Prompt: Petty Officers

"I won that bottle fair and square."

"There is nothing fair about card games with Orions. Also, the cards are not square, they're-"

"Hand over that wine right now."

Gaila swung it lazily between two fingers and cocked her hip. "You could come and try and take it from me."

Nyota narrowed her eyes. Gaila knew it was too much to hope for; Nyota was well aware that Gaila attended hand-to-hand sparring sessions on a regular basis. Nyota wouldn't want to risk turning her quarters into an enormous mess just for one bottle of a rare vintage either (also, the bottle might break).

They engaged in their stand-off for a handful of seconds, then Nyota smiled, and Gaila knew she wasn't going to like whatever was coming.

"I'll tell Kirk you just love working with Cihrik, and he should ask Spock to put you on Beta shift with her right away so that you two can get to know one another better."

Gaila gaped. "You wouldn't." Nyota bobbed her eyebrows. "He won't believe you."

"Oh yes he will."

Gaila fumed. He would believe Nyota, not because she could be convincing (though there was that) but because they were very close friends, and it was in his nature to trust her. Gaila could picture it now: Nyota would tell Jim that Gaila had a terrible crush on Cihrik-intellectual or physical, whatever was more likely to sway him-and was too embarrassed to let it be known. Jim would be confused, because it was Cihrik (who was condescending, privileged, and had a superiority complex the size of a Romulan Warbird), and since when was Gaila embarrassed by anything at all? Nyota would go on, and eventually Jim would be forced to agree, and Nyota would suggest he discuss some minor shift changes with Spock. Naturally, Jim shouldn't let on to Gaila that he knew.

And then she'd be stuck on Beta shift-with Cihrik-until she could fabricate a convincing enough reason for Commander Spock to switch her again.

Gaila groaned and handed over the bottle. Nyota beamed, proud of her successful extortion. "You had this coming, you know-cheating me out of it and all."

"I've taught you too well."

"Much too well." Nyota moved towards the door, gesturing in the direction of the observation deck. "Share a table with me? I hear they're making Cardassian Sunrises again."

Gaila straightened herself and followed, though she shook her head. "I'll come find you. I need to go devise a way to punish Jim for what you could hypothetically convince him of."

Nyota laughed. "Going to reprogram his shower again?"

"I was thinking maybe the door locking mechanism this time."

Nyota smiled and shut the door to her quarters behind them. "I'll be there reading once you're done." As she made her way down the hall, she said over her shoulder, "Maybe I'll even save a glass for you."

Gaila grit her teeth. She was going to reprogram his shower and his door lock.