Neo Skuld Trek

Unwoven: Part 2

One of the more crazy mysteries of life is that everything has a sense of humour. With the exception of a few, on account that their jokes are actually quite tasteless, take for example, toilet humour. There are only so many jokes you can come up before everybody starts walking away to vomit in the privy. But some jokes people can laugh at once, twice, three times, then they start to get bored and throw eggs at the jokes. So the lesson to learn is to milk whatever humour you got before they start to kill you.

Déjà vu. Time's very own joke. It takes a while to get it. But when you do, well, the joke's on you. Literally………

 *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

Hi. My name is Sentarou Kawanishi. Aged 21. I have just completed my Starfleet Academy four-year course, now I'm awaiting my graduation and posting in Starfleet. I have no idea what made me join Starfleet in the first place. Probably I just have this inborn desire to meet new races, to make the impossible possible. Whatever it is, it's too late to reflect now. From the earliest time I could ever remember, I had always been interested in 20th century bicycles and mechanics. I'm not too sure about this, but when I was 12, I had a crush on a girl. But I don't remember anything about that. It all seems so blurred and distant. Like it happened in another universe. Anyway, back to the present. I see you have met my roommate and friend, Hikarino Ryuein. Although we're both Japanese, in terms of attitude, we're the direct opposite of each other, yet it's the fact that we're good friends is what amazes everybody. They all thought we'd be at each other's throats within two hours of moving in with each other. But boy, did we prove them wrong! It would be a real shame if we got posted to different ships. I'm placing my money on his posting to a Nebula-class starship. No doubt that's his ambition in life. I'm not too sure what I'll be posted to, although I'm betting on a placing on one of those new Intrepid-class ships. Shame on what happened to the U.S.S. Voyager. I wouldn't want to get transported 70,000 light years from home………

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

"Come on! Graduation is in two weeks time! It's no use trying to read up on course material when the finals are already over!"

"But, Ryu, I'm so nervous! The only way to control my nerves is to immerse myself in something!"

"Aw, that's all lies. The same guy who won the 2374 BMX Stunt Cycling Championships is telling me that he's nervous? Heck! 90% of the participants got cold feet and pulled out before the preliminaries even started! To top it off, you're the one who came in first place! So how in all of Federation space can you be nervous?"

"Erm, well, that's different. When everything is under my control, at least I know my fate is in my own hands and not in a panel of Starfleet Admirals!"

"I'll tell you what. I know just the place for you to calm your nerves. It's a nice little bar just two metres outside of Academy grounds. It's nice, quaint………"

"Wait a minute! Isn't it that Klingon bar with all that erm……… women of negotiable affection?"

"Heheheh. That's the one!"

'No way! I am never going there! Over my dead body will you drag me there!"

"Okay. Now that you put it that way…"

"Hey! Don't you dare pull anything funny!"

"Okay, okay. Please yourself Mr. Nice Guy, I'm off. Enjoy your 'light' reading."

"Hmmph! Just bugger off, will you!"

"Right. 'Bye!"

"Yeah." replied Sentarou.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

Ten minutes later………

"Arrgh!!! I can't study! Ryu was right. I can't relax by doing last minute studying. Besides, is not as if I'm about to sit for any major papers! Hmmm……… I haven't eaten lunch yet." Taking a quick glance at the clock on his bedside table, Sentarou groaned with a sigh of exasperation. "Awww……… man! The mess hall is already closed for the lunch period. Hmmm……… guess I have to order out. Okay, let's see…"

Grabbing a nearby padd, he flipped over to the Classified Ads to look for any restaurants offering deliveries to the Academy.

"Okay. Klingon food, crikey, no! Vulcan food, perhaps if you're a vegetarian……… Hmmm……… Japanese food……… Gosh! How long ago since I ate that! Let's see," punching a few numbers into the communications panel beside his bed.

When he accidentally pressed a 6 instead of a 9, Time decided to demonstrate its famous humour………

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

"Moshi-moshi? Is this the………" Sentarou was cut short halfway when a beautiful, feminine voice on the other line replied, "Good afternoon, sir. You have just reached the Goddess Relief Office. Please hold while one of our representatives answer your call."

