Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even my empty wallet! This is my quick response to the 12-Month Challenge: 11-Turbo lift not on Voyager. it's a short little piece. Un-Beta'd version.
It's my luck, of course it's my luck. Sitting on the floor I give another silent curse at the Xarandex, of course they had to be able to trade with us. It's not that they're a bad species, not at all; it's just that they're slow. I'm talking honey on a stick slow, just having them say hello takes half a minuet, their names take up to three minuets each. They move with all the haste of an elephant with a bad limp facing the wind. Forget about getting dinner at their restaurants, you have to order it at breakfast to get it by midnight. Literally.
And I'm not patient, I like things to work smoothly and quickly. If I could I would jog most places, just to get there faster. I've been given a nick name here, lightning, they think it's funny how fast I go. I have to slow down my speech, my stride, my frickin' mind. I might just go insane by the time we finally get all our supplies and leave.
Now this has happened on top of it all. I glance over at Seven who seems completely at ease in the small space. We had been traveling with Arthalk, the main fixer of things on Xarand, when he'd stepped out of their version of a turbo lift. Stepped is too fast of a word, let's go with trudged. Once he made it out he had given a wave and told us to go up to the sixth floor. No big deal, right? I should have guessed that if it took him ten minuets to say that, that it would take us much longer to travel. I waved and smiled, then the doors creaked shut.
We've been here for almost an hour. No talking, no eye contact, nothing. Just the grinding of gears and a few curses I threw out when I realized what had just happened. Now I just wanted someone to talk to, and Seven had never really be one for gossip or chit chat. Looking at her one more time I give a sigh.
"I hate this place." My declaration is met with a raised eyebrow.
"I concur." Seven's voice is strong as she gives a small bob of her head before looking at the doors again.
"I can hardly believe that, and yet, I know I should have guessed. Too inefficient?" I hope that my desperation isn't showing too much.
"Yes, although it is also boring," Seven lets out a small smile at my dropped jaw. "The most entertainment I have had is counting down the time we have left in this turbolift."
For some reason I hadn't thought to ask her how long it would take. "How long is that?"
"Another 6057 seconds." Seven said with a sigh.
"You're counting it in seconds?" I laugh lightly as Seven finally sits down with her legs crossed.
"No I am counting in nanoseconds, it takes more concentration." She looks at me seriously for a moment before asking, "How are you counting the time?"
"Erm, in how long it feels like estimates. Like this feels like we've been in here at least an hour." I shrug my shoulders.
"We have been in here exactly 62.34 minuets, a rather close approximate." She seems almost impressed as she tells me that.
"Cool." I say as we lapse back into silence. There isn't much room in the car, so Seven is sitting with her thigh pressed into mine. I focus my attention down to her almost sparkly blue biosuit, she's putting off more heat than I would've expected. I jump as something drapes across my shoulders and stare wide eyed at Seven. "Uh, why did you wrap your arm around me?"
Seven looks at me like I'm crazy. "It is the most comfortable position, would you like me to remove it?"
"No, no, I was just checking." Right, now I don't know what to think. Boobs. Ok maybe I do, her breast is pressed right against my shoulder, and suddenly I'm the one putting off more heat then I should. As my face flushes with embarrassment I clear my throat lightly. Seven's hand rests lightly on my left shoulder and then urges my lightly to lean into her. So I do. I don't know what I'm thinking anymore. I tilt my head so it rests almost in the crook of her neck and smile as she tilts her head to rest on mine. "So, how much time left till we have to leave?"
"What time?" Seven asks innocently even though I can feel her grinning slightly.
As her hand wanders up and down my arm before stopping at my hip I can't help but think that my luck looks like it's changing.
"You know, I can't remember." I say before wrapping my arm around her and snuggling in.