Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Side sim: How you spend your free time

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side sim: How you spend your free time

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Side sim: How you spend your free time
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻
It had been a long and hard day in the science lab. Alden had been cranky as usual, the animals seemed cranky, her work seemed to pile up. NEnsign Scott was ready for a break. Once she was off duty, the first thing she did was head for the Galley, get something to eat.

A quick chat with the chef later and she had a plate of noodles to eat. And then, she began looking for a place to sit.

~ NEnsign Scott

It was late, Rand was tired, and as childish as it sounded, she’d missed her nap. It was the only way to function with her schedule, to nap on her odd off duty hours. Things had just been busy. She normally took her food back to her quarters and ate alone, but today she was just too tired to carry a tray back to deck 3. The cook had some kind of stew on and Rand had taken a bowl and sat at a table at far corner. She moved the spoon around mostly before realizing she was half dozing and started to eat.

Yeoman Rand

As soon as Amalia saw her, she knew she had to go sit there. And so, there she was, sitting right across from Rand. “Hey! I guess we had the same idea, huh?” She said, meaning that they were both there to eat at the same time. “Long day, eh?”

~ NEnsign Scott

Rand looked like a rabbit trying not to be seen the fox that just entered its den. She wasn’t quite sure what had just happened. She was eating quietly, alone, and now here was Scott. Bubbly, super friendly, and totally overwhelming Amalia Scott. Science department Scott who thought that Rand had some special influence over her boss, Lt Cmdr Alden. For Rand, Scott was tied into that horrible episode in the lab last week. Rand really hoped she wasn’t there to try and talk about Alden again. Rand absolutely would not be a part of idle chitchat or gossip about the command staff. Rand swallowed her food and nodded, “Yeah, umm..it has been.”

Yeoman Rand

Scott was still certain she was right about that. That day last week, Alden had seemed way too distracted the rest of the day to nitpick their work. She wasn’t sure if that was because he liked her, or because Scott had made sure he heard all about Rand’s acting career. Sure, he’d told her to knock it off with the gossip, but once a seed like that is planted, Scott didn’t know a single person who wouldn’t act on it. “Sorry about the other day in the lab,” said Scott, sighing. “The guys kinda push me around, they made me go get you.”

Rand looked up at that. “You should tell Lt Cmdr Alden. He won’t tolerate that. Cpt Rogers won’t either.” Rand filed that information away. Rand was shy and awkward but she had no problem reporting harassment. It was wrong and Star Fleet didn’t tolerate such things and there was a very specific protocol for reporting and dealing with it. Then she sighed around a mouthful of food. It probably sounded more like she found the food to taste really good. “I didn’t mind coming to check on Nibbles. I’m glad she was okay.” Yes Rand was aware that nothing had been wrong with Nibbles at all. But that was safer than talking about their misguided match-making attempt or her acting career.

“No, no, no! You can’t go telling on them!” Scott said, eyes wide. “I’d have said something a long time ago if I were really bothered with them.” She insisted. No way was she going to be the lab’s tattletale. “Oh, me too! Honestly, that’s just the most convincing thing I could come up with,” she admitted.

Scott, being the only woman on the science night crew, did tend to get a hard time from the guys, whenever Alden wasn’t watching them. He’d caught them messing with her a few times. But I bet all that alone time with Alden was sweet! She wanted to say, but she didn’t want Rand to run away, like she knew the yeoman sometimes did, so she kept her mouth shut. There were other times to gossip about that. And it wouldn’t have its place in what was meant to be an apology, anyway.

Instead she said, “Lt Commander Alden said you were pretty upset. So, I’m sorry. Nobody meant to hurt you.” He hadn’t shared with them about Rand’s social anxiety, no, he’d just said she’d gotten upset and they needed to not pull anything like that again.

~ NEnsign Scott

Rand swallowed hard around a potato in the stew. Alden told?!?! She supposed he thought he was helping, and Rand couldn’t be mad about that. That didn’t stop her from being totally embarrassed and flustered. She ate quietly for a moment in an attempt to cover it up. And then she lied with just a grain of truth. “I love animals, and I enjoy helping. I know I’m not supposed to get attached to them, but I’m not a scientist like the rest of you. I was just upset I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her. But she’s fine now.” She shrugged, it was of course all an act and a very pristine one. “Guess I shouldn’t spend so much time there.”

Yeoman Rand

“Not at all! Everyone loves your visits! That’s why they made me do that, because they missed having you around,” Scott replied. “Well, and because Alden is nicer when you’re there, but, mostly the first part,” she added and them smiled as she took a bite of her own food. “He’s more attached to his animals than he lets on, you know. He tries not to be, that’s why he doesn’t interact with them, but he totally loves them.”

~ NEnsign Scott