Fisticuffs

Posted on Fri Feb 28, 2014 @ 11:38pm by

473 words; about a 2 minute read

Mission: A Whole New World, Part 2 - Durbatuluk
Location: Deck Four

Tom exited Transporter Room One, his shift finally over. Before today, he was doing a fine job balancing the Chief of the Boat duties and Transporter Chief duties. It seemed minute after minute he was getting notices from enlisted personnel in every department throughout the ship. Much of the notices seemed minor.

'He spilled coffee on me.'

'She stole my tricorder.'

'My SO won't stop staring at me.'

It was as if the entire enlisted staff were acting like children. No one aboard was thrilled with the mission at hand, especially with unusual aliens who were unafraid to spread their beliefs and impressions of good design around the ship. Tom himself was uneasy, but his rank of position forced him only to deal with it through those that came to him. "The mission will be over soon," he would tell them. "Things will be back to normal soon."

The more the said the words, the more he stopped believing in them.

Walking down the corridor to his cabin, he heard what sounded like shouting off in the distance. He wasn't the only one who heard it either. Several crewmembers in front of him began to look a little disoriented, then started to turn in the direction of the shouting. One of them even began to run.

Curious, Tom sped up his walk, rushing to find the source. Turning the corner at a junction, he saw a crowd of crewman standing around, cheering and shouting. Tom forced himself to the front of the action just in time to see Petty Officer Anderson slug his Tellerite roommate. The Tellerite bounced back quickly, charging at Anderson, grabbing him, and slamming him into the wall.

"Hey!" Tom shouted, running into the center of the action. He grabbed the Tellerite by the arm, only to be shoved away.

"This doesn't concern you!" he shouted.

"The hell it does!" Tom shouted back, grabbing the Tellerite again and pulling him away from Anderson.

"Human filth!" shouted the Tellerite as he charged and swung at the Chief.

Tom deflected the blow and stepped aside, letting the Tellerite's forward motion cause him to be caught by the crowd. "You! You! You!" he ordered three members of the crowd who he knew were Security. "Escort these two to the brig. Separate cells if you can."

Grumbling and murmurs cycled through the ranks as the crowd began to disperse. Tom looked around as both Petty Officers were escorted away, hoping to find some clue as to why this had even started. Anderson was known to have OCD, which oddly brought respect from his roommate. A quick look at their quarters didn't reveal anything, especially since their brawl had trashed them. He sighed, hoping a regular mission would come their way soon. That is, if the crew didn't tear itself apart first.

 

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