"What! But I only wanted Japanese……… GAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! SERCURITY! INTRUDER ALERT!!!!"

"It's no use, you baka. Sensors don't work around me. By the way, I've disabled all voice commands to the main computer. Plus I've locked you out of all controls. Let's see……… How was it supposed to go again? Um……… Oh yeah! Good Afternoon, sir. I'm the Goddess Relief representative you called for. You can have any wish you like. But it is only limited to one."

For one moment, Sentarou and the mysterious being who came through the communications screen stood locked with eyes staring at each other across the room. The fact that Sentarou managed to go from a sitting position to a flat out sprint in 1 second flat, probably broke a few records in the process.

"Wh………Who……… Who are you? Are you an alien being?"

"Sigh. Why do I get this feeling of déjà vu? All right. My name is Skuld. Goddess of the Future. So, what's your wish?"

"Wish? Wish? What wish? I only asked for Japanese food! Udon noodles to be precise!"

"You want to blow your once in a lifetime wish on UDON NOODLES!" shouted an exasperated Skuld.

"Okay, okay, no need to scream in my face!"

"Hmmph. Seems you got some brains after all. Okay, what's your wish? I haven't got all day you know."

"Erm," at this Sentarou paused. Part of him screamed for him to wish that he could go home and forget about the Academy for a while, but another sub-conscious part of him remembered Skuld from a distant past, somehow he remember her. Besides, she looked pretty beautiful and nice too. For a while, nobody spoke while he deliberated over this. Ultimately his sub-consciousness won and taking a deep breath, he wished, "I want a goddess like you to stay with me forever!"

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

Before he lost consciousness, Sentarou would later swear that Skuld said, "Oh bugger. This is not going according to plan." At the same time that a lance of blue energy pierced through the ceiling, he also thought he could hear a husky feminine voice starting to swear coming from his bedside communications panel. To think he heard all this just before darkness claimed him too.

 *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

Images all seemed so blurred when Sentarou awoke. But as his head landed from whatever cloud it was occupying for the duration he was unconscious, he suddenly realised something was blocking the light entering his room. Then it hit him like a sack of potatoes.

Well, two sacks of potatoes, then…

"Um, Skuld, er, what it is you are wearing?"

"This? Oh, I was looking through the Starfleet database to find out more about the current technology and fashion in order to blend in. Apparently, this is the standard Academy cadet uniform……… Um, why are you looking at me like that? Is there something wrong?"

"Erm, well, you see……… you're wearing the training fatigues instead. Also, um, it's quite……… Gahhhh………" At that, Sentarou fainted again. Not before spurting out a huge gush of blood from his nostrils. Something that, to this day at the Academy, is quite often remarked upon.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

When he finally awoke, he realised that it was already night. Turning his head around, half expecting to see Skuld in the training fatigues and making him faint for the third time again. Instead, to his immense relief, he only saw the worried face of his friend Ryu looking back at him.

"You okay, man? You were out like a light for 3 days straight."

"THREE days? Three DAYS! THREE DAYS STRAIGHT!!! GGGGAAAAHHHAAAA!!! Has the results been posted yet!? How did I do? Tell me, NOW!!" screamed a worried Sentarou. Shaking Ryu empathically with each word.

"Whoa! Calm down, man! I was just kidding! It's only night time now. The first thing I notice when I come back is that there is this really cute chick sitting beside your bed and she wearing this really………"

"I AM NOT A CHICK!!! AND YOU CAN SHUT UP ABOUT THE FATIGUES TOO!!!!" yelled a slightly muffled voice coming from the bathroom.

"What the heck is going on?!"

"Don't mind her, I think she got really pissed off when I tried to tell her about the fatigues. Anyway, there she is, sitting beside you and then I walk up to her thinking, 'That boy has really gone and done it this time! Leave him alone with one girl and he gets all faint!' Then I notice that she wearing a really………"

"Waitaminute. YOU DID WHAT?"

"Er, I told her she was wearing fatigues and that it was like so………"

"You didn't do anything to her did you? Please tell me you didn't!"

