Incoming Transmission

[Tachyon 0]

Duty Log

Stardate 0407.08

 

Four hours after Arthur learned of the Yorktown’s impending arrival, he finally went off duty. He had no clue why he had stayed on duty so long anyway, save that there seemed nothing else to do. Arthur intermittently worked on docking protocols and stared into the flickering viewer on the Control Tower. He also wondered if there was anything he could do to help Ensign Zhu fix the sensors, but decided that it would be better if he left the engineer to do his job.

 

In fact, the rest of the alpha shift would be coming on duty shortly after he went off-duty. He needed to work some things out, however, and would consult with the others about the docking protocols later.

 

In his quarters, the computer chirped. “Incoming transmission.”

 

Transmission? For him? There must be some mistake . . . the only communications he got were from his parents. . . .

 

Bewildered, he put the transmission on the LCARS screen at his desk. A smiling face appeared, accompanied by unique laughter. “Hello!” she laughed.

 

Bewildered, but glad. “Liz . . . Liz Willogh.” Liz had been one of his best friends at Starfleet Academy. After graduation, she had been assigned to the USS Yorktown, a fact that had slipped Arthur’s second-grade memory until now. “How are you?” he asked, and then shuddered when he realized he had delivered a perfunctory phrase.

 

“Oh, I’m doing pretty well. It’s amazing how different life is from the Academy . . . they say you’re prepared when it’s more trial and error. And those turbolifts.”

 

Arthur was relieved that he wasn’t the only one having trouble with Starfleet turbolifts. Putting that subject aside, he asked, “So why the call?”

 

“C’mon. You know perfectly well why. The Yorktown’s paying a visit to Aegis in a few days. I thought I’d call ahead, see if it’s okay that I stop by. We could catch up.”

 

Arthur laughed. “Catch up? It’s been what—a month? It hasn’t been that long since the Academy. Why, how much has happened?”

 

“Not that much,” agreed Liz. “But my captain, Halloway, seems a little on edge lately. But that doesn’t matter. So I hear you’re the flight operations manager. Congratulations . . . first assignment and it’s a good one!”

 

“Well, it has its ups and downs. Admittedly I think I’m starting to acclimate, but it’s also a little hard to get used to. What position do you have on the Yorktown?”

 

Liz pointed to her blue collar. “I’m an assistant science officer, silly. I even got to go on an away mission, and take fungi samples!” Liz had good reason to be excited, at least from her point of view. One of her reasons for becoming a scientist was exactly that—she got to take samples of miniature animals and plants: mosses, lichens, shrubs, fungi . . . anything.

 

“Well, I’m glad you called,” said Arthur perfunctorily. He simultaneously realized that the word ‘well’ was probably terribly overused and decided to make a conscious effort to reduce his usage of it. He also decided to stop thinking in run-on sentences.

 

Liz nodded. “Good. I’ll see you in five days. Gotta go now, bye!”

 

The transmission ended and was replaced by that dull, “End Transmission” screen the computer loved to bombard people with. Arthur sat back in his chair and decided to put on some music.

Edited July 8, 2004 by Tachyon