Hurry up and Wait

[Asyle 0]

She didn’t do well when it came to waiting around. Engineers do, or their imagination takes over…..

 

She saw Da’veed White at his damage control station, intents concentration as the battle rocked the Excaliber. All she could think about was how excited he made her feel. Was it the battle, the engineering, or his hot pastrami sandwich?

 

Then there was Lt. JG Louis Beckman, on the away team mission. Was he safe, was he bravely going, was he ever going to have another cheeseburger with her?

 

As Tandaris and Marius conferred with each other about old times, Asyle wondered about what her fate would be, as an engineer, as a woman, as the first Pakled almost in Starfleet. Would her provisional status ever cease? Would she get a chance to have lunch today? What is cake?

 

She shook her head, wanting to clear her thoughts from all of these distractions. When she was back in school pretending to be male, she had hormone treatments she gave herself surreptitiously to help control her female characteristics and biology. They allowed her to pass as male, so well that she had never experienced puberty. While she self-educated herself about being female, she knew she should see a doctor for a physical soon. Her uniforms didn’t fit so well anymore.

 

The information about Pakleds was extremely limited, and she felt there was a need for further study of her race by the Federation. It would be tragic if she needed a blood transfusion, and none was available for her. Besides, it could be a real taste treat 'first' for Victria, as none of her race had ever had ‘tasted’ a Pakled. What records there were, came from Ferrengi and Vulcan sources. They were on commerce, and condescending, to say the least.

 

Another shudder, a whine of generators, the stabilizers adjusting to the maneuvers, the battle continues. Asyle double checked the WASPs she had waiting for action, more to put in check her imagination and herself in order to serve her adoptive family on the Excaliber. One she would defend to the end.