The Odd Couple in Space

[DaveJohnson 0]

The Odd Couple in Space

A Log by Ensign David Johnson

 

 

David walked into his quarters rubbing his temples. After a week of staring at the grey brig walls and having nothing to do but paint, pace, write and think, he had one heck of a headache. As he strolled in he found his roommate Crewman Bubba Grump lying on his bed reading a holographic comic book and eating a slice of cheese pizza. He had just gotten off the night shift and he had decided to relax…in his own way of course. David looked around at their room. Though he had only been gone a week it looked like an ion storm had somehow managed to find its way inside of the room, toss everything around and yet leave his roommate intact, lying on his bed, eating pizza and reading comics. Being a neat freak David put his hands on his hips, stared at his roommate with a frustrated look in his eyes and said, “This place is a mess, what the heck happened here?!” Bubba didn’t even shift his eyes from his comic book as he said “I’ve been busy.” David shook his head and walked into the bathroom. After a quick sonic shower and a shave he threw the uniform that he had been wearing the past week into the refuse. He didn’t want any part of what had happened to be left to remind him. He had put the incident behind him…uniform and all. He took a fresh uniform and as he put it on he noticed that his side of the room was covered with his roommate’s clothes, and comic books. He walked over to Bubba who had really not seemed to notice him since he came in besides asking him, “Where have you been?” David had no reason to tell him, no doubt he would find out from one of the senior officers. He grabbed the comic book that Bubba was reading out of his hand and tossed it across the room. “Hey!” Bubba yelled as he finally looked up at his roommate. “I expect you to clean this place up. This isn’t a Klingon ship and we aren’t savages…at least not me anyways. I have to get to Engineering…but you have what…7 hours before you’re next shift…when I get back I want to see this room or at the very least my part of it clean. Understood?” Bubba just stared at David for a minute seemingly stunned that he had been yelled at. He smiled, then chuckled and said “Yes sir…Captain Johnson.” He gave a mock salute, put away his pizza and started to collect his dirty clothing. David adjusted his collar and looking very official he said “You know, we may be an odd couple, but until I get promoted, or you get transferred off this ship we have to live together and I don’t think it’s too much of you to try and keep this place remotely habitable. I do my part and I’d like you to do yours.” With that David strolled out the door. As he was about to enter the turbolift he paused for a moment. He wondered whether he had actually made an impression on his roommate, whether Bubba would listen beyond cleaning up this one time. He had after all given him an order. One thing was certain. Joking though he may have been Bubba had called him, “Captain Johnson.” David smiled and said to nobody in particular, “Not yet…but one day.” David had given his first order the first of what he hoped would be many more throughout his career. Whether people would listen to those orders all depended on the way he gave them. He had been firm with his roommate but hopefully he would never have to be firm with him again.