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"Starting Out" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG Good Mornin’ Milky Way! (1) Ensign Shipper sighed, looking up at the view screen in front of the navigation console. “Computer, ti--” “Don’t even,” Ensign Carter snapped. Shipper looked down at the ensign at the helm. “I was just asking what ti--” “Five minutes from the last time you asked for the time, Ensign,” Lieutenant O’Malley replied. Shipper frowned at the Lieutenant sitting in the captain’s chair. He glanced at Ensign Walters sitting at the engineering station across the bridge before looking back up at the view screen with a pitiful sigh. Ensign Shipper started whistling. Ensigns Carter and Walters groaned in unison. “Sir, permission to release Ensign Shipper out of the nearest air lock?” Ensign Walters requested. “Permission denied,” O’Malley replied. With a warning tone he said, “Shipper.” Shipper looked at him. O’Malley was glaring with daggers at him. “Yes, sir?” “No. Whistling.” Shipper turned, looking at the monitors in front of him. He hated the graveyard shift because he always got bored. Shipper considered turning his chair in circles until he was dizzy, but he could feel Lieutenant O’Malley’s glare burning into his back. “Work on reports, Shipper,” O’Malley ordered. “Done, sir,” Shipper said. “The next report isn’t due for another thirty minutes, sir.” “Run the ship scan.” “I ran it five minutes ago, sir. Do you want me to run it again?” “Shipper, find something to do.” “Yes, sir.” With a long sigh Shipper put his earpiece in his ear. He leaned forward on the console and began to idly scan through the communication bands including bands Starfleet didn’t use. Shipper sat up straight, pushing his earpiece into his ear. “This is interesting,” Shipper thought out loud. “What?” Lieutenant O’Maley asked. “Well...it sounds like...” Shipper laughed. “Like a radio signal from earth, sir.” “A radio signal?” “Yes...from earth.” “Patch it through.” Shipper patched the audio into the bridge communications. “...and at the risk of a lawsuit, GOOOOOOOOOD MORNING L.A.!” The lively voice said. “This is Dee Jay on the station to rock the nation, KRTL, The Fox. I’m looking out on a clear and sunny Monday morning and there will be a steady breeze at three knots for all you wind surfers out there. The waves are rolling in so get out there and catch yourselves a ride! Temperatures expected to reach the upper nineties with no chance of rain. My recommendation: call in sick and sit this one out to watch the scenery walk by. And I’ll be watching for all you bikini babes out there on the beach this afternoon. Now, back to the tunes. Let’s start this mad Monday morning rush hour off with a sixties three pack of The Rolling Stones. So for all you stiffs headin’ into the office here’s some ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ right atcha!” Shipper reached up to switch the channel. “Leave it Ensign. Record this to the archives and then start the hourly report while you have music to work by. But be sure to turn off the COM system before five. I don’t want to have to explain this to the Captain Archer.” “Yes, sir,” Shipper said with a smile. Shipper glanced at Ensign Carter who was moving his head to the beat of the song. Ensign Walters was mouthing out the words as he worked. Shipper started the recording and then turned to start the reports. |
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