As quick as he came John stepped off the transporter pad on board the Forerunner. For now at least work was (mostly) done so it was time to hurry fast to play. As he walked out of the room he quickly pestered the chief for a status update.
"Belu, how much time until we're good to go underway?"
"I... uh... I believe we should be set shortly." The Regilian's tone was her usual caustic, but contained an ounce of question which Traise assumed was due to asking for information out of her responsibilities. She pulled out a PADD and began uploading the final launch information to it. "Short of you beaming back aboard there are only a few final logistics and pickups needed before we head out."
"Good, good," he said while grabbing the PADD already leafing through it as he sped out the door. The Regilian shrugged and went back to work.
The information was the usual supplies needed, supplies borrowed, supplies traded, as well as some personnel requests. Having the 2500 man crew of the Albion split among two vessels temporarily had allowed for some picking and choosing, but the close quarters and confined spaces of a long range science vessel didn't allow for everyone on hand. Two-Hundred and Fifty crewmen. John smiled at the faces in the halls as he passed them, the hurried bustling of final preparations before departure were almost soothing. It was something he missed aboard the much larger Odyssey Class; the ability to bump into someone.
It was that nostalgia and what he would call being "out of practice" that he blamed on not recognizing his Chief Medical Officer until he practically walked into her. She was arguing to another crewman with her back to Traise and it hadn't been until he had gotten close enough to hear her voice that he realized it was her. However, the fact her long blue/black hair that was usually done up in a pony tail was apparently forgoed for a new short bob-cut didn't help matters.
"Dr. Sugun, you've done something different with your hair?"
The woman turned, and incredulously blew up some air at her own bangs, "And I need your permission before choosing my hairstyles?"
He laughed, "No, certainly not." After all, in his mind they may have been dating for almost three years now but she didn't need his permission before changing up her hair. He took a while to get a good look at it. She fidgeted, slightly, at the attention.
"I uh... I'm just finishing up the last bits of these transfers. I caught an error earlier and want to make sure we don't leave with less than we need, even if it is just a short trip to Argo."
"Right, well, carry on. Don't let me keep you." He gave a playful salute along with an equally as playful wink before departing.
Dr. Sugun stared for a moment or two as he left, then rolled her eyes. shrugging it off as a "him" thing and got back to work.
By the time he eventually reached the door to his cabin in the upper decks he had almost finished going over all the prelaunch data on the PADD. However, it was the final "almost" bit that distracted him enough that he didn't notice the absence of the welcome beep before the doors opened, or that they didn't open at all.
With a crack he walked face first into the doors, cradling his nose and the PADD that the collision had almost knocked out of his hands he quickly checked about to make sure nobody noticed. He then glared at the door as if it could actually see the scorn on his face.
"Computer, Open door."
There was a 'Negative,' beep.
He tried again, "Computer. Unlock door."
The negative beep rang out again, this time it was followed by a voice, "Unable to comply."
John sighed, "Why won't you let me into my cabin?"
"-Beep- You have full access to your cabin."
"Then unlock this door so I can go in."
"-Beep- I'm sorry, but you do not have authorization to unlock this door."
He blinked, then squinted accusingly, "Why don't I have authorization to unlock this door? You just said I could."
"-Beep- I'm sorry, I don't understand your inquiry."
"Uhhg, come on, Computer, I thought we programmed you to be smarter than this. You should be able to figure out what I'm asking without playing this 'correctly worded input' game." He took a few moments to rub his sore nose again. "Alright. Computer?"
"-Beep-"
"I have access to my cabin, but you cannot unlock this door?"
"-Beep- I'm sorry, but you do not have authorization to unlock this door."
"Right, you said that." He took a longer sigh, "If I have access to my cabin, why can't you unlock the Captain's Cabin door for me?"
"-Beep- Because that is not your cabin."
He glared steely at the wall, an eyebrow arched, "If that is not my Cabin, then what is?"
The door to the Captain's Cabin opened, and Commander Johnathon Traise poked his head in, tentatively. All the while talking to himself, hoping that hearing it out-loud would help it make more sense.
"Okay... Captain's Cabin. This has to be some kind of joke by Oni, thinking I'm getting to big for my britches with all this diplomacy." He took a few steps in and surveyed the room that was much wider than he was used to; especially aboard the small Forerunner. "Well, it looks like my stuff is here. I'll give his prank that... if it is one." Over at the counter with the mirror he began picking up and looking at the various items. "But, who's all this other stuff belong to?"
"Back from New Romulus?" He heard the voice call out to him before he saw the silhouette of the woman leaving the bathroom in the mirror.
"Dr. Sugun?"
"Oh, Doctor. So formal this evening." Turning he stared with wide eyes as the Betazoid clothed in only a towel stepped closer to him. Her long blue/black hair cascading over the shining clean skin of her bare shoulders.
"Ilana?!"
"You sound surprised, you weren't expecting me to clean up before we began our early celebrations for your diplomatic successes?"
"No, it's... not that at all." He didn't lie. Really... And as his mind already began to act coolly and with discretion in the face of this sudden collection of changes he remembered that he was now dealing with a Betazoid. One with a very good grasp of her abilities.
"What's wrong?" Her eyebrows furrowed, she moved in closer and put what she thought would be a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He was pleased beyond relief that he didn't jump.
"It's... well... you caught me off guard. I didn't expect to see you... looking like that... is all." He laughed a little, scratched his head, and tried to catch the frog in his throat. "There's... well... there's a lot on my mind right now." He wasn't lying. If it wasn't obvious before, the salutes, the cabin, now this. Commander Johnathon Traise was now trespassing on someone else's life. The life of Captain Johnathon Traise. And right now, his girlfriend was caressing his shoulder and leaning up to him clad in only a towel.
"I think I can help you with that." She leaned up and kissed his bottom lip, holding on to it for a few seconds playfully as the man stood in shock.
"Oh boy..."