'No! I swear! I never touched her! I just told her about the fatigues, then she called me a hentai and slapped me before she ran into the bathroom and locked herself in there."

"Oh bugger." Muttered a worried Sentarou. Running to the bathroom, he banged on the door yelling, "Skuld! Skuld! Please open the door! Come on, my friend didn't mean to say what he did! Please come out………"

"Sniff. I hate you men! Always so insensitive! I just wanted to fit in and then you men just barge in and say, 'WOW! What a………"

"Look! I apologise for my friend. He doesn't have his head screwed on the right way around most of the time! Please come out now. Please? For me?"

"Sniff. You sure it's safe?"

"Well, I'm up and about. Anybody that insults you again will get it from me."

"You sure?"

"Positive. Now come on out now."

"All right," replied a slightly worried Skuld as she pushed open the door to reveal a worried look on her face.

"That's good, Skuld. Now come on out."

"Um. I don't think that is an option. I'm still in the fatigues."

"All right. Computer, replicate one cadet uniform and transfer order to the replicator in the bathroom."

"Affirmative. One standard cadet uniform replicated."

'Now, Skuld. Do you see the uniform at the panel beside you? Put it on and it should look fine on you."

"Sure? All right. I'm coming out now."

The bathroom door slid open to reveal a neatly dressed Skuld in a standard Cadet uniform.

"There. You look so much better now."

"Cough. If you two lovebirds could excuse me for a moment. We've just received a new order from Administration. It says here that Cadet Skuld is hereby transferred to Dormitory Room 471. Our room, Sentarou. We've got a female cadet living with us for the next two weeks until our graduation."

"Wait. Didn't Starfleet Academy prevent females from staying with the guys?

"Well, it seems we're an exception."

Looking at Skuld, Sentarou could swear she winked at him mischievously.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

"Let's see. Sentarou… Sentarou… Ah! There it is! Now… Assigned to… NCC 1701-E U.S.S. Enterprise… Rank: Ensign! SWEET!!! The flagship of the Federation! Engineering section too! COOL! What did you get posted to, Skuld?"

"Same as you, Sentarou-san. I'm so glad we can be on the same ship!"

"Me too! What about you, Ryu?" yelled an excited Sentarou to a figure standing less than a metre nearby.

"The NCC 65420 USS Phoenix. Nebula-class starship. Just what I always wanted." Grinned a hugely satisfied Ryu. "I leave on the 18th of next month. When do you go?"

"Well. Seems the Enterprise is currently undergoing refit at the San Francisco Fleet Yards. So I guess that we'll be going off by the end of this week."

"Heh. Gives me just enough time to get you all nice and drunk."

"Not with synthehol, you will."

"Heheheh. Who ever said I was going to get you drunk on synthehol?" replied Ryu, with a mischievous glint in his eye. "There are stronger stuff than synthehol, you know."

"Uh oh. Not the 'I'm going to get Sentarou drunk if that's the last thing I do.' routine. Now you just stay away from me, you hear? I've just been promoted to Ensign and I don't need a court-martial on my record before I depart!"

"All right. I hear you, you party-crasher. I'll just toast a few drinks in your name, eh? Then again, maybe I'll just replace your water with synthehol. After a few glasses, it'll be just as good as getting you drunk on a single-malt whiskey! Plus, the good part is that you don't even know you're drinking it!"

"Hey! Don't you dare! Remember the time I placed an entire box of Alverian Dung Beetles in that little drawer in your closet?" countered Sentarou, winking at Ryu with a hint of satisfaction. "I don't think I should continue any more than necessary, do I?"

"Okay! Okay! Relax! I was just joking! Those things smelled of dung for a month! To top it off, that was the entire stock of them! The girls all just ran away the moment I came near them!"

"Glad you remember. As I recall, you were scratching your pants during the entire month of lectures. I simply loved that look on Captain Janeway's face when she singled you out to answer her question on Borg hive mentality and then you suddenly started to scratch your unmentionables in front of the whole class. That was simply hilarious!"

"Don't give me that! It was bad enough as it was when I had to face the Disciplinary Board after that one."

"Heheheheheh," chuckled Sentarou. "A fine bit of work there, Lieutenant."

