Empty Slots

Posted on Mon Feb 14th, 2011 @ 10:12pm by Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Marion & Ensign Jennifer Russo

Mission: Hippocratic Hijacking
Location: Ship's Office
Timeline: Shortly after 'Corridor Collisions'

Jennifer walked into the Ship's Office, it was the home of the Operations Department, or at least the Operations Department off the bridge. The Ship's Office was also where her own private office was located, which she was lucky enough to have. Her position encompassed almost everything about the ship, it was quite unique and the thing she loved most about it. She was nobody's direct supervisor, but yet she was the supervisor of everyone below her in rank, and even was sort of to the Department Heads, ensuring everyone was trained properly, scheduled properly, and the like.

Jennifer, whether anyone realized it or not, really made the ship function on time, the way it was supposed to. She was also in charge of Damage Control should the shit hit the fan, and other Emergency Operations. Something which was odd considering she was not even a member of the Engineering Department, but her job was all about coordination something, that had come to her naturally.

As she walked toward her office door she saw Elizabeth Marion, one of the Operations Officers. She was sitting at one of the desks in the main ship office, and wondered what she was up to. She decided to stop and say hello, not wanting to go back to her office where the master schedule was waiting. Somehow one of the department heads assigned one person to three slots at the same time, and then another department kept coming up short for shifts.

"Hello Lieutenant," she said, cheerfully.

Elizabeth had taken the time, prior to her bridge shift, to catch up on a few of her reports, which she looked up and away from when a voice broke the silence of the room.

"Oh... you must be Ms. Russo. How are you?" Liz said, matching the smile.

"Frustrated," Jennifer answered, honestly.

"How are you ma'am?" she asked. Jennifer had not seen Liz around the office, a lot. And Jennifer hadn't had a chance to make a bridge shift, getting things in order down in her office. Plus she also had no qualifications this being her first assignment and all. That would be something she would need to start tackling after the mission and things started getting back to normal.

"Could be worse I suppose. With everything going on and the Old Man in one of his 'moods' to boot, I suppose if the ship doesn't come crashing down around our ears, we can call it a good morning," Liz remarked with a smirk.

Jennifer assumed that she meant the Commanding Officer, not realizing she also meant that literally. "Yeah I actually just bumped into the Captain," she said. Jennifer honestly loved the Captain's personality, or what she saw of it. She also thought for an old man he was actually kind of attractive, which was also weird to her. "He seemed like a good guy," she said.

"Yeah... you either like that old coot or you hate him, and usually you know within five minutes which it is. Can't tell by looking at him but he just had his six hundred and fifth birthday. His last XO went so far as to pop out of a huge cake naked. I thought Dad was going to fall out in shock," Liz giggled.

"Six hundred and five?" Jennifer asked, sounding surprised. Sure Jenn knew he was older, but she didn't know the man was ancient. "He's your father?" she also asked, curiously. It was a good thing she never alluded to her slight attraction to the Captain. That would have been pretty weird in itself.

"Well, he's El-Aurian, and he isn't my biological father. He and I met when I was just starting my enlisted career. He adopted me from the Nobel, and I've served for him on every one of his commands since," Liz explained, trying to dispel her confusion.

Jenn giggled a little, "Oh, well that would explain it then. How long have you known the Captain?" she asked, curiously. "He's kind of attractive for an old guy," she said, looking a little embarrassed for saying it.

"Oh wow... I think I joined the Nobel crew in '73... so it would be about thirteen years now," Liz said before leaning a little closer toward Russo, "Don't feel bad, one of his former CMOs tried to marry him once, but I think she wanted his office memorabilia. She was kind of greedy though, so I think it was mostly money motivated rather than a strict attraction. But anyway, I won't spread it around that you're crushing on the Old Man."

Liz leaned back in her chair with a smirk, "Who knows, maybe you'll make wife number two. I figure he's due for another one after... what... two hundred years or something..."

Jenn laughed, "I'm actually kind of surprised it's there," she said. "I normally don't go for old guys," she said, honestly. "That... and even if I really had a crush on him... I'm sure it wouldn't be good for a Captain to be fraternizing with a lowly Warrant Officer," she said, her face lit up. Jenn had a contagious smile when she was in a good mood, it was just that those really good moods were few and far between.

"Please... that man doesn't care whether you're a crewman recruit or an Admiral. He's going to like who he likes and hate who he hates and that's just what happens. Why don't you just let him make that call, hmm?" Liz winked before laughing, "If he heard that, I think I'd be bitched out for a month!"

Jenn laughed.

"Well..." she said, laughing again. "I don't even know what to say."

"About what?" Lt. Marion asked with a slight smirk.

"About the Captain?" she said, laughing again. "This is so bad..." she said, turning bright red.

"You're making a bigger deal out of it than it really is," Liz shook her head, "You like who you like. Not like anyone will look at you funny for it... Well, with Dad they might, but then again they'd have to suffer his wrath. So either way, you're fine."

Jenn sighed, and shrugged a little. "I guess so," She said, still red.

"I know so," Liz said seriously.

"I'm sure it's nothing," she said. Jenn knew that it was nothing, just her being odd she really had no reason to be attracted to him. "Anyway, I have to go fix the schedule, some more..." she said, sounding a bit annoyed at the prospect.

"Good luck with that," Liz said in the way of a farewell.