Victory Signs

Posted on Sat Apr 3rd, 2021 @ 8:25pm by Lieutenant Commander Flora Hazeline MD

634 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Joint Logs
Location: Hangar Bay

Between: Ens Kathleen Delaunesy and Lt Garaht
Set: The evening after the good ship Hope was slowed down on approach to Izar

Kathleen tossed and turned in her bed. She was comfortable, though she could hear some of the ensigns making various bed-sounds. She was unable to sleep though, and eventually she got up, dressed in an old set of overalls, and went for a walk to think and clear her head. It didn't take long before she had walked her deck, and she had a hint of a tint of an idea, an impish one that she figured wouldn't do any harm, but that might make Lt Rigo smile.

And she wanted to make him smile. He had done extraordinarily well, hooking seven of the eight hooks he had fired. The eight was only misfired due to Clarke, and she was round and thoroughly disgusted by that. And his achievement deserved commemeration, in style, she figured.

As it was the middle of Delta shift, the hangar was suitably empty. Good. She made her way over to Rigel Lead, having seen Rigo fuss...er...perform his post-flight checklists, at one point, and looked at it for a long moment. Then she looked around, seeing if there was any chance she would get caught. No sense in taking unnecessary risks, after all. Nope, no chance.

Going back up to her shared quarters, she opened her footlocker, an archaic relic lovingly restored by her grandfather and gifted to her when she had graduated Starfleet. In it, she found some of her crafting supplies and took them out, mixing them in what she estimated the proper quantities. Clear, ad Vermillion were easy. Luminescent and reflective dusts she got from the replicator, and mixed in according to her judgement. She mixed them well, and made a note of what she had done on the label, as it wouldn't do to run out. Last she made two stencils, and after a second of hesitation copied them each over. The design had to stay the same. Then she made her way to the hangar bay once more, now wide awake, the jar hidden in her coverall pockets as was the brush. Then she found a ladder, leaning it up against Rigel Lead.

Unfortunately, having checked earlier it entirely slipped her mind to check again if she was alone....and she wasn't.

LtJG Garaht was patrolling the ship as he didn't require sleep. He normally made his off shift time one of study, but tonight was different. He felt restless and unsettled for some reason.

Upon entering the shuttle bay, he noticed the ladder leaning against Rigel Lead. Quietly moving as only a horta could, he slid up to the ladder.
"Ensign Delaunesy, what are you doing to Rigel Lead?"

Caught red-handed - and red-brushed - Ensign Delaunesy turned and grinned down at the Horta. "Lt Garaht, nice to see you. I'm indulging in a centuries old tradition. I'm painting victory signs on Lt Rigo's fighter. He deserves them." she nodded at the stencil she had hanging, one of a hook on a chain. "This one will go on there seven times, and the upside down one with the bar through it will go on there once." she continued, as if entirely supposed to be doing that.

"Interesting tradition. Goes back to kill markers on old Terran fighter craft." came the reply as the horta quivered in delight. "Let's do this then."
"What are you using for paint?"

Ensign Delaunesy grinned widely, nodding. "You're well read. It does indeed. I'm using regular clear space-grade paint, mixed with vermillion, and I added luminescent and reflective dust....." She looked down. "Lets keep this between you and me........... "

"Sure. How about we get some sealer for the paint so it doesn't fade too fast?"

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