Chapter 8: The Swell of Intensity
" Mr. Alien! Look they gave us a HUGE closet. I mean… I can walk in and out of it no problem. We need to go shopping once we stop at Mejere to update them about the cohabitation project." Dita says in an enthusiastic sort of way that Hibiki has become more then accustomed to tolerating. Though, Hibiki is just lying on the bed and looking around the room.
" Ya know… I don't really like the color… it's kind of a lame yellow, and who picked yellow anyway? But, I like this bed, feels like there's water in it." Hibiki says in a rather bland and emotionless way. But after hearing the water statement Dita jumps into the air.
" We got a water bed? No WAY! I totally always wanted one since I was a little girl." With that she throws herself onto the bed next to Hibiki and begins tossing them both about.
As the bed flops the uncanny duo about, the bridge crew began to receive a foreign transmission from a ship roughly 25 light years from the ship. Ezra notices this and looks at it rather oddly but turns in her chair to look at Magno.
" Captain… umm, we are receiving a transmission from an alien vessel… and I'm not talking Taraak… it's completely unidentifiable to our sensors, we just know something is there and sending us signals." Magno turns sharply to the figure repairing the left bridge crewmember's consol. " Gascogne will you please go find B.C. and inform him to send Bart after all of the others, I have a bad feeling about this. And Ezra, stall them momentarily, I don't want you to accept the signal until at least B.C. is on the bridge." Both women nod as Ezra begins sending return signals literally saying just a moment please, while Gascogne races out of the bridge towards the dining area. Cause well, news like Bart and B.C. are walking down the hallway headed towards the dining area arm in arm spreads pretty fast.
B.C. and Bart still remain sitting in the same place they have been for a while. All they are doing is just reminiscing and catching up, completely enthralled with one another's stories.
" Ya, I mean when it came out that you were really a man, I was shocked. Never really would have guessed it, I really just blame those things on your chest." Bart smiles a little and B.C. chuckles a bit and nods.
" Ya I think the most convincing part of it all was the voice changer. Lots of the crew members just thought it was a pretty green accessory, women are fairly naïve and dumb at times." B.C. smiles after that comment and before Bart can say anything, Gascogne slams open the door and rushes in.
B.C. and Bart turn quickly unaware of why she'd do such a thing. " B.C. report to the bridge now, Magno's order, and trust me… it's quite urgent. And Bart, help me find the others… NOW!" B.C. places the napkin on the table and runs off to the bridge as Bart gets up quickly and trips over the chair. " Ow, dammit… my pride just got injured…" Gascogne shakes her head and can't help but smirk, " Hurry up Bart, all will be explained once everyone's together at the bridge."
Bart stumbles back up to his feet and runs through the kitchen door as Gascogne runs back out the hallway headed for Dita and Hibiki's room.
While in the kitchen, Alexei's cooking 101 has turned into more, awkward moments 101. So by the time Bart walks in, Barnette and Alexei are in another awkward moment, cause somehow… Alexei had to ask Barnette a question and winds up placing his right hand on her chest and she's just frozen staring into his eyes while Alexei is dumbfounded and awaiting a slap across the face. Cause he's noticed that, that's the female reaction for being offended.
Bart just looks at them rather oddly and interrupts their staring contest with urgency, " Barnette, Alexei, to the bridge now, the situation is dire… I think. I don't really know why I'm getting people… but Gascogne made it sound pretty intense."
Barnette's eyes widen as she nods her head, quickly flinging off the apron while looking at Alexei, " We should get going…" Alexei blinks once or twice and then shuts off the stove, " Alright." He takes her hand gently as they run off to the bridge together and Bart just tilts his head in a state of semi-confusion. " What the hell is up with them…?" Anyway, after that brief pause Bart heads off to try and find the others.
As Jura is looking for Renz and Meia she sees Gascogne heading her way, " Gasco, have you seen Renz anywhere? I wanted to show him my newest outfit and…" Gascogne just glares at Jura and cuts her off before she can finish, " Jura, we have more important matters at hand then who gives you a baby… so get your ass up to the bridge now!" Jura looks at Gascogne blankly and inquires, " Why to the bridge? You make it seem like we're under attack or something."
Gascogne pushes past Jura and says over her shoulder, " If you don't shut up and go to the bridge we might be, so hurry up!" With that Gascogne turns the corner into another hallway leaving Jura standing there tongue tied.
After a few seconds she just huffs and walks off to the bridge muttering to herself, " What was her problem… honestly, unless she shapes up she'll be alone forever. So abrasive…"
So while Jura is stating her subtle irony Dita and Hibiki finally stop bouncing around on the bed, only to find themselves in an awkward spot. Hibiki blushes a little as Dita's breasts are in his face and her hand is placed awfully close to something between his legs.
