Familiar Stranger

[Ron_Lunn 0]

Familiar Stranger

 

Midshipman Ron Lunn

Assistant Engineer

USS Agincourt, NCC-81762

 

"...and that's why Tribbles hate Kingons." The group of engineers laughed as Ron finished his joke. "Well guys, the chief wants those reports done up, so I have to head out." Ron finished his drink and stood up, everyone bid him farewell and he headed out the mess doors.

 

As he walked down the corridor he passed a crewman, they both smiled and nodded and continued on their way. Ron stepped into the transporter lift to head back to his quarters and work on the reports the chief wanted. He hated doing reports, or any paper work for that matter. Ron only functioned properly if he had his hands in something mechanical, he needed to get dirty. He thought about how horrible a desk job would be, he would contemplate throwing himself into a plasma conduit before accepting a desk job.

 

Ron was looking at the ground as he was deep in thought, the lift doors slid open and he stepped forward, bumping shoulders with a crewman walking into the lift. The crewman must have been walking quite fast since Ron was knocked so hard he spun around in a circle. "Oh... geez, sorry man," Ron apologized.

 

"No problem Ron," the crewman replied as he gave a big smile. He was a Bajoran and wore the earpiece unlike Ron.

 

Ron squinted his eyes at the crewman, the look that one gives when trying to place something that is somewhat familiar, "Sorry, have we met?"

 

The crewman smiled again and leaned his head from side to side, "You could say we've met."

 

Ron looked confused, "Um... ok," was all he could think of to say as he became a bit awkward at the crewman's answer.

 

"I've been sent to tell you," the crewman said as he leaned in, "you just have to stay open, everything will unfold the way you need as long as you're open." And with that he took a step back and the lift doors closed, the smiling face disappearing.

 

"Wait," Ron quickly tapped the lift controls and the door slid open, but nobody was inside. "...alrighty," he stood there looking perplexed.