The Cookie Monster

Posted on Tue Aug 28th, 2018 @ 12:20am by Commodore Jane Saulitis

Mission: A Majestic Affair
Location: The Sweet Tooth
Timeline: MD 6 11:00 Hours
1144 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Feeling guilty for having upset Lieutenant Murphy practically the minute she'd arrived on the ship, Jane set off in search of something that would hopefully distract him from the pain of her misstep. Having somewhat of a sweet tooth herself, she entered the shop with the same name. Cookies seemed like the obvious solution. She would have baked them herself but didn't want him to get the wrong idea about her apology.

Funny enough there didn't seem to be anyone around. It looked as if the shop had been ransacked. There was candy and dough everywhere but she could see no obvious signs of any life. She knew better than to call out and alert someone to her location but also had no weapon on her. She crouched down and tried to move behind the counter, searching for life or the possibility of death.

Closely following the Commander into the bakery was Jaxasi Rai. She had a penchant for chocolate, and had heard that the shop used real chocolate instead of replicated. Instead of a welcoming bakery, she found it in disarray and her knew Captain in a defensive position. Jex then got down and made her way to Jane, confection and flour spots now on her uniform. She then whispered, "What happened here?"

"No idea, just walked in." Jane whispered back. "Robbery? Accident?" The rest of the list of possibilities floated through her mind, the bad ones coming through first as was their usual lineup. "I'm going around the corner," she told the new woman, "see if I can see anything out back."

"I'll slide around that way," Jex whispered. A covered table seemed to have a good vantage point on the kitchen door from the other side of where the Commander was headed. She thought about readying her phaser, but decided against it so things wouldn't escalate once they found they cause. Jex then quietly made her way to the new vantage point, giving a look back to Jane once she reached the destination.

Jane suddenly stopped moving as she heard a groan. Someone was injured. Her heart was pounding now. She wanted to spring into action but didn't know if anyone was still a threat. She could only partially see through to the backroom and only one lone figure stood in the doorway but that didn't mean there weren't more.

From her vantage point, Jex could feel a certain amount of frustration maybe a bit of panic. At times like these she wished she took more after her mother, who was full Betazoid. She crouched, then began to edge closer to the kitchen door. She withdrew her phaser, set to stun. As she crept closer, yelling and a bit more crashing could be heard. She motioned for Jane to back her up with a pointing motion toward the door.

Moving quietly as the other woman had indicated, Jane was certainly glad someone was carrying a phaser. She hadn't expected to run into any trouble on a starbase or on her own ship. Jane nodded to her, she would be ready pounce when called on. Suddenly the person moved, heading right for her position. Jane panicked and jumped up, knocking the person to the ground and either subduing them or putting them out of harms way.

What had been a ball of frustration seemed to almost break apart. It fell into more confusion and fear. Reacting to the action of her periphery, Jex jumped out with her phaser drawn. "Don't move," she called out in her most intimidating voice to the figure who had been following the person Jane had seemingly taken out. "What is happening here?"

"This crazy woman just jumped me!" The man beneath Jane cried out, his voice a bit higher than anyone expected. "Get her off."

"Who are you?" Jane demanded, her arms still wrapped around his knees.

"No, you don't get to ask the questions. I'm the owner of this place, who are you to come in here and tackle me?"

Jane frowned, not sure to believe him or not. "What happened in here?"

"A malfunctioning portable replicator. I bought it to replace some of the ingredients that I could no longer get through my normal chain of suppliers. It spewed dough all over instead of giving me what I asked for. How'd you get in here anyway?"

"You left the door open and the place was ransacked," Jex answered, still unsure that the man's story was true. "Care to show us the replicator?" her voice sounded less like she was requesting and more like she was telling him to comply.

"I knocked over some tables and chairs trying to control the stupid thing, it was spinning around the room. It's over there." He pointed to a pantry door off the main kitchen. Jane nodded her head that Jex should go and investigate while she kept an eye on this guy.

Jex lowered her holster slightly as she walked toward the pantry like it was a suspect. With he off hand, she carefully pulled open the door. Inside was a smashed up replicator with evidence of an overabundance of baking materials scattered about. With a sigh of relief, Jex replaced her phaser into its holster. "All clear," she announced as she walked back to the group. "His story checks out."

Jane moved off of him, her face becoming redder by the second. "I owe you a huge apology it seems."

The man sat up, he could have yelled but the expression on her face was one of deep regret. He shrugged. "I tell you what, I won't file a report if you agree to never grace my shop again?"

"Done," Jane said, grateful to have been given an out in the situation. "Thank you Mr.?"


"Abernathy." He said looking over at both women. "Shoo."


"Lieutenant," Jane said and gestured toward the door with her head.

Jex nodded as she simply replied, "Commander." She then made her way out of the shop. A few steps away, she leaned against the wall, awaiting Jane. When the Commander joied her, she asked, "Know any other places where I can get my chocolate fix?"

She was sure it was most uncommand like but Jane couldn't help but disolve into a fit of nervous giggles. It was a moment before she managed to get ahold of herself. "No, sorry. Wait, yes I do! Follow me." And Jane lead her back onto the Majestic and to a certain chef's pantry. It looked as if she was going to have to make cookies herself.

With a nod, Jex followed her Captain. She was unaware of where she was being led, but the promise of chocolate was enough to take here wherever this path led.

OFF:


Lieutenant Commander Jane Saulitis
Commanding Officer
USS Majestic

Lieutenant Jexasi Rai
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Majestic