OTA

[makesbettermouth]

Amy is starving and busy, and both states have combined to make her one grouchy person.

You can find her trying to organize a pink folder filled with practical pictures that look like Polaroids (Thank you, replicator) in between bites of an enormous bmlt.

If you ask nicely she might share her cheese fries.

Comments

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

Bob is oblivious, either accidentally or deliberately so, to her mood. "Hello, miss," he said in greeting, a smile on his face.

[makesbettermouth]

"Mghpthth," Amy says eloquently, but manages to swallow and put on better manners. "Hi," she says. "I don't think I've met you yet?" she plunges on.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"No, I don't think so. I'm Bob Fraser, Royal Canadian Mounted Police," he offered. "And you?"

[makesbettermouth]

"Amy Santiago," she says, "Detective," she adds as an after thought almost. It's a weird place to try and maintain cophood in.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"Hello, Detective," he smiled. "So what are you working on?"

[makesbettermouth]

"I'm putting together an little album," she says, pointing to the Polaroids. "I took these all over the ship." There are a variety of shots under her spread fingers, and they each reflect an aspect of life on the Enterprise.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"For your own use?" he asked, looking through them.

[makesbettermouth]

"Yep," she says. "So I'll be able to remember this place."

She's always prepared to leave.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"Well, I'd hope you wouldn't forget being abducted by an omnipotent being and brought to a starship in the future, but I know what you mean," he said. "I just keep a diary."

[makesbettermouth]

"Has that happened before?" She manages to bite back her anxiety and says, "oh, a diary! I haven't kept one of those in a long time." She'd ask what he puts in his, but that seems like prying. "How long have you been here?"

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"It's happened now," he replied with a shrug. "Five months. You're new?"

[makesbettermouth]

And this is the expression of a woman who's trying to remain neutral-expressioned in the face of surprise. "Pretty new. I've been here a couple of months!"

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"Enjoying it so far?" he asks after nodding, thoughtfully.

[makesbettermouth]

"It's SO fascinating. There's so much to learn and to do and I kind of want to do everything at once."

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"I've been doing a lot of reading," he nodded. "I miss the books, so I might have started to replicate them."

[makesbettermouth]

"Have you asked around about digital readers?" she asked. "You can get a bunch of books at once in one thing."

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

He sighed in the way you do when someone's come away with the opposite impression of what you were trying to say.

"No, detective, I mean I have been using them, but I prefer books."

[makesbettermouth]

"Oh!" she flushes. "Well, I asked the replicator for all of this stuff and it gave me this! Maybe it'll give you some books if you give them an author? Or a name! Or even a title?"

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

He smiles. He doesn't hold it against her that he'd just told her that that was what he'd been doing which led to the conversation in the first place. It was what flustered did to a mind.

"I'll try that," he says for peace.

[makesbettermouth]

It's the face of a woman who's trying to help, at the very least. "Would you like to borrow some of my stuff? I've been reading The Old Man and the Sea lately."

[ikissdhimbck]

Good gracious.

There's one wide-eyed cowgirl sitting just a few paces off, watching Amy intently. Contrary to appearances, it ain't the gusto with which she's eating that sandwich that has Kate gawping — she may be a Southern lady, but she's seen more impressive feats in Texas. Rather, it's the combination of those remarkable looking fries and Polaroids that has her awed.

Who ever would have thought she'd end up in a place where Polaroids seemed outdated, rather than the marvel they are? She smiles fondly.

"I hope y'don't mind me askin', but where did you get them pictures?"

[makesbettermouth]

It takes Amy a minute to get the food down her throat and into her stomach, and even then she sputters a little. "I asked the replicator for one," she says. "Well, I kind of asked for the kind of camera my mom had when I was little and it gave me options and I had a Polaroid in my pocket and," she gestures toward the table. "Boom, now I have a bunch of pictures."

So sorry for the delay - RL has been happening

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate's eyes widen. Now, why hadn't it occurred to her that them magic boxes could make something like a camera? She feels awfully silly for not thinking of it ages ago.

"That's amazin'! So these are photographs you've taken since bein' here?"

She peers over at Amy's pink folder before realizing she's being awful rude. Sitting back, she gives her an apologetic smile.

"Pardon me, I hope I'm not intrudin'."

it's ok!

[makesbettermouth]

Amy nods. "A few every day. There are probably some pictures of my roommate in the pile, and some of the stars outside," she says. "Oh no!" she's polite and solicitous immediately. "You can join me if you like!"

[ikissdhimbck]

Her friendly reply wins a broad smile out of Kate. She don't want to presume, but seeing as how she still has so few allegiances on this boat, she's not gonna kick a gift horse in the mouth — so to speak.

"I would like that, thank you kindly."

She moves closer to Amy, settling down on the stool next to her.

"Name's Kate Barlow, pleasure t'meet you. How come you're takin' so many photos? Mementos for when y'get back home?"

[makesbettermouth]

"I wanted to have a few memories of the ship - just in case," she says. "And I really missed organizing stuff." Someone is in mourning for her piles and piles of binders that were lost back home.

[ikissdhimbck]

What an odd remark to make. Kate's brow furrows a little, smile broadening a mite bit when next she speaks.

"Y'missed organizin' stuff? Is that somethin' you do a lot of back home?"

[makesbettermouth]

She nods. "Something I do to calm my nerves. Well, I used to be a cop." A cop who keeps track of EVERYTHING From her superior's birthday to what her favorite teacher's candy is."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Oh!"

There's a very distinct note of surprise in Kate's voice that comes off about half an octave higher than her normal speaking voice. It matches her wide blue eyes, and the way her body stiffens just a hair.

Lawfolk.

"Oh I see. You must be used to quite a bit more action, then."

She glances down, doing her best to play off her earlier alarm as nothing at all.

[makesbettermouth]

And Amy's the most lawfolkish of lawfolk.

She is, however, really concerned about her well-being. "Please don't spit on me I don't have any power here." Things have not been easy for cops back home.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Spit on you?"

She's surprised and a little confused, but it quickly fades into mild amusement. She chuckles lowly, shaking her head.

"Oh no, I'm not that kinda lady. T'be honest — some of my best friends have been lawfolk."

In ... complicated ways.

"What was your name, ma'am?"

[makesbettermouth]

"Let's just say that when people find out I work as a cop, they aren't very nice sometimes. And I've lost some very nice sweaters that way."

Amy seems visibly relieved by that announcement. "Amy Santiago," she says. "What's yours?"

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate looks sympathetic.

"Miss Kate Barlow."

She holds out her hand, forgoing any mention of her moniker—Kissin' Kate Barlow—or anything else that'd give her away as an outlaw. She smiles, just as sweet as pie.

"S'a pleasure t'make your acquaintance, Miss Santiago. You ain't got nothin' to fear from me here."

And, she hopes, the same can be said in return.

"What d'you think you'll tell people when you get back home? About the ship, that is."

She points at Amy's stack of Polaroids. She imagines half the reason for taking them is to have some sorta proof to carry back home with her.

[makesbettermouth]

"Nice to meet you, Kate," she says. And it's definitely true in the opposing direction; Amy doesn't even have authority to own a blaster here - which she wishes she did, because they're freaking neat.

She considers that question for a second. "Lie a lot," she admits. "I'll probably say it was a convention or something like that. I might tell one guy the truth. But just him, and only if he promises not to make fun of me." Out of curiosity, she asks, "what about you?"