Jenna and Raven (title tbd)

Posted on Wed Nov 23rd, 2022 @ 8:15pm by Ensign Raven Windancer & Lieutenant JG Jenna Jade

Mission: The Interim
Location: Hydra Lounge

Jenna glanced around the room as she gathered the large cup of coffee that the girl at the bar had handed her. She'd had a little splash of something added to it, but only for the 'flavor' of it, not that the tiny bit of whiskey would affect her thought processes. Still, the place was busy and there wasn't a table that didn't have someone sitting at it, though several were inhabited by individual people and Jenna scanned the faces for anyone familiar.

A slight smile crossed her face as she found someone she did recognize, albeit from only a handful of classes at the Academy, but even still, it was definitely better than just a stranger. She made her way past a couple tables before she finally ended up at her destination, "Well, if it isn't the one who took that shuttle out for a joyride and gave us a special project to get back into flying shape." She chuckled after she spoke, sliding into a seat across from the other Ensign.

Raven had been staring off into space as she drank a Calamoca Hot Chocolate and nibbled a fresh piece of lemon bread. At Jenna's chuckle, Raven glanced up, and a huge smile nearly split her face. "JENNA! It's so good to see you again!" Raven squealed, shooting to her feet and giving Jenna a hug. "Girl, you look terrific!" Raven pushed Jenna back to arm's length to get a good look at her.

Jenna laughed as she'd returned the hug, "Why thanks, Raven, you don't look half bad yourself!" She looked the pilot up and down, "Ah didn't realize that you'd been sent here to Chimera as well, but Minerva's somewhere around right now, so are Joey and Vera. Ah um..." She glanced away for a moment, "Ah don't know if you heard, but Jeff Hearnwell didn't make it durin' the fight we had.. Got killed by that boardin' party."

Raven got excited at the safety of her friends, then her heart sank at the loss of Jeff. "Oh man, Jeff was the most careful one out of our whole bunch! But then again, he also managed to put everyone else's safety above his own," Raven's head dropped sadly. Raven had also kinda had a small crush on Jeff for awhile at Acedamy, but then he had found a woman who Raven had known would match him perfectly, so she had gracefully bowed out.

Jenna nodded and managed to sit down finally, picking up her coffee cup for another sip of it, "But look at the two of us here, both at the top of our departments." She said with a smile that was brighter than she felt, "You're the Chief of Flight Operations and while Ah'm not the Chief Engineer, I've already had three of them on board this ship and the last one is now the Exec, he was one of my instructors, a decent guy but tough in his gradin'. Ah'm just running the department with his oversight until we get another new Chief, then Ah'll just be one of the minions runnin' around again."

Raven smirked. "You, a mere minion? Yeah right! You're top dog material and we all know it!" Raven laughed, lightly punching Jenna on the arm. "As for me, Captain Skyie sees something in me that I haven't been able to access yet, so that's why I'm in the hot seat," Raven took another sip of her drink, thinking back to the conversations and flying lessons she had had with Cally.

"Ah've been thrown to the wolves, Raven! Our first Chief Engineer was relieved for cause before we even made it to the Starbase. The second was far too eager to get out of the ship as quick as he could. Then came Commander Espersen. Ah'm just 'The next best gal.'" Jenna shook her head, "As for Captain Skyie, she's... Different. She has faith and confidence in all of us and she seems to see things in all of us that Ah don't think anyone else sees. Almost as if she's challengin' us to be better than we think we are."

Raven nodded. "That she is and that she does. Commander Espersen's interesting to be sure, and the Chimera's certainly the place to be to get stretched! But isn't that why we joined? To get stretched and prove to those who thought we weren't worth saving or worse, deserved to rot in jail, that we've beaten the odds and can hold our own with em fair and square?" Raven popped the last piece of bread into her mouth, humming happily at the taste.

"Ah wasn't even supposed to be on Chimera, if Ah'm bein' honest about it." Jenna drawled, "Ah was supposed to be on Katana, an Akira, but you remember how Henry Atwater was gettin' engaged to Naomi Lister? Well, Naomi was assigned to Chimera and she bribed me with a deluxe spa package she was gonna use right before her weddin' to swap with her." She gave a bright smile, "Of course, when Ah'm gonna get to use that out here is anyone's best guess."

