Benefits to a Big Ship.

Posted on Tue Nov 18th, 2025 @ 5:29pm by Lieutenant Bianca Donati & Lieutenant Commander Victoria Aries & Major Samantha Snyder
Edited on on Tue Nov 18th, 2025 @ 5:30pm

1,853 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The Hand That Rocks The Babe
Location: Promenade
Timeline: Ages old backpost.

Victoria wandered the Promenade, gaping at the storefronts and just the sheer size of even this civilian place on board an honest space-faring starship. She'd already known that there was nothing she had that would fill her new quarters and wardrobe, because she just didn't have enough personal belongings. So she'd decided to go shopping and still didn't know where to start, changing out of her uniform to a longer deep purple skirt that ended right at her knees and a shirt that clung to her, design of an anime tank on the front of the v-neck t-shirt, comm badge perched on the proper side and professional as she strode slowly along.

Sam has wondered if Bianca would like to go out, maybe shop, maybe grab something to eat, she wasn't exactly sure at this point but she didn't feel like staying at home. While she could have done something at home going out was more appealing since during the trip thus far much of it had been spent arranging home into something resembling something lived in. "Bianca, did you fancy going out tonight?"

"Oh sure, there's a new vendor on the E-terrace that I've been hearing nothing but good things about from sickbay. Just let me change clothes quick, as scrubs are not good going out wear."

"Ok." Sam then changed into something more comfortable and suited to going out that wasn't her uniform. So a dress and simple shoes fit the bill well enough. It wasn't that she didn't like going out, it was just sometimes the need to go out had to be answered otherwise she knew she'd become a hermit.

While she went into a store, then out, she made sure to send her purchases straight to her quarters. Victoria checked the chrono on her wrist and frowned: She'd already spent two hours shopping and seemed like she hadn't even gotten a tenth of the way down the massive area and now she felt the stomach rumbles that was her body's way of telling her it needed it's own fuel. "Crap..." She muttered, taking a few steps away from the storefront to at least try to see where there was some restaurant or food cart or even stray bag of chips floating around somewhere.

Bianca returned in a pair of black leggings and a tunic that looked like a stained glass window. It fit her perfectly, and had black edging as well. "I'm ready if you are." she called to Sam as she slipped into a pair of black ballet flats.

"Yep, let's go before all the good seats are taken." Figuring that while they were out they would grab a bite to eat as well. It wasn't like she had anything set in mind about what to have but hoped that by going out that they would sprout some options that would grab her appeal.

The two women made their way to the Promenade where to no ones surprise it was teaming with people lining shop windows and the many food locations that the ship had crammed within it. While it was not the first time Sam had been to the vast promenade, it seemed like every time she went there was always something new to discover.

After a question to a helpful passer-by, Victoria now faced another problem alrtogether. Instead of not being able to find a place to eat, she was faced with several and no good way to make a choice. Intellectually, she knew that she would have more than enough opportunity to sample them all, but it was the first time and first decisions were always the hardest. Frustrated, she rubbed her face as she paced back and forth amidst the crowd as she just tried to decide.

Sam walked with Bianca roaming the shop fronts, there were scores of people walking around as if totally oblivious to the goings on outside of the ship they called home. It wasn't until the blonde-haired woman bumped into another, one who'm she recognised as her 'keep upto date' mindset especially with the senior officers. "Oh, I'm sorry." Thinking initially she was talking to one of the civilian staff on board, turns out, it wasn't. It was the new Chief Engineer. "Victoria." Figuring everyone was out of uniform, ranks were not required.

"Sorry-" Victoria said reflexively after hitting someone, then heard her name. Confusion crossed her face as she looked slightly down at another blonde, trying to figure out if she knew who it was, but drew a complete blank and shook her head, "I um... I'm afraid you've got the better of me, I have no clue who you are." She shook her head slowly.

"Samantha Snyder, Major. Ships Marine Exec." Sam introduced. "This is my partner Dr Bianca Donati." Sam added with a pleasant smile as people shuffled past them. "What brings you to the Promenade?" She asked as a waft of food aroma swept past them, carried by a male and female couple eating on the move.

Victoria's eyes followed the pair, nose sniffing and she wiped the side of her mouth trying to prevent from drooling, "Curiosity, shopping for my new quarters and most importantly, trying to find something to eat that isn't from the replicator, but there's too many choice for a girl that just beamed aboard earlier today!"

