Eyes Wide Closed

[Chirakis 1]

Eyes Wide Closed

Starfleet Command Engineer Jake Wright slid under the console to check for flaws or areas that could be attacked by the technological virus.  Problem was that the console was bigger than most, and a heck of a lot different.  Squirming your way under it was a job in itself so Jake left his toolbox on top, planning to slip out, change tools or grab another, then slip in again.  

But Jake was having a problem focusing lately.  In fact, he could hardly control himself.  He’d work a little, then his thoughts would shift to a female engineer who passed by occasionally.  As a young, single man, you can imagine where his thoughts wandered.  He tried to fight them off and focus on his work, but she kept coming back.  He just couldn’t get her out of his mind.

Damn… she’s... gorgeous.
No.  She’s more than that.  She’s drop dead gorgeous!  
Tall, lithe, and slender, with immaculate skin.   Her uniform pressed tight against her body in the most important places, almost like she wanted to….
No. Not goin’ there.  Nope, nope, nope.
But damn… here she comes again, walking right past him.

Sliding out from under the sturdy, expanded console, Jake completely ignored the console’s frame and smacked his head against it so it almost knocked him out.  The sudden movement rattled his toolbox just enough to send it over the side and onto his already bruised head.  His shout and the massive thud along with the tools scattering across the decking echoed down the passageway toward SFC Engineer Manny Lopez.

Manny looked up from his work and scanned the area.  He spotted Jake not exactly in the right position, along with a trickle of red dropping on the deck.  

"Jake!!” he shouted, running toward him then skidding to a halt.  “Gees, man.  What the hell were you doing? Heard the thud all the way down the passageway!  And you’re bleeding all over the place, man!”

Within seconds, two more SFC Engineers jogged in their direction.  Mike Jersey, a tactical corpsman before entering engineerhood, grabbed the bulkhead med kit and dropped down next to Jake.  

“Seeeeit, man,” said Mike, his expression focused as he checked him over, then opened the kit to retrieve the proper gear, noting that Jake's eyes were dilated.  “What the hell were you doin’, man?”

“Uh… looking at someone?" he replied listlessly.  "I think?  Or... something?  Don’t quite remember.”

“Well hold still,” Mike said calmly.  “You’re gonna be okay, just gotta stop that bleed so you don’t make a trail all the way to medical.  Lopez,” he called without turning.  “Get us a transfer to medical, and do it now.”

“I’m good, Mike,” Jake insisted, his words slurred. “Seriously. I’m good.  I’ll make it to ...”  His face paled, and he relaxed against Mike’s leg, trying to catch a breath.

“Yeah, right.  What the hell were you doin’ anyway, besides checkin’ out the ODN lines?”

“Just looking at….” Jake began, wondering what to say. “Uh... just watching this gorgeous… thing.  I mean… girl? Woman? Yeah, she was good.  As good… might be….”  He passed out as the transfer to medical came through.  Jake and Mike disappeared.

Lopez and SFC Engineer Jim Strickland—aka Strick—stood there, dumbfounded, staring at the somewhat bloody decking for a few minutes, waiting for the cleaning droid.

Finally, “We got female engineers?” asked Lopez skeptically.

Strick shook his head slowly. “Not with us.  But ...” He shrugged.  “Maybe the station has some?” 

“But we’re the only ones working down here, right?”  Manny’s brows knit and his eyes swept the area as though he might see ‘this woman’ any minute.

“Not down here, man. I mean, if he saw her we should’a seen her.”

“Yeah, man.  We should’a seen her.  But I didn’t. And you didn’t”

Another few seconds passed before Strick asked, “He’s not on hooch, right?”

“What?” Lopez snorted.  “Jake on hooch?  He never drinks, except for juices and stuff. You know… vegan.”

A long pause, and Lopez shook his head, muttering,  “This is gonna be one hellofa report for Commander Drexler.”