A Simple Matter

Shaka sat at the Science II station, working busily at the console. "That should do it," she said aloud to herself. Pushing her seat back, she slid underneath the console to work with the inner circuitry, periodically screamed when she shocked herself. Sliding out, she noticed her hair was somewhat standing on end. It was amusing and annoying at the same time.

"Computer," she sighed. "Transfer slipstream drive functions to the Science II station."

<Transfer complete, > the computer announced.

"Excellent," Shaka said, rubbing her hands together. "What the?" she stammered. The display on the Science II station looked exactly as it did before. "Computer, transfer slipstream drive functions to the Science II station," she repeated.

<Transfer has already been completed, > the computer responded.

This caused Shaka to panic slightly. If anything went wrong with the slipstream, this second, she wouldn't be able to do anything about it but scream Andorian curse words. She went back underneath the console with a tricorder and nanolaser in hand to hunt down the problem.

"I thought you said you weren't a qualified engineer," a familiar voice rang out.

Shaka sat up suddenly, only to hit her head on an electrical circuit. "Ow! Ow!" she exclaimed. Bad timing. She definitely felt her heart racing now.

"I'm not, Commander," she responded, the echo hurting her ears, "but I didn't think it would be necessary to call an engineer up here to make this change." Shaka slid out from underneath the console and stood up.

"Still looks like the science two console to me," Devore said.

Shaka focused on his last comment. Was he amused or angry? "I'm just about finished," she said, blushing a shade of deep blue. She began pressing some buttons on the console, mostly to throw him off the trail that she was hopelessly lost. Anger got the better of her, however, and she made a good fist and pounded the console. The screen and console flickered, and the words Slipstream Drive replaced the words Science II at the top of the console. Who would've guessed? Shaka said, sighing a faint-and hopefully inaudible, sigh of relief. "There we go," she smiled, forcing a laugh.

"Excellent work. It's not everyone who has their own personal console you know you're the only one who'll be working here," Devore said.

Shaka smiled, hoping he would leave before she fainted from the panic. "Carry on," he said, walking away. Shaka grinned. Feeling her legs disappear from under her, she collapsed into her chair and sighed, putting her head in her hands. *Too close*, she thought.

Looking at a chronometer, she saw that her shift ended five minutes ago. She knew she didn't make any groundbreaking discoveries in the slipstream field today, but she also knew nothing out of the ordinary happened just run-of-the-mill patrols through regular space. Shaka sighed, wishing today had been more eventful.

*I think I'll try the local cuisine,* She thought stepping into a turbolift announcing, "Mess hall." The mess hall looked abandoned, at least to Shaka. "Computer, who's the entertainment director?" <That position has not been filled.> The computer replied.

"Of course," Shaka muttered. She took the liberty of browsing the kitchen; at least the cabinets seemed full.

"Computer, I need a recipe?" Shaka asked, hoping she pronounced the Earth word correctly.

<One million, four hundred sixty-two thousand, three hundred seven recipes in the database. Please limit search parameters, > the computer responded.

"Uh I have to be able to make it with the ingredients brought onboard something hot that goes well with salad any recommendations?"

The computer beeped and began reciting from a long list. Shaka stopped the computer after one of the entries.

"That sounds good computer, how do you make a sausage pizza ?"