"Humble Outlooks"

[Javin_Prell 0]

"Humble Outlooks"

a log by Lt. Commanders Prell and JoNs

 

----------------------------------------------------

 

Lt. Commander Kansas JoNs padded out of the turbolift to the bridge, her keen feline eyes searching quickly; a grin exposed her fangs when she spotted Lt. Commander Prell at the Ops station. She immediately made a bee line for the newly returned officer.

 

Prell was just getting ready to leave the bridge at the end of the shift, saving open files and finishing last minute resource requests. He spoke without looking back or to the side. "Hello to you too Kansas."

 

The Caitian stopped, and stood upright on her hind paws. "I must be losing my stealthy touch." She came around to stand in front of the console, offering Prell a respectful nod and smile."Good evening. How'd your shift go today?"

 

He looked up and smiled. "Nothing major. Routine really. Engineering had the hard day it seems." He smirked. "Two relays and those sensor glitches. How about you?"

 

"Aye, and I know they're also busy with checking the ship from bow to stern for any new 'tweaks' from that engineer we have down in the brig....I'm doing well. Just my normal routine, thank the gods, and working with Kairi on the systems for any security breaches. How are you settling back in Javin?"

 

Prell logged out of his console and shifted his weight. "I'm doing just dandy. Just curious in learning what happened here in my absence. Insane wacko engineer crewman seems to top the list." He smirked.

 

"...I am amazed he made it past the academy psych docs Javin. As for getting you up to date, I'd be glad to pass along some information. I do have some official business though," the feline officer held up a Padd, "it can wait until tomorrows shift though. I just want to allot some training time for the security department in the secondary holo-deck."

 

He smiled. "Of course." He took the PADD and passed it over his shoulder to a surprised Lt.Jg. Clark, the next shift's OPS officer. "Take care of this, won't you Mr. Clark?"

 

"Aye sir." Clark gave Kansas a questioning look."

 

JoNs gave Clark a quick and understanding smile; they had all had that "oh no, the chief just gave me something to do, don't mess the assignment up" look at one point or another. The feline could still have her own confused moments as well, mind you.

 

Prell stepped aside to let Clark in at the console. "Care to take a walk with me Commander?"

 

"Of course Commander."

 

He motioned to the turbolift, and followed her into it. Once the doors closed, he looked at Kansas. "So, just your normal routines?"

 

The feline entered the 'lift in front of Javin and glanced over her shoulder at the man. "Aye. Although, if the gossip hasn't reached you yet, it will - I just spent a few weeks demoted and being put through my marine basic paces." She sighed. "...I deserved it, but it was one of those situations that has no easy path or aftermath."

 

Prell looked back at the doors. "Deck 8." He smirked. "I had heard the rumors...I was in Sickbay for a day, remember?" He looked back at her. "What'd you do?"

 

Kansas glanced at her senior officer counterpart and then fixed her attention back on the 'lift doors. "We had a Selshan prisoner in custody. Basically, he offered a convenient cache of information, and was ripe to be questioned. Or I should say questioned further. He had been previously questioned by Lt. Colonel Day, but afterward the brig was on lockdown orders per both of the colonels. I wanted to question him further...and I did along with an accomplice." Her gaze went to Javin, "and the command staff was not pleased. Sound reasoning, bad judgment, even worse tactical maneuvering. So, I got a slap on the paw." An undercurrent of embarrassment laced the Caitian's tone.

 

He nodded. "Sounds a bit harsh, must have been a bad day for you kitty." He smirked as the lift doors opened. "Who was your accomplice?"

 

"Condacin," was the muttered reply; Kansas, as a general rule, did not like to 'give up a name'.

 

He frowned. "Hmmpf." He motioned for her to walk out first. "And here I thought I'd have a more interesting story to tell than anyone.

 

"I am all ears as they say. I was on the bridge when you dropped in out of thin air - care to elaborate on your adventure these last months?" Kansas favored the officer with a genuine smile, glad for the change of subject.

 

He nodded. "My report didnt do it justice, if you've had the time to read it, what with all your Marine classes." He winked at her. "Did you explore Earth while at the Academy?"

 

"I got to see a few places. San Francisco of course, some spots in the eastern territories, a vacation resort in the Old Jamaica Protectorate..." she flipped an ear back, eyeing Prell with curiosity.

 

"I was hoping more along the lines of dense forest, but I'm sure you've seen holograms." He looked at her. "I dropped in on one, 'out of thin air' as you said. Think survival training with about 60% less help in the way of materials."

 

"Do you think it could have been one of those vortex's that the Soltan use? I dont know...an errant energy signature from one of them that the 'Court just happened to fly through? So you ended up alone in this forest?"

 

"That's what I had thought at first, something we were passing through." He looked at her. "Not alone - I made some nice friends."

 

"Inhabited planet? Our level or Industrial Age tech?"

 

"Not even close kitty, think a bit after the Stone Age."

 

He pulled out a PADD with a rough drawing of the humanoids he'd met. "For some reason my tricorder memory was wiped when I returned. This is about the best I've been able to re-create."

 

The feline officer took the Padd, gazing at it with that curiosity all cats seem to have.

 

"I'm sure the science geeks will have a good time with it, and the bits of language I put in my report. Very basic, animal like noises."

 

"You know they will. Nothing like a new species and planet to study for the sciences to tear into." She handed the PADD back to the newly ordained ops chief. "I am glad you are back here with us though, Javin. Were these people still living in a tribal way of life? If so, I'm sure that aided you - ancient tribes were and are always willing to add to their numbers, even if it is a stranger."

 

He thought for a bit. "Tribal, yes. More nomadic I'd say. Their shelters were less than primitive by our standards. But they seemed to learn democracy faster than humans did, everything was decided more or less by majority vote."

 

"Yes, but I'm sure give them a few hundred years and they will be in conflict with another faction or some such."

 

Javin grew quiet. "Not so much a few hundred years."

 

Her ears flew back in sympathy. "Oh gods...you witnessed conflict coming to them during your stay?"

 

He nodded. "I was out exploring when it happened." He sighed.

 

"...too much conflict in this sector..."

 

"Yeah...only I'm not sure I was sent anywhere near here Kansas, none of the stars looked right at night."

 

"There really is so much un-explored territory. It does boggle the mind."

 

He sighed. "Only serves to show us how minuscule we are in the grand scheme of things."

 

"That humble outlook will hopefully keep serving to keep this crew alive, you know?" Her tail lashed once.

 

He nodded. "We can only hope, Kansas."

 

<<END LOG>>