Stardate: 80611:1008
Title: The Dream
Author: Ensign Bladen
Time: Before the crew were beamed to the surface of Andarus 5
Scene: Personal Quarters, Deck 7


Josh sighed as the doors to his quarters slid open, the familiar pneumatic hiss signalling the action with a quiet announcement. The Ensign who'd shown him the way muttered something about 'Bridge Duty' and wandered off down the stretching corridor, away to the left, leaving him to punch in his access code, flashing in yellow on the LCARS display of the PADD in his hand into the door panel.

He stepped through, marvelling at the space beyond. Admittedly, it wasn't that much, being an Ensign's quarters, but it was still several times larger than the room he'd held at the Academy, and it was all his. The hiss sounded again as the doors slid smoothly shut behind him, leaving him in the dark.

"Computer. Lights." The hum of re-directed power briefly sounded in the room, as the light level quickly rose to full power, revealing the spartan contents of his quarters in a stark white light.

*Hmm. I'll need to customise the damn place,* he thought, dropping his travelling bag down by the chair and heading over to the bathroom.

The room was small, by all standards, holding only a small chair, a glass coffee table, and a bed. Along the far wall opposite the door was one large floor-to-ceiling window, which gave an impressive view of the nothingness beyond the ship's outer hull. Quite how a view of nothing could be so impressive was beyond comprehension, but it was appreciated nonetheless by the young ensign, who stomped through the open-plan doorway to the small bathroom adjoining his main quarters. This held little more than a sink, since in this day and age people never seemed to need the toilet, and it was at this sink Josh touched the control panel, causing it to slide away from the wall and activate. A light came on inside it, and water began to trickle out of the hole in the top surface. Nicely chilled, Josh cupped his hands in it, using it to wash his face and then stagger about blindly with his eyes closed, groping the walls and floor for a towel.

Cursing his stupidity as he found one, for not making sure he knew where it was before he threw water in his eyes and subsequently blinding himself, he wandered back into the main area of his quarters, noticing for the first time the replicator, set into the wall not far from the door. Walking over to it, he scrutinised the controls, until he was sure that they were the same as those at the academy, and then prodded them in a haphazard, half-hearted sort of way.

The device hummed briefly before a cup of steaming white coffee coalesced from the swirling mass of glowing particles which had previously occupied the replicator pad, at his preferred drinking temperature, exactly as he'd 'told' the replicator to make it. Picking it up by the handle, he hoisted the silver cup to his lips and downed half of it in a single gulp. This was rather more than he'd meant to, and so he began to choke as the communicator's beeping, the reason he'd accidentally swallowed the best part of half a litre of coffee, continued to sound in the silence of the small room.

Eventually, Josh regained his composure, and control of his respiratory system, and tapped the starfleet insignia at his chest, answering the communication.

"Bladen here," he managed to spit out, throat still rebelling against his drinking habits.

[Ensign Bladen. Please report to Main Engineering immediately.] The unmistakable voice of Lieutenant Remmick sounded from the badge, the man he'd report to for the entirety of his time on shift. He didn't sound particularly happy.

"On my way, Sir," Josh said, still trying to fend off the effects of choking, and trying not to annoy further the Lieutenant. With that in mind, he walked swiftly to the mirror, making sure that he looked the part of the Starfleet Ensign, and then left his quarters, hurrying down the corridor towards the double doors to Engineering.

*Living the dream,* he thought, with a wry smile on his face.


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Ensign Josh Bladen
Engineering Officer
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
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