Joint Log | Capt Ivanova, Cmdr Archer - "Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost"
Posted on Thu Oct 2nd, 2014 @ 11:46am by Admiral Rochelle Ivanova & Commander James Archer
888 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission: Are You Touched?
James was on his way back to his quarters after having taken a swim in one of Vindicator’s many holodecks. The sound of his flipflops acted like a herald as he happily padded his way back towards the turbolift, dragging his towel across his hair. He didn’t have to wait long before the lift chimed and the doors opened to welcome him inside. “Deck two.” He called, letting the terry cloth hang loosely over his shoulders.
The ride, however, was cut short at deck three.
“Commander,” The Captain greeted as she entered the lift. Leaving sickbay was probably the highlight of anyone’s experience with the ward, and today would make for no exception. At least the migraine Krogoth’s cherub-esque demeanor had left her with was now more of a distant memory. “Enjoying down time?” She asked, taking her customary spot along the back wall. Calling for deck two would have been pointless, the Spook haunted the same deck she called home.
“Don’t really have much down time, just getting in my daily work out.” He replied, eyeing her sidelong. “How did your meeting with Krogoth go?” He asked as the doors slid shut.
A small smirk played along her lips and settled in her eyes as she considered the question, “I’m leaving sickbay. Need I say more?” Rochelle quipped quickly.
James returned the smirk and leaned his shoulder against the bulkhead, “I guess you’re not used to working with Intel, I could have given you a little insight into Krogoth.” The man lilted with almost boyish glee, “You should have gotten him drunk first.”
The Captain snorted softly and shook her head, “Hardly acceptable given the meeting was in an official capacity.” She replied, “besides… He’d then have gone about trashing the ship, and I think we both know Commander Dahe’el would have come for my head and I’d have to give you up as the mastermind behind such a brilliant idea and then?” She drew a line across her throat with a finger, “You know how the story ends.”
“Yes… But a drunk Krogoth means you pretty much get what you want.” James chuckled, “You could have asked him to take a moonlit walk on Risa with you and he would have accepted.”
“Rumor has it he’d do that with me anyway… Or Waterhouse. The two of them were trading verbal blows across the table faster than Commander Neyes and I could keep count.” The woman frowned and shook her head, her eyes giving away her amusement as the lift came to a halt and the doors opened with an expectant chime.
“Between you and I, we both know Waterhouse doesn’t count… If you catch my drift.” He snickered as he motioned for her to step from the lift, “After you, Captain.”
“What the Hell is that supposed to mean?” Rochelle asked, her trademark eyebrow rising as she stepped out into the corridors and waited for him to join her. “Commander Waterhouse is an upstanding officer.” She huffed somewhat indignantly. In all honesty she knew the record behind her first officer and her many conquests. Rumor had it that they rivaled Riker’s in number and the young woman was half his age when he’d taken the XO seat on Enterprise. It didn’t stop her from respecting Amelia as an officer or loving her as a friend simply because they differed in opinion over things like monogamy and, to that extent, it had seemed the tide may have been shifting in favor of the Captain’s train of thought.
“Besides…” She grinned and gazed at him out from under the thickness of her lashes, “you were the one who gave that little Bajoran girl your room key back on Qo’noS. Pot calling the kettle black much?”
James simply smiled and replied; “Believe what you must, but not all that glitters is gold.”
“Whatever you say, Mr. Tolkien.” She quickly teased, dismissing his little ribbing with the flick of a wrist and the shooing of fingers. If only he knew how she could recite that silly poem in her sleep.
Arriving at the Captain’s quarters, James pivoted on his heels to the other side of the door and took a courtly bow, “If I may take my leave, your Majesty.” He said with a mischievous arrogance, letting yet another card slip from his fingers if only to reclaim the upper hand.
A lesser woman, one without a well-honed wit, would have frozen to the spot at such a revelation tucked so neatly into a tease. She scoffed and turned her nose up at him, her door opening behind her. “Yes, please. You bore me, Sir Archer.” Rochelle prompted with a huff and another flick of her wrist, “Enjoy the rest of your day.”
James, still bowing, took two step back before standing again with a vigorous laugh. “A horse! A horse! My Kingdom for a horse! Withdraw my lord, I’ll help you to a horse! Slave, I have set my life upon a cast, and I will stand the hazard of the die!” He recited loudly as he all but pranced away.
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Captain Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR, NCC-78213-E
Commander James Archer
Starfleet Intelligence
USS VINDICATOR, NCC-78213-E
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