"How do you know I was assigned the rank of Lieutenant? I was standing in front of the postings board all along!"

"Well, how else would you be so happy and reminiscent at the same time? Unless you had more than one thing to be happy about."

"Yeah. I guess you're right. Well, don't let me detain you any longer, Ensign. I guess you need to get packing soon, eh?"

"Well, Lieutenant. You had better run along and get drunk, eh?"

"You got that right! Look, I may not be around to see you off. So I'd like to say goodbye now. Good luck, Sentarou. It was great to be your roomie for so long. Keep in contact, you hear?"

"Same to you, Ryu. Good luck to you too. Take care of yourself too, okay?"

"Right. Well, so long, Sentarou."

"Good bye, Ryu."

With that the two men shaked hands and parted on their own separate ways. Towards a future which none of them could ever foresee………

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

The shuttle rocked violently for a few moments as it escaped Earth's atmosphere. But when it all settled down, the stars of space greeted the eye as far as it could see. 'What wonders and new life exist beyond this shuttle?' wondered Sentarou, as the shuttle drew closer to the imposing bulk of the San Francisco Fleet Yards loomed beside the shuttlecraft's windows.

"Sentarou-kun, what is that ship over there in spacedock?"

"That's the U.S.S. Hope. One of the more recent Sovereign-class vessels. When Voyager returned from the Delta Quadrant, she was still in the pre-construction process. Now that the Transphasic torpedoes and Ablative armour is spreading around the fleet, the U.S.S Hope is being refitted with it. I'm expecting she will come out by the end of this month."

"Hope… Hope… Sounds awfully familiar………" muttered Skuld to herself.

"Nah. You probably saw it in the database."

"No. I think I met her before."

"Hope is a 'she'? Well, how did she look like?"

"Well, for one thing, she is a lot younger than I am and for some strange reason, she looks a lot like my elder sister, Belldandy………"

"It's probably just your imagination. See that ship over there with the 4 warp nacelles? That's the Prometheus-class starship, the U.S.S. Tripartite. Pretty fitting name, eh? She just finished construction less than two days back and now they're taking her for her maiden test run of the engines and weapons. Right beside it, can you see that Intrepid-class ship over there?"

"Yeah."

"It's the U.S.S. Revolution."

"Wait. Don't continue, I'm getting a precognitive flash here. Let me guess, the ship's captain has pink hair, has a fascination with swords and likes white roses, right? And her First Officer is kind of dark skinned, likes red roses and follows the Captain all around calling her Utena-sama, right?

"How in the world do you do that? That's all entirely correct! Did you find it in the database? Apparently, the captain's hair is natural. So the Academy never asked her to dye it back."  

"Yeah, well, you get these flashes of the obvious every now and then. How about our ship? I can't see her."

At this point, Skuld was interrupted when a chime sounded throughout the shuttlecraft.

"This is your captain speaking. We are now approaching the U.S.S. Enterprise. If you would look towards the aft section of the windows, you will see the flagship of the Federation. In another minute, we will be docking with the Enterprise after which an all-clear alarm will sound and all passengers may disembark."

"I find it amazing how three centuries later, all captains of personnel or civilian transports still sound like aircraft captains addressing a bunch of tourists." observed a peeved Skuld after the announcement ended.

"What's an aircraft? I haven't heard of it yet."

"Oh. Er, um, 20th century technology. Never mind it."

"Ah, okay." Replied a confused Sentarou. Sensing that maybe Skuld was trying to hide something from him.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

"Come on! We're late already!"

"All right, all right! It's just that the matter-antimatter fusion chambers here are sooooo interesting! Oooooh! Look at the warp coils on this one! Nice………" muttered a blissful Skuld as she briskly walked around the Enterprise's Engineering Section. Looking and poking at interesting technology. In some cases, practically drooling over them.

"Come on, Skuld! Captain Picard doesn't really like latecomers. Especially if they're just 'wet behind the ears' cadets! Come on!" urged a worried Sentarou. Seeing that Skuld still hadn't responded to his urging, he grabbed her arm and practically dragged Skuld out of Engineering. Later, Engineering crews would talk about how newly promoted Lieutenant was dragged out of Engineering screaming, "Warp coils! My beloved warp coils! Don't leave meeeee………"

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

"Permission to enter the Briefing Room, Captain."