"SPUTTER!!!! WHAT!? THAT...YOU...SHE...AYE CARUMBA!" Raven had just taken a sip of her drink when Jenna relayed her Chimera entrance story, and promptly spit it across the table, barely missing Jenna. "Opsi! Sorry, Jenna!" Raven stuttered as she started cleaning up the mess.

Jenna laughed with Raven as she grabbed a napkin and started helping her with the mess, "No worries, Raven, but yeah, Naomi just did not wanna be away from him. But how did you get assigned here? Ah mean, Ah know about the shuttle incident, after all Ah was a part of the class that had to put that thing back together, but was that all it was?" Her eyes were bright and the smile was genuine.

"What you saw at school was the half of me trying to survive. You know: obey the rules, study, don't make waves...boring stuff. The me that went out at night...THAT was the REAL me. I'm a racer, rebel rouser, crazy horse type of girl trying to find her place in the world. The only reason I'm in Starfleet is a racer named Riptide, a Starfleet Officer who told me about it and got me all excited about leaving the crude of my broken life behind and starting over. Sorry, I didn't mean to sob-story you," Raven swiped her eyes, not even realizing she'd been crying.

Jenna had moved to the chair to the side of Raven and reached out to grab the hand that wasn't frantically wiping tears from her eyes, squeezing it gently, "Don't worry, Sunshine," She tried to reassure the other Ensign, "You and Ah come from way different backgrounds, but here on Chimera, just as the Cap'n says, we are all family. Ah talk to a lotta people on board, and Minerva talks to a lot more and tells me all about 'em. Between us, we've discovered that most of the people on board come from... Call it less than favorable circumstances, and the Cap'n isn't any different." Jenna glanced down, "She's someone who wants the best for all of us, to redeem the ones that everyone else thinks are lost causes and make us into somethin' more. The stories of people Ah could tell you about, Raven."

Raven smiled at her friend as her heart warmed. "Huh, I wouldn't have pegged either of you to be snoops. Heck, I still haven't met all of my department mates! Family. I like that. I might not be psychic or anything, but I've got a feeling Chimera's gonna put herself on the map in a way as unique as her crew. Thanks, Jenna. Even though we weren't close friends in the Academy, I knew if things went South worse than I could handle them (I didn't get a chance to ask for help with the shuttle fiasco on account of my scrawny hide being in a literal sling) you'd be the first person I'd go to for help," Raven smiled as she gave Jenna a side hug.

"Awww," Jenna blushed as she leaned into the hug, "Ah've always been the one to try to help out wherever Ah can." She gave the pilot a mischievous grin, one that was totally unlike the typically reserved young woman, "Of course, that doesn't mean that we can't take a look at one of the shuttles to see if it needs and um... Improvements, right?"

Raven's face color matched Jenna's as she started to laugh. "You do a good job, Jenna. Yeah...Cally warned me under no uncertain terms to play mechanic on anything without EXPLICIT permission from the Engineers!" Raven huffed between grabbing gulps of air.

"Well, Sunshine, Ah just happen to be an engineer! In fact, THE engineer for right now!" Jenna perked up, "And while Ah might have to run it by the Cap'n or at least the Exec, Ah could come up with some reason why Ah'd need your assistance to work with one of the shuttles. With us about to be weeks away from the border of home, wouldn't you think we should make the Delta Flyer in the hanger into something that might be able to be a fast transport home in case of emergency?"

Raven's eyes would have been star shaped had she been an anime character. "YES YES YES! WHOO HOO!" Raven jumped to her feet and raced around the Mess Hall TWICE before registering her childish behavior and shuffling back to Jenna. "Yeah...this is gonna be one heck of an interesting voyage," Raven giggled. Unbeknownst to either woman, Raven was closer to the truth than even she realized.

"That it will be." Jenna couldn't help but giggle, although she covered her mouth as she did out of politeness, "And definitely one to remember."

Raven finally controlled her giggles and finished her drink. "Welp, I'd best grab some shuteye before I gotta go the Bridge. Thanks again, Jenna," Raven hugged Jenna once more before meandering out of the Mess Hall.