay for you to show me given your explanation."

It took him a minute for him to wrap his mind of what she was asking and cleared his head of wanton images that started to go through it. "I can bring up various mating rituals of different species," he offered. "It may take awhile to view them all as there are so many races, so I can transfer it down to your quarters."

That was a no without having to say it, and she wasn't the type to push it. Zahara shook her head, though. "There are a couple others I can ask. Master Chief Barnes, Lieutenant Devereaux and Ensign Walsh. One of them might be willing to assist me."

The thought of Zahara with anyone like Devereaux made him shudder mentally and he knew Barnes was with Maddy. As far as the Morale Officer, he wasn't sure but refused to think about it. "There...is something I can show you, but purely for educational purposes," he said after a moment and a drink of coffee.

"What is it?" she asked. Perhaps, Zahara appeared a bit more excited than she should have, but in her defense, she was going to be learning something new.

"You'll see," he said. "Meet me later at holodeck four."

"Very well, Commodore," Zahara said with the nod of her head. "I will see you then, and leave you to the matters you must attend." With that, she made her way out once again.

As she headed out, he settled down to get some work done.

***

Maddy excused herself from the bridge once everything had concluded and made her way to the ready room where she pressed the chime. Things were going to be a bit slow as they neared their destination, which meant she had a little time to kill before moving on to her next task.

"Computer, unlock door," he ordered.

"Why do you look like the cat that ate the forbidden canary?" the redhead Captain asked once she was inside the ready room. "Ah... did Spencer sneak in when you weren't looking?"

"For once I don't have a migraine, the coffee is fresh and I discovered my Yeoman is more effective than I thought. Not to mention you are incredibly effective yourself, Maddy, Care for a cup of coffee?"

"Yes, please," she said, moving toward him to take a seat. "Here I was thinking you had something juicy to tell. Still the same boring Michael as ever, aren't you?"

Michael got up to get Maddy a cup of coffee the way she liked it and brought it back to her. "I'm as exciting as a class on asteroid in orbit around a barren planet. You know this." He paused. "Unless you want pranked again."

"We've had enough of that, haven't we?" Maddy asked as she accepted the cup from him with a thank you. She brought it to her lips and gave a small smile, then took a sip.

"Have we?" he asked her as he took a sip of his own coffee and glanced a his rogue bonsai tree before looking back at her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked with an arched brow.

"No, but I'm keeping my eyes open. You haven't gotten me back for the bugs yet," Michael chuckled.

Maddy couldn't help but shudder at that. The bugs... crawling around and tormenting her... "I've forgotten all about it. Feeling guilty?"

"No. You don't forget or forgive and I'm ready for you," he responded before taking another drink of his coffee.

"Are you?" she asked, taking another sip of her coffee. "You're right, though. I don't forget, but I am forgiving, otherwise, Zahara wouldn't be here right now. What she did to me was more than enough to ask for her head. I might have if I wasn't forgiving."

"You have a point, but she also did the time for her acts," Michael said. "And everything she's done since then to help us, including stopping the Borg sphere."

"I know that, but I was just pointing out that I'm a forgiving person," Maddy said.

He started to say something, then heard the familiar hum of a transporter beam. He jerked his head around and saw the bonsai tree sitting near him dematerialize and rematerialize again. "What...the...hell?"

Maddy blinked. She noticed the bonsai reset, but she was a hell of an actress thanks to her years spent as a Security officer. If that wasn't enough, Command had taught her a thing or two as well. "Michael... are you okay? Do you need me to call Medical? Is it a migraine?" she asked in rapid succession as she rose to her feet to join him at his side. "I can have Operations do site to site transport. Just try to keep your breathing even and close your eyes." A look of panic took over her features as she began to bring her hand up toward her combadge.

"No," Michael said. "Computer replay and display on screen the events which just transpired here."

The computer acknowledged and a holographic representation of the Ready Room appeared over the table and zoomed in on the bonsai tree. A second later, it dematerialized, then rematerialized near where the holographic Commodore was.

"So it looks like we either have a very specific glitch in the transporter, or someone is doing this," he said as he froze the image. "Now to find out what's going on. I think I'll start with Mister Barnes." He picked up the bonsai tree and looked at it. "I try to let them experience fresh air made fresh...but it seems even they're against you."

There was no getting around it now. She couldn't let Tom take the fall for something she wanted done in the first place. "Perhaps, it is a glitch. Or... it could be payback for the creepy crawlies you decided to leave in my bed."

Michael looked at her, then at the bonsai tree and back at her again. "This has been happening since we got back from shore leave....and I didn't find out until now?"

The Commodore came to his feet and saluted her. "I salute you, Captain Madalina Weisz. That, was very, very good and subtle. I thought I was losing my mind, but was too busy to give it much thought. You. Win."

Maddy grinned and took a bow before she straightened up again. "How hard was it for you to say that?"

"Very," he grudgingly admitted. "Now...can I prune my poor tree before it goes into transporter shock from being changed so many times?"

"That would be a neat trick," the redhead said, looking to the bonsai tree. "Because that one isn't yours. Yours is safe."

"Wait...this isn't even my tree?" Michael asked as he looked from it to her. "How....."

"It's magic," Maddy said with a flourish as she waved her hands. "And I can't give my secrets away. That being said, I'll have your real tree back in its spot as soon as possible."

"Magic is only science that isn't understood and I will get to the bottom of it. You are safe from further pranks, though," he assured her.

The Captain cracked a smile. "Even I couldn't pull something this amazing off in my own, and I refuse to name any names and make that individual your newest target," she said. "And before you go and think you've got it figured out, chances are very good that you got it wrong."

"It takes talent to pull off such a thing," Michael said. "Kudos to you."

"Thanks. It definitely wasn't easy, and waiting for you to figure it out was beginning to drive me crazy, but it was totally worth it," Maddy said with one of her bright smiles. "Truce? For me and my talented partner."

"You're asking for a lot, but I wouldn't expect less," he said. "Okay, but if one of my trees so much as looks weird from now on, I'm going hunting."

"If Spencer were your partner in crime, you would ask me the same thing, and you can't deny that," the redhead pointed out. "As for your tree... it's in perfect condition. I've been caring for it."

Michael paused and then a slow smile crossed his lips as he considered her words. "Barnes is your partner in crime, isn't he?"

"He is the best in his field," was all the redhead said.

"I suppose we should get back out with the rest of the crew and check the status," he said. "As for you and Barnes, you're prank free."

"I suppose you're right, and I have a few things I need to get done in my office the moment I have a free second," the redhead stated, looking to him for a moment. There was something different about him, but she couldn't quite figure it out. The Michael she knew would never be so eager to call a truce, but then he'd never had anything so epic pulled on him before. By anyone. Still... a win was a win, and keeping Tom out of his cross hairs made things even better. "I'll see you out there." And with that, Maddy headed back out the way she came in.