"The Odd Yeoman"

[Yeoman C. 0]

Someone was in Corizon's Ready Room, fiddling through a pile of padds and... stacking them, neatly. In fact, it looked like she had taken great cares to make his office look even neater than usual.

 

She turned, eyes widening when she saw the fellow occupant of the room. "Oh, um... Captain! Just... dusting..."

 

Corizon assessed the oddly eyed Xenexian. "Oh...you..."

 

"I'm your new yeoman, Sir," she said, glancing down. "For awhile, anyway... I'm still in training, but I was the only free one on the station, and they said that you'd probably need one..."

 

Growling he waved at the door. "I've never needed one before..."

 

She looked up, and her face fell. "The commander said you'd be pleased to have the help with paperwork, and such... and I wanted to try out the command program..."

 

Letting his frown dissipate, he took a deep breath. "Just...try to stay out of the way."

 

The trainee smiled. "I won't cause any trouble, if that's what you mean. I'm not a typical ditzy yeoman, Sir -- I'm a science yeoman."

 

"Oh so curious about everything...that helps..." He was clearly being sardonic.

 

"Yes, indeed. I was lucky to be assigned to you. They said we were a good personality match, though I have no idea why..." She looked him over. "I never thought I was very caninoid."

 

Rolling his eyes he took a seat behind his desk, frowning because now all of his things were out of order. "You're a Xenexian...I think that speaks for itself."

 

"I am sure I don't know what you mean, Captain." She reached over, pulling out one padd. "Unless you mean because we're both fearsome warrior species." She set the data before him, and pat her knife. "Today's duty rosters, for your perusal..."

 

"Don't wear that thing on duty," he said, looking at the padd.

 

"Captain," she said, softly, "it has quite a bit of meaning. I'd prefer you granted me a permission for it..."

 

"I am sure it does," he said, almost off-handed, "But I'd not let a Klingon carry around a bat'Leth. I am sure as hell not going to let my Yeoman carry around some Danteri knife she no doubt took from him before killing.."

 

O'd'yl of Condacin blanched. "How did you know it's Danteri?"

 

"It's clearly not of Xenexian origin..." he laid the duty roster down. "You can tell by the hilt and by the way it's forged. I can't imagine a knife from any other species being important enough for you to keep around."

 

Condacin was staring at him in wonder. "You're right, Captain..." she murmured, awestruck. "But, please... I've been through the weapons courses, and I promise not to stab anyone with it... and if you insist it can be peacetied..."

 

Looking up at her, his cold, yellow eyes now focused clearly on her. "I am sure you have; but I thought I was pretty clear. Don't wear it in my presence."

 

Condacin nodded, numbly. "Very well, Sir," she replied, mumbling.

 

"But it's my knife..." she added, longingly.

 

Corizon didn't respond and went back to working on his paperwork. "And fetch me some coffee..."

 

"Oh, yes. Time for a few quick questions," she was reminded, pulling out a padd of her own. "How do you take your coffee -- or tea?"

 

Cooly, he kept working on whatever it was and only looked up to hand her a PADD before looking back down. "Black."

 

She accepted it. "Do you have an alcoholic beverage of choice?"

 

"An entire cabinet full," he said, pointing absently at the burled wooden cabinet on the far wall.

 

"Ooh..." Odile glanced over and grinned. "Very well. I won't bring you liquor." She started to leave, and looked nervously at him on her way out. "You aren't one of those captains who thinks that a yeoman's duties go... into the realms of non-duty, I hope?"

 

Non-plussed he again looked up at her. "Do I look like that kind of Captain?"

 

Odile tilted her gaze, and then finally shook her head. "No, Sir. Pardon my asking, Sir. Dismissed, Captain?"

 

"I am waiting on my coffee..."

 

"Oh!" She scurried to the replicator, mentally chiding herself as she ordered the black beverage. "Here you are, then," she replied, pleasantly. "Anything else I can get you?"

 

"A big juicy bone," he said, with heart-attack seriousness.

 

Her eyes widened -- but he was a dog, she told herself, starting towards the replicator again. Rumor had it that someone on the ship drank blood. "T-bone steak," she almost whispered, her voice gone. "Extra rare," she ordered, and brought the tray over. "Anything... else?" she willed herself to ask.

 

A slow, tempered grin formed on his face, and he took the cup holding the beverage into his hands. "It was a joke, a bit early in the morning for that kind of food. Check back in about an hour...I'll have some errands for you to run."

 

"Oh..." Odile mentally kicked herself. "Sorry, Sir," she replied, and nodded. "I'll be back later, Captain."

 

Almost cackling, Corizon mentally high-fived himself and went to work.