Bunkmates

Posted on Mon Nov 25th, 2024 @ 10:20am by Ensign Carter Page & Chief Petty Officer Quinn Kincaid

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 5: The Price of Paradise
Location: Deck 4C 36
Timeline: M5 MD07 (2268.07.30) 0830

The Midway was about to get underway. Ensign Carter Page was lounging on his bunk reading the latest edition of Popular Mechanics trying to enjoy some last minute downtime. The time spent in port had been a double edged sword for the engineering department. Although the Starbase's engineering crews completed most of the repair work, the Chief had the department babysit. Having just completed his last swing shift, Carter wasn't sure if he was more exhausted entering port or leaving it. As he thumbed through the pages of the magazine he wondered if the Captain had the right idea by restoring an antique...

Quinn Kincaid had known from an early age, just what he wanted from a career in Starfleet. He could, he supposed have applied for the Academy like so many of his friends had, and he'd had the grades to do so and his father was an Admiral for Universe sake.

He'd wanted to make it on his own. So he'd chosen to become a securities investigation officer and had gone the non-com route.

He ran a hand through his hair, brushing it out of his eyes, then tugged at the hem of his red shirt, before pressing the chime to the entrance of his new cabin, on his new ship.

He could have just walked in, but that would have been rude. The dark haired man was many things but rude was not one of them.

"Come in," Carter responded as he stood up. He set the magazine onto the spread. He wasn't sure who it could be at 0830. Most of his friends were on duty at this point, maybe it was his new bunkmate. Kincaid or something?

Quinn stepped into the cabin, his dark eyes quickly taking in and assessing what lay before him. He slid his backpack down on the empty bed, before turning to the room's occupant.

"Good morning, my name is Quinn, how are you today?"

Carter gave an awkward smile, "Ah not too bad, how about yourself," he said before walking over and extending his hand in a friendly greeting, "Carter," he said.

"Nice to meet you too," came the quick answer. The smile that Carter got in return was less awkward. Not flirtatious by any means, just warm and inviting.

"I guess we'll be living together for a while."

"Yeah for at least this voyage," Carter responded, "Glad you made it aboard, I've been hearing the announcements, we're due to shove off in thirty minutes." He sat back down on his bunk, "Hope you don't mind me having a seat, been a long day... Long few weeks actually," he said in his plain Midwestern accent.

"I don't mind at all," Quinn replied taking a seat himself. I've had a week myself and I'm kind of lucky to be here myself. I'm Security by the way, if you hadn't guessed."

"Yeah, I had guessed since you weren't on the roster for engineering," Carter responded, "I'm Damage Control," he added, "We just spent weeks putting the ship back together... Knowing how our missions go we'll be doing it again in no time... Oh well, it's a living..." He gave a plain boyish smile.

"Engineering was never something I could grasp, my best friend back in high school could take just about anything apart and put it back together. I could take it a part, but putting it back together, well forget it."

"How long have you been here?"

"Well we all have our strengths," Carter responded, continuing to smile, "Since the ship launched, so May. I've put the ship back together multiple times so far... "

"Multiple times?" Quinn asked as he crossed his legs and sat back on the bed. "Sounds like you have some interesting stories. Would you like to share?"

"Ah, well..." Carter responded, "The worst thing to put back together is any component in either of the nacelles... You have to climb up a very long ladder and access some rather narrow spaces... Plus the nacelle needs to be off, otherwise you're fried..." He sighed, "This mission is our second run in with the Orlons, the first time was on our maiden voyage. Did a lot of damage to ship and the Orlons abducted a bunch of the crew..." He explained although he wasn't good at telling stories, at least not in any interesting way.

Quinn's relaxed posture stiffened at the mention of Orlons. The shift was quick and subtle, but it was there, before he leaned back against the wall again.

"Did you get any of your crew back? I've heard the Orlons can be pretty brutal and they sell their captives into slavery."

"Yes, the Captain got everyone back," Carter said, "It was pretty remarkable, no casualties other than some... Emotional trauma for those involved..." He picked up his magazine and put it down onto the nightstand before it slipped into the floor, "So yeah, exciting ship for better or worse," he added.

"Dare I ask what happened to your previous roommate?"

"Nothing too crazy, just reassigned to the Lexington," Carter responded with a shrug, "It happens all the time."

"I suppose it does. I'm a prime example of that myself. Here I am. Starfleet does tend to move us around a lot. Do you think you're going to keep this assignment for a while?"

"No plans on leaving any time soon," Carter responded, "Finally put enough blood and sweat into this ship that it's practically a relation." He gave a proud smirk and then it faded slightly, "Sorry, work work," he added.

"No, I get it," Quinn responded smoothly. Work can be a bitch sometimes, but I do like what I do. Like they used to say, it's a tough job but someone has to do it."

"I'm going to guess security," Carter commented. He chuckled, "Sorry, you didn't specifically say one way or another... So, any clue what shift you're on? Anything that annoys you in a roommate that I should look out for?" He was trying to get a grasp of what Quinn was like and how not to sour the relationship right off the bat. There was nothing worse than spending a voyage in a tiny room with someone who drives you nuts or worse.

"Yes, security. Is it that obvious?. I'm not sure of the shift, but I'm assuming Alpha, I'm pretty senior non-com and I'm more of a detective than someone who breaks up a bar fight. But, I don't know for sure."

"What shift are you on?"

"Usually all over the place," Carter responded, "I was working 12s overnight while in dock, but I'm back to 8s and on days... Engineering, always something to do."

"Security too. Funny how that works. So, aside from your run in with the Orlons, what other encounters have you experienced?"

"Well, unfortunately our last one is classified, but I can say we finally put the Defiant's disappearance to bed," Carter said, "Before that we transported a cranky ambassador to Nimbus III, the so called planet of galactic peace... I think we're all surprised we're not at war with the Klingons with that guy in charge..." He sighed, "Before that was our last encounter with the Orions," he added, "We've been pulled in many directions over the past few months..."

"Sounds like quite an interesting ship to serve on. Any idea what our next mission is going to be? I haven't been debriefed yet."

"Yeah, she's a good ship and has a fun crew," Carter responded, "No idea, something classified it sounds like... Senior staff is all hush hush, heard Admiral Fitzpatrick himself called the Captain personally about the situation. We probably won't be clued in until we are out of dock. Even then we may not get the whole story. The joys of being below deck..." He chuckled with the dated reference to the age of sail.

It took a few seconds for Quinn to catch the reference. "Yeah, I get it. My family has a long history of being navy men."

"Any brothers or sisters?"

"A little sister," Carter responded, "How about you?"

Quinn wasn't going to mention who his father was, that always brought on questions he wasn't fond of answering.

"I've got an older sister named Lizzie who isc a Jag officer and a younger brother who just turned nineteen. He doesn't know if he wants to be a doctor like my mom, or follow in the family tradition and join Starfleet."

"Then there is my twin named Finn. I haven't seen him in years. He ran off to do his own thing and it's not legal, whatever it is."

"You're lucky."

"Eh, my family is boring," Carter admitted, "Heck I can boring a lot of time too, but this ship is filled with workaholics and insomniacs... Thankfully I'm not the latter." He sighed, "Maybe you'll help me be more interesting." He chuckled.

"I can almost guarantee that. I am anything but dull. My folks think I should just try to fit in, but that's not me."

"Good to hear, I can use some excitement in my life," Carter responded with a chuckle, "And don't keep me from you settling in."

"Yeah, thanks. I'm just going to unpack now and try to get some shuteye. I wish the clocks weren't different on every ship."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Carter responded before laying back down and picking up his magazine.

 

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