Local Flavor

[Annabelle O'Halloran 0]

"...and that's when I realized I'd misjudged the boiling point and there was no going back! I had no idea, until that moment, you could actually melt sheet rock. Good lesson to learn." Anna took another lick of her ice cream cone, and wondered why the strawberry scoop had a distinctly metallic taste. "I don't know about yours, Caroline, but my ice cream tastes peculiar." She shrugged and kept licking.

 

Caroline walked along bemusedly a little to Anna's side, listening as the young woman chatted and glancing around at the tourist-ish areas of Starbase 435 with a somewhat appraising eye. She had arrived on the base for the Reaent's short period of leave about an hour before, and had run across Anna while trying to locate something to eat; Anna had obliged her by pointing out a confectionary she had spotted earlier in the day, and while that wasn't perhaps nourishing for the ages, Caroline had been more than content to go along with the plan. She had, however, been eyeing the vanilla cone which she had purchased with some skepticism for about fifteen minutes, and seemed somewhat relieved when Anna mentioned the taste. "Oh, good, it's not just me then," she said, chuckling, then added wryly, "Yes, there's definitely a few...more exotic additives in this I think."

 

"Exotic additives? Yeah, and they are no doubt listed somewhere at the bottom of the Periodic Table of Elements with all the other toxic metals." Anna glanced sideways as they passed a corridor where nothing more exciting than floor mopping was going on. "I can see why the Gorn ignore this place."

 

Caroline followed Anna's gaze down the side corridors and laughed softly. "It is rather...deteriorated, isn't it? I know it's a border base, but still...I'm surprised at the condition of some of its facilities."

 

Anna looked at Caroline, a little surprised. "I was thinking it had the usual homogenized Fed feel to it."

 

Caroline looked at her curiously, and then shrugged. "Well, I suppose it's all the same architecture." And she couldn't deny that there was a certain amount of welcome familiarity to be had in the structure of a starbase, even if it was not a very well-maintained one. "I suppose you're used to even more on the side of rough-and-tumble, hmm?" she added, remembering that Anna had mentioned growing up on a station which made no claim to any Starfleet influence.

 

"It's just...different on a Fed base. There are certain amenities you can count on and I always enjoy the chance to sample a new one, but they lack a...uniqueness of spirit. And as for architecture..." Anna shrugged and tossed her napkin into a trash receptacle. "They are generally beyond dull."

 

Caroline smiled, deciding not to mention that she had drawn a certain amount of comfort from the predictability of starbases. That was something she had to start moving past. "You are an adventurous soul, Anna," she instead said cheerfully, checking her step to deposit the remainder of her ice cream cone in the same receptacle.

 

"Well, seeing as how you are walking right beside me, Caroline, I could say the same about you," Anna said with a grin. "After all, you did manage to tear yourself away from the comforts of Oklahoma and join Starfleet."

 

"True...perhaps there's hope for me yet," Caroline said, laughing. "So...it sounded like you'd been exploring here for a few hours; any points of interest to look into?"

 

"There's no hope for you, Caroline," Anna teased. "You were transferred to the Reaent and she doesn't let go easily that which is hers. Oh, and I really haven't explored, other than to look over the schematic. I found a tavern and while eating an early dinner there, was lucky enough to run into an old friend."

 

Caroline chuckled. "Well, she seems like a solid ship, and I suppose if one is going to get its claws into me, I'd like it to be a good one." She winked, then looked curious again as Anna mentioned meeting a friend. "Oh? That must have been nice; someone from the academy stationed here?"

 

"She's a good one," Anna answered simply and then smiled, adding, "No, not from the Academy. From home, he was really my brother's friend and he was just dropping off some freight. He runs one of PlaxiCo's ships out in this area."

 

"You have wide-ranging connections," Caroline said with amusement. She was honestly interested in the sort of communities which Anna hailed from, as it seemed like quite a complex system and one which had done a great deal to shape Anna's personality. "Do those organizations do business with the Fleet suppliers? Or do they simply use the facilities?"

 

"It's twofold. Plax is a huge company, very broad based, many fingers in many pies. They've been vetted by the Federation as a supplier and will also carry Fed freight, outfitting starbases, colonies, as well as moving people. Starships have other things to do and so companies like Plax will do mule duty. It's lucrative for the civilian companies to get Fed contracts and it allows the Federation to keep the far flung reaches supplied." Anna chuckled, adding, "You have to jump through a lot of hoops to get the Federation Seal of Approval."

 

"I would imagine so...I can see how they'd need to keep a tight hold or risk things slipping through the cracks," Caroline replied thoughtfully, and then chuckled. "Complicated business. I have to say it's very interesting, but this is no doubt old hat for you to have to recite."

 

Anna shook her head, "Actually, No...no one asks me about the freight forwarding business, Caroline. Why would they? I grew up in it but it's not something that comes up too often in the Science Department," she finished dryly.

 

Caroline laughed at the expression on Anna's face. "Yes, I can see how that might be a little out of the norm conversation. Too busy with probes and such. I, on the other hand, am at leisure to pursue my curiosity." She smiled cheerfully. "One of the benefits of listening for a living."

 

"You are a great listener," Anna agreed, "And you have only yourself to blame for me monopolizing the conversation. A less polite person would have feigned a coughing jag or pointed at something in the hopes of distracting me."

 

Caroline smiled. "If you ever bore me, I'm sure I'll find a way to let you know. For now...I'm quite happy to hear all about it."

 

"Oh, that's very comforting, Caroline, thank you."

Edited September 24, 2009 by Annabelle O'Halloran