"That's fortunate then, we were just coming to get something to eat ourselves if you'd like to join us?" Sam asked knowing that everyone had at least one goal in common.

"I hear a lot about the new stuff in sickbay, and everybody has been coming in talking about this new eatery." The entrance to the Nautilus, was on this level and if you followed past it into the green area there should be "there it is. I can just see the end of the sign, in the greenery area over there."

“I will happily join you!” Victoria sighed in relief, “I’m already just overwhelmed by the sheer size of the ship, this place and how the hell am I supposed to use all the space in these quarters?” Her eyes were open wide, “And how did you even know who I was? I just got my own orders for the transfer like… Ten hours ago or so!”

"I set the computer to notify me of any additions to the senior staff listing on board. Plus, I have to know so that I can brief the Colonel when I next meet him, I was expecting the notification to be the appointment of a First Officer, so I was surprised when it was yours." Sam replied, a woman that favoured to be prepared as best she could.

"Dear God... I can't imagine being the First Officer on something this size, much less the Captain." Victoria shook her head in wonder, "Just being Chief Engineer? I have more people under my direct supervision than my entire last SHIP had on board before she got deployed! Still, I think it's going to be good to be here, if just for the food." The smells from the Nautilus became more pronounced as they approached the entrance.

"Honestly, I can't fathom a worse thing to be. In sickbay, I'm a relative nobody until they need my specialty...but until they do I am just like every other doctor. I don't know how Dr. Thomas manages all the things."

"Shall we have a look around at what's available?" Seeing that the flow of people didn't seem to be ending any time soon.

"The place I am intending to take you is just beyond the Nautalis spa entrance. It's a tiny place but the smells...". Bianca made a chefs kiss noise and set forward through the crowd.

“Oh, I can already smell where we’re going!” Victoria remarked, “Either that or I’m about to gain twenty pounds in the next couple weeks as I go from restaurant to restaurant eating my way through this part of the ship.”

"That's ok, if Bianca doesn't help you drop the weight I'm sure some of my marines can help you." Sam answered with a grin knowing it would work too from previous experience when she felt a little out of shape and wanted to shape up some more.

"Hmm... Any of them play hockey?" Victoria asked with a grin, "More time on the ice would definitely do me some good, otherwise, I may just have to take you up on that offer! Assuming, of course, I can be pried out of Engineering.. I have this feeling there won't be enough of me to go around all the time."

"I'm sure I can arrange one or two marines to come escort you out." Sam chuckled, knowing that two burly marines were convincing factors to getting something done.

"You'll have to forgive me, but I'm not actually familiar with hockey. What manner of sport is that?" Bianca asked quietly, amused at the idea of one or more marines making off with the Chief Engineer. She'd definitely enjoy the experience.

"Hockey?" Victoria leaned in a bit, "Only the best sport that the world of Earth has ever come up with! Take a sheet of ice, put goals on either end with someone in lots of padding guarding them, then put five per team on skates and let fly." She smiled broadly, "Think of it... Like soccer, just smaller teams, a contained ice rink and the fastest play you've ever seen. Two hundred feet that someone like me can cross in about five, six seconds on the outside."

"I think a few marines are interested in that, not sure if its participation or observation because of the regulations towards tactical readiness and injury but I think there are a few that like something like that." Sam answered, not able to recall names at this exact moment but was confident.

"That sounds like job security to me" The doctor joked, having seen soccer at the academy and she couldn't imagine it being played on ice.

“You see, with sticks and a small hard puck about the size of oh..” Victoria mimed the size with her hands, “A biscuit, plus plenty of padding and a helmet, injuries are much reduced. They happen, just like in any other sport, but there are rules that prevent people from hacking away at each other or hitting them with intention to injure and all that. Practically a safe sport!”

"I'm hungry...." Sam complained, her stomach churning in protest at being made to wait to consume something due to the female verbal exchange.

“Looks like we should feed her or else we might start looking tasty, if not a bit to rare for her tastes?” Victoria chuckled, then sniffed delicately, seeing the Nautilus spa that had been pointed out, “Ooo, that does smell good!”

Bianca cast a glance at Sam, not knowing how much innuendo her lover would appreciate in a public conversation. "Marines do get bitey when they're hungry." she acknowledged the point and knew in that instance that she was going to pay for that comment in delightful ways later.

RSS Feed