" Ya know, I really wish there could be just one thing we do that does look suggestive…" States Hibiki rather insipidly as Dita just looks up at him puzzled. " What do you mean Hibiki?" As she said that her hand unconsciously moves against that previously mentioned area sending a shiver down Hibiki's spine. But before he can say anything Gascogne is just standing in the doorway smiling wider then a Cheshire cat.
" I hate to interrupt, because it looks like you're checking out things aside from just the new room." She couldn't help but get the little dig in there but continues her statement anyway, "But we need you both to report to the bridge, it's extremely important." With that Gascogne heads back to the bridge believing that Bart probably found the others.
Well Dita just lays there on Hibiki wondering what could be happening, " Mr. Alien, you think there are more bad aliens that want to harvest our flesh?" But as she looks down Hibiki's face is bright red and he's got a vacant but happy look on his face as Dita looks around and realizes her hand was squeezing something during her moment of wonderment.
" Oh… umm…" Dita blushes a very deep crimson and lets go of it and jumps off of him as Hibiki slowly returns to a comprehending state of mind.
" Dita! What did you do?" Dita's eyes widen and she shakes her head, " I don't know… I'm sorry Hibiki…" Hibiki grins and gets off the bed and gives her a slight hug; " Don't be sorry… it felt great… after we go see what's wrong I want you to do it gain, okay?" Dita's face illuminates and she cuddles him and nuzzles into his neck, " Sure! I'm glad I didn't make you mad…" She smiles and kisses him on the nose as she then turns on her heel and skips off to the bridge as Hibiki stands there grinning like an imbecile until he finally decides to walk to the bridge at his own pace.
Meanwhile, Renz and Meia are walking through the ship and Meia's pointing to different places trying to help Renz get acclimated to the new environment. Yet, while they're walking, they pass Jura's room and see Jukkai still on the ground babbling about boobies with now dried blood under his nose. Renz walks in cautiously and raises a brow as he gives Jukkai a slight kick to the ribs and asks, " What the hell happened to you?"
Jukkai comes to a little and looks up at Renz, " Hey, where'd Jura go?" Renz shrugs and shakes his head, " I don't know, maybe she went to look for me. But that doesn't answer my question… what the hell happened?"
Jukkai stands up slowly and looks around the room, " Well, Jura brought me here… and put on this little blue outfit out of that drawer over there." Renz looks over at the dresser and then back at Jukkai, " Which drawer?" Jukkai walks over and sees they all have little inscriptions for what is contained in each drawer. " This one… the ling…lingeree… whatever the hell this stuff is, drawer." Meia laughs a little and looks at the men, " Lingerie is a type of female undergarment… so I can see why Jukkai would have been shell shocked. Hell… I'd be a little bothered to see Jura in something so skimpy." Meia smiles a little while Renz and Jukkai just nod and laugh. Renz then looks at his male comrade and pats him on the back, " Hey why don't you come along with Meia and I. That way you won't need to bother with explaining that to anyone else." Jukkai looks down a little embarrassed but nods and smiles, " Sure, why not."
Immediately after the three exit Jura's room Bart calls over to them, " HEY! GUYS! Get to the bridge as fast as you can!" With that little statement Bart runs off towards the bridge thinking everyone is accounted for, cause Gasco is responsible, she probably already got everyone else.
So as they watch Bart run off to the bridge Renz looks at Jukkai, then to Meia and scratches his head. " I thought the threat was over, why do we need to go to the bridge?"
Meia shrugs and walks in front of the two men, " Whatever the case may be, it's normally not good to question the Captain's orders… so come on." Meia walks ahead of the guys as to lead them to where the bridge is as the two men just stand there a moment and smile, as Jukkai then leans over and whispers to Renz, " I can see why you like watching her walk, it's a very pleasurable sight being behind her." Renz nods and smirks " See… I know what I'm talking about."
After those few words the two men follow behind Meia, enjoying every step she takes and realizing they never would have imagined walking to the bridge would be so much fun.
Once the three make their entrance onto the bridge, Magno looks over at Gasco and inquires, " Gascogne, is this everyone?" Pausing momentarily, Gasco then looks at Bart who nods sharply causing her smirks, " Yes Captain, everyone is here."
Magno smiles and turns in her chair to face the screen. As Magno gives Ezra the order to patch the signal through, the rest of the crewmembers turn to gaze upon the screen.
" I wonder what it is…" mutters Alexei as Dita hears him and shrugs, "Maybe there will be cool Aliens that just want to come by and talk and participate in the cohabitation project." Dita smiles happy with her idea as Barnette sighs and shakes her head, " Okay… now we're defiantly doomed…" They all just laugh slightly as they await the image to appear on the screen.
After a few seconds, the signal is patched through and the black screen becomes temporarily filled with static, and as they all hold their breath awaiting the picture… what they see, was never imagined, even in Jura's wildest dreams. They stand there wide-eyed, jaws on the floor as they gaze upon…
To Be Continued…