Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Nikki Brako (Chief of Operations) in XO’s Office
snip

Akane gasped and chuckled, she had completely forgotten this had all started with him asking for directions. “Of course! Sorry, you want to take the snail express here up to deck 2, the XO’s office is in the command centre, 2nd on the left sir,” she replied helpfully and threw him a little playful salute.

Lt Sakai (CNS)

The Iotian put the cigar back between his teeth and, while his mouth couldn’t ‘smile’ so much that way, his eyes certainly did as he took in her response. She was like a bouncy castle all rolled up in one compact bundle. His eyes followed her directions. Up more. He thought he had gone up as far as he could, but evidently not. The lift had a mind of its own, but then it likely stopped for her when she was getting on and had called it and he had gotten out without looking. Well, the fates did have a way of showing their hand. He stood aside after her salute, gave an exaggerated bow and held out his hand gesturing for her to go into the lift first. It also gave him a quick view of her caboose as she went in. Fleet uniforms did a better service to the guys where they didn’t look like they were in pajamas, but the big boss, Kirk, his time had a much better style with the dames. Too bad they didn’t bring that back, he thought. “Deck 2. 2nd on the left,” he repeated. “Got it.”
- Nikki, COO

Nikki continued up to Deck 2. That was a short trip, certainly. “Wait’ll they get a load of me,” he said, grinning behind his cigar. Maybe that would have been lessened in thought if he had a uniform to wear but he was decked out in good duds. When the door opened he stepped out at once and, after a quick glance to see whether the XO boss was there, determined she wasn’t, he scanned then for the second door. Spotting it at once, he moved steadily toward it. His walk was not a swagger, but it displayed a particular self confidence in motion. Ignoring everyone else he reached the XO’s door and pressed the buzzer. The dame may not be in but this was the first stop before he had to go hunting.
- Nikki, COO
OOC: Name change on the Topic to attract the XO’s attention <G>
OOC: Bump

Jessica was staring down at her personal communicator and furiously typing out a message like she was a seventeen-year-old girl who was oblivious that other people occupied the world she was living in. Since having the baby and marrying Teller, Jessica realized that she needed a full-time assistant to manage her personal life rather than her professional one. Today was one of those days. Holding the lip of the paper coffee cup between her teeth, Jessica furiously typed out a message to Natasha on the Saracen. The idea her longtime friend was trying to get married again was not surprising news. The fact she was doing it on warp speed was. Rounding the corner, she walked on autopilot to her office with her eyes down and focused on not spilling the coffee while sending her message.

Evidently there was nobody home. There had been no answer at the second buzz and Nikki was weighing his options. He could return back to the Ops deck and hobnob there to find out what things were like on this beast of an outpost - both as an outpost and what it was like to work here. Knowing him he’d run into a snot nosed ensign wet behind the ears and singin the praises of the Fleet. No, he’d maybe try to find his quarters after this and see what that was like. He had an image in mind and it was nothing like his cabins that he was used to. Glancing down on the PaDD he caught the layout of the station and where his quarters were. They weren’t labeled his but the generic COO’s. Knowing his luck the previous engineer had a penchant for cooking fish in his apartment. No, he’d make a stop in Ops and see about when he could catch the boss dame and then check out his quarters. Starting to turn about …

This juggling act would have been perfect if there was not a six-foot wall of human male directly in front of her path. “Cahm puh tah. Oh peh dah tor,” she said still trying to clutch the papery edge of the cup in her mouth as she spoke. Whether the door would have followed her commands was a moot point as she ran face first into Brako’s back. Luckily the coffee was barely lukewarm and the cup half full which prevented it from sloshing over the edge and causing a mess.

Lt. Commander Jessica Teller XO

… he was first run into by what had to be a dame. Small and with a bit of squishy bounce that was a distinct contrast to what a guy would feel like in a collision. He watched her in the next moment in regaining her composure and control over the coffee cup. She was a looker that was for sure. And totally incomprehensible. “Lass, I don’t know if that was an Andorian curse, a Risan prayer or a Bajorian pick up line but it sounded sweet to me. If I recall ye right yer the boss. Ol Nikki here was comin to see ye.” He lifted his fedora in greeting revealing the short cropped red hair on the sides and elevated ridge in the middle. Smiling around his cigar he stepped aside out of the way of the door and the coffee still dangerously within range of his suit. “Brako.”
Nikki

OOC: Bump before it disappears .. Gene