En Route

[Konstatin]

<<Runabout headed to Ivor Prime, 0700, Day One>>

ON

Larisa walked onto the shuttle, looking around before taking her seat.

"Ya'll are goin' to Ivor Prime, am I righ?" Larisa blinked, it took her a bit to get through the man's drawl.

"Yes, Ivor Prime." She located the crash straps and put them on, along with the several others in the runabout.

"Good, cuz' that's where I'm goin." He turned in his seat, back towards the controls. As he manipulated buttons and levers, a gentle thruumm filled the small cabin. Larisa watched the stars, the gentle pinpricks of light as they stretched and deformed as they entered warp.

"So, what ship you assigned to, miss?" Larisa turned to the face the man next to her, which had spoken.

"The U.S.S Malinche. You?" She answered.

"The Ark Royal, would you believe it?" He said. Larisa nodded her head, having no idea what the Ark Royal was. Since she didn't respond, the man kept talking.

"The Arky is a carrier, and she is heeeuuge! A thousand men, a thousand pilots, a big one, she is!" He laughed. Larisa kept silent, hoping he would take the hint. He didn't.

"Oh my, I guess I should introduce myself, shouldn't I? I'm Herman Maxwell. Call me Herman." He smiled and offered Larisa his hand, which she shook. "Larisa Konstain."


"Well then, Larisa, it's nice to meet you." Larisa could tell that this man wasn't planning on leaving her alone unless she was direct and possibly violent about it.

"Nice to meet you two, Herman." She smiled at him. "I trust you are a...pilot?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am! How'd you guess?" The man's eyes widened and he shifted in his seat. "Are you a...pathy?"

Larisa was confused. "A...pathy?"

The man blinked and shifted a little farther from her. "Yeah...a telepath..."

Larisa laughed out loud. "Not at all. It's just your mention of the Ark Royal, your obvious exaggeration of the size, and your swaggering attitude all point to you being a pilot." She smiled.

"Well then. I guess you find my "swaggering attitude" offense, don't ya?"

"Yes, I do. Now, if you see fit, kindly leave me to my thoughts." With that, she turned away, mentally smiling.

OFF

[Konstatin]

<<Runabout headed to Ivor Prime, 1300, Day One>>

ON

Larisa rubbed her eyes as she woke up at the announcement that they were close to arrival. She unzipped her crash belt, and looked around, blinking the remenants of sleep away as she once again heard the grating drawl of the pilot.

"Hey y'all, we're gonna be docking soon so I think you need to wake up and shake up!" He clapped his hands together. "Lets git' movin'!

Larisa heard the assorted grunts and groans of men and women waking up. She gingerly stepped around the pilot she had met on flight over. Seeing he was asleep, she took a good look at his uniform. Yep. A pilot. Larisa expressed a laugh as the pilot snorted awake muttering,

"New Leningrad! Cotton gin! Uhh...42?" He shook himself fully awake to see several people staring at him. With good reason.

"Carry on...carry on...nothing to see here." He primped himself in the window reflection. Larisa rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Something wrong, Miss Konstatin?" He said, sliding himself next to her.

"No, nothing is wrong Mr. Maxwell." She responded, raising an eyebrow coldly at his behavior.

Herman smiled broadly, a cheap, lady-killer smile. "Heey...want to catch some dinner sometime?"

Larisa stopped, turned on her heel, and smacked the man straight in the face. As her hand made contact, it made a satisfying smack. Larisa dealt with enough of his innuendos and advances all throughout the flight, and the little man stumbled backwards.

"In answer to your question, Mr. Maxwell, no, I would not." She turned on her heel and walked out of the

OFF