Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Erin Hazen (Science Officer) in [Pre-sim] Traveling to the Asimov

Posted by Lieutenant Gavin Cooper (Chief Helmsman) in [Pre-sim] Traveling to the Asimov

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Erin Hazen (Science Officer) in [Pre-sim] Traveling to the Asimov
As the shuttle lifted from the pad, Erin felt excited. This was happening… this was really happening! She peered through the small window on the side as Earth became smaller and smaller with their fast growing distance. Wearing her favorite UCLA Bruins sweater and her most comfortable pair of jeans, she clutched tightly in her hands the strap of her duffle bag, currently sitting between her legs under her seat.

It was but a one hour hop from San Francisco to Starbase 1, but to Erin, the adventure of a lifetime had began. A last minute choice had made all the difference.
It had been a year and a half since she had left the Dresden behind. And when she did, the scientific and academic minded Erin Hazen came back to Earth with a completely different view of the universe, of life, and of everything else. Between then and the shuttle trip she was taking, Erin had graduated top of her class with a Biology degree from UCLA, taken extra credit classes within the Starfleet Academy outreach program while doing her regular studies, and she had spent her last month and a half going through Officer Candidate School so that she could meet Starfleet requirements to serve on board a starship. Better yet, her grades and her effort had meant that she was able to do so starting with the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade.

Molly hadn’t liked it when she had first told her. She had gone on and on about how dangerous it was and how much Erin would be better off if she looked for a job with the Federation Science Council as she had planned to do for quite a while. But Erin was twenty-two — the same age her sister had been when she had gone out in her first assignment aboard the USS Earhart. If Molly had been okay as a Security officer, Erin was certain that she would be okay as a Science officer. Maybe in a few years she would settle… but now, after getting a taste of space aboard the Dresden, Hazen wanted to go back, to delve a little deeper into the blackness of the cosmos and to see what lied beyond the void. Then, she would return back to Earth and work with the Science Council. Or any research lab that would take her… or teach. The options were as endless as the universe itself.

The journey to Starbase 1 was too short in Erin’s opinion. She had barely gotten the time for her excitement to partially subside and for her body to relax on her seat, and they were already docking. Now, the bigger stretch of the journey started – the two stop flight that would ultimately place her at Starbase 243, where she would take one last shuttle ride to her first assignment.

The trip itself was mostly tiresome and boring with small specs of fascination here and there. Sometimes it would be the glimpse of a race she had never seen, other times it would be an exotic artifact that would catch her eye in one of the many shops available at the starbases she stopped at, and in some other occasions, just the prospect of a good meal ahead of her was enough to cut the general tediousness.

Eventually, Erin made her way to Starbase 243. With a last trip to the bathroom and a last snack before boarding, Hazen beelined to the gate she would be leaving from. Sitting down in one of the many available chairs, Erin looked around, taking in the faces of the people surrounding her.

Even through the crowd one of the faces stood out to her. It was a face that she had seen before. She was certain… Blonde hair, bomber jacket… it had to be the same guy, or at least a pilot like him… The only reason he had jumped out at her in the first place on the Dresden, was because she had found him cute. She had spent long nights in the lounge trying to see if he would notice her, but always to no avail. Eventually she had met Alex and things went a different way. An… unexpected way. But a different way nonetheless.

Standing, Erin swung the strap of her duffel bag over her shoulder and walked towards the young man. She had to know if it was him.

“Hey flyboy…” She said with a wink, trying to get his attention. “… is this seat taken?” Erin pointed to the vacant chair next to him. Even if he wasn’t who she thought he was, she would at least have the company of a good looking guy for the next hour or so. That in and of itself, was already a win.

Lt. (j.g.) Hazen, Science

The man in the chair began speaking before he even looked up. “It is if ya want it ta’ be.” Came a surprisingly warm, welcoming tone to his response. The passing glance up Erin’s legs, tummy, and chest weren’t… blatant… but weren’t hidden either. As his eyes found her’s, he cracked a half-cocked smile and added. “That is… if that sister of yours ain’t around.”

LT Cooper, Chief Helmsman

The moment his eyes traveled up her body, Erin knew she had him, regardless of whether or not she had seen him before. She almost allowed herself a smile out of one of the corners of her lips. And then, he asked about Molly. Well, that was a first… Erin though, sighing in annoyance. Her face now showing exactly how she felt about the comment. Placing her hands on her hips she said sternly “What does it matter? She’s taken.”

Yep, she had definitely seen his face before.

Lt. (j.g.) Hazen, Science

The young man literally laughed out loud. “You’re joking right?! I haven’t and never have had interest in Raven’s girl. I just wanna make sure she’s not gonna like pop out and kill me or something.” His smile turned a bit more flirty as he noted. “In your family, let’s just say I only have eyes for one sister.”

Cooper