"Permission granted, Lieutenant. What is it you are dragging behind you?"

"This? Oh, um. Sorry sir." Apologized a sheepish Sentarou, as he released Skuld from his grasp. Whispering to Skuld from the corner of his mouth, he hissed, "Request permission to enter!"

"Uh? Oh, erm, permission granted." Replied a confused Skuld, still dazed from being dragged away from her own personal heaven.

"Not to me! To the captain! Oh man, I am in so deep trouble right now."

As Captain Picard watched the two Ensigns argue with each other, he grinned hugely. Although it was against his nature to let an argument start before the Enterprise was released from Spacedock, there was something about the two Ensigns that made him laugh and want them to carry on. But after a while of bickering, he decided it was time for them to stop.

"Ensigns, Ensigns. Please. We are about to hold our pre-mission briefing and I would like you two to take your seats."

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" yelled both Skuld and Sentarou at Picard. After which they continued arguing. Less than a minute passed before they realised what they had just done. With great anxiety and haste, the two of them snapped to attention and apologized profusely to Picard.

"Heheheh. At ease, Ensigns. I didn't take any offence. Now I should know how to deal with to two of you………"

Sharing a quick glance at each other, Skuld and Sentarou started to sweat nervously. There was something in the way Picard said, 'Deal with the two of you.' That would make even a Fleet Admiral start to organize plans to get as far away from Picard as possible. Preferably a nice vacation to the Delta Quadrant.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce the new additions to the Enterprise. Ensigns Sentarou Kawanishi and Skuld……… What was your last name?"

"Er, there's none sir. Skuld is both my first and last name."

"Very well. As I was saying, Ensigns Sentarou Kawanishi and Skuld will be joining us from today as permanent additions to Engineering. A few more new additions to our crew will be arriving shortly. Why don't you two Ensigns familiarize yourself with the rest of the Command Staff?"

Looking around the oval-shaped table of the Briefing Room, Skuld could see four other people sitting around the table. Two of them started to get up at the same time, resulting in a few curses when they banged their knees against the table. Hopping awkwardly towards her, they both stuck out their hands and introduced themselves simultaneously. Stopping before they could even get halfway in their names, they looked at each other in incomprehension before a red-shirted man waved the yellow-shirted one to stop first. Sticking out his hand, he introduced himself.

"Um, hi. I'm Commander William T.Riker. The Enterprise's First officer. The man beside me is Lieutenant Geordi LaForge. Chief Engineer of the Enterprise. If I'm right, then he will be the boss for the both of you." treating both Sentarou and Skuld to one of his trademark grins.

"Nice to meet the both of you. I take it you already seen Engineering?"

"How did you know?" asked a surprised Sentarou.

"Well, for one thing, I could hear somebody screaming something about warp coils all the way from Engineering."

"But that's five decks down!" replied an incredulous Skuld. "You should be a superhuman to hear that!"

"Well, I didn't claim I was a superhuman did I? Besides, everybody here could hear it really clearly from Engineering."

At this point, Skuld started to take a renewed interest in the carpet, blushing furiously with shame.

"Mumblemumble………warp coils………mumblemumble…"

"What was that, Lieutenant?"

"Um, nothing sir."

BEEP………

"Come in."

"Crewman Urd, Ensign Morisato Keichii, Acting Counsellor Belldandy and Lieutenant Rind reporting for duty, sir."

"Come on in, Ensign. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce our new helmsman, Morisato Keichii.  Crewman Urd will be assisting Doctor Beverley Crusher. Our new Tactical officer, Lieutenant Rind and our acting Counsellor, Belldandy. Until Commander Deanna Troi returns from her teaching stint at the Academy, she will be our Counsellor for the duration of the period."

"Oneesan! What are you doing here! I thought………" but Urd waved Skuld into silence. They couldn't afford to reveal their identity at this time. Not in front of the entire Command Staff of the Enterprise.

After the Command Staff exchanged pleasantries with each other, Picard waved to them to take their seats. Cutting to the chase, he explained the latest mission for the Enterprise.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Less than 24 hours ago, survey vessels detected a wormhole forming in an uninhabited region of space near Sector 001. As the nebula surrounding the wormhole prevented any thorough scans, nothing concrete about its destination could be found. But from what scans have shown, it is highly possible that it may lead to the Delta Quadrant," Picard waited for a moment to let this last statement to sink in before continuing. "As a result, Starfleet has despatched the Enterprise to rendezvous with the U.S.S Prominence. A Nova-class starship that was specially refitted with upgraded sensor technology just for this mission. Since it is highly possible that the wormhole may lead to Borg space, Starfleet has decided to attach two leading experts on the Borg. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Seven of Nine and Voyager's EMH, The Doctor."

As Skuld shook hands with Seven, she noticed a Borg optical implant around her left eye. 'What did the Borg do to her?' thought Skuld. Just before she felt her fingers being crushed from the handshake.

"OOWWWWW!!! That really hurts!!!" yelled Skuld as she favoured her right hand.

"I am sorry, Ensign. I was told by The Doctor that a firm handshake is customary when shaking hands with people you have just met."

"Oh really?" said Skuld as she took a sideways look towards a balding man dressed in the current Starfleet Medical uniform, who seemed very uncomfortable under Skuld's withering stare.

"Well, I told her that is correct. But not when you have Borg implants enhancing your strength." Muttered the embarrassed looking Doctor as he shook hands with Sentarou and then Skuld.

"If I have injured you in any way, Lieutenant, then you have my apologies." said Seven, cocking an eyebrow at Skuld.

"Um, that's all right. No need to apologise." replied Skuld.

"Now that the pleasantries have been exchanged, I'm afraid we really have to get things moving. We rendezvous with the U.S.S Prominence in 2 days. Take your stations everybody." interrupted Picard, getting up from his chair and moving towards the door. Seeing this, all bridge staff started to get up too.

"Excuse me, Captain. But both Ensign Sentarou and me are posted to Engineering. But whose the bridge liaison?"

"I tell you what, Ensign. Why don't the two of you take turns? Since both of you are so good engineers, I suppose this suitable compromise will work out. As for who will be the bridge's Engineering Liaison for this mission, the two of you can sort it out for yourselves." replied Picard. Before he resumed his journey to the bridge, with the rest of the Bridge Staff trailing behind him. As Belldandy passed Skuld, she gave Skuld a short hug and a smile before she continued walking.

Both Skuld and Sentarou stood there in the Briefing Room until everybody filed out. When they had gone, the two of them looked at each other. None of them spoke for a minute until Skuld broke the silence by saying, "Coin toss?"

"What's a coin?"

"Never mind. Rock, paper, scissors?"

"Sounds good to me."

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

In Engineering………

"Ensign Sentarou reporting for duty, sir."

"At ease, Ensign. I'll tell you what. Since I run a pretty informal section, I'll just call you Sentarou and you can just call me Geordi or Lieutenant. By the way, why is there a red handprint on your cheek?"

"Er… A slight misunderstanding, sir."

"Look forward to hearing about it when this is over."

"Yes sir." replied an embarrassed Sentarou. As he walked towards his Engineering station.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

Back at the Bridge…

"Ensign Skuld reporting for duty, sir. Permission to enter the bridge?"

"Permission granted, Ensign. I take it that Ensign Sentarou will be the Engineering liaison for our next mission?"

"Yes sir. We sorted it amongst ourselves like two civilised people."

"Glad to hear it. Although what was with the shout of 'Aw! I almost had you that time!' It sounded like somebody wasn't very happy with the arrangements."

"No sir. It was all in the name of sportsmanship."

"Really. I thought I heard somebody being slapped."

"Trick of the air waves, sir. Must be the air support systems."

"Indeed, Lieutenant. Take your seat. Mister Data, set a course for Sector 005. Warp 9.5. Engage………"

So the U.S.S Enterprise leapt to warp, heading for its rendezvous with fate. Out amongst the stars………

End of Chapter Two