Lieutenant Astrid Farnsworth, Communications Officer
"Commander Fayette? Do you have a few minutes?"
Brandon looked up from his quiet station in the Astrophysics lab to see Lieutenant Farnsworth. It was after duty hours, so she clearly wasn't here on official business. "Uh, yes...?"
She tilted her head and smiled at him, quite a charming expression. "I thought your presentation today was interesting and I wanted to follow up."
He blinked at her, confused. Her personnel file hadn't mentioned advanced mathematics study. "Did- did you have an interest in quantum mechanics?"
She shrugged slightly, maybe a little sheepishly. "The math's a bit much. But we know that parallel universes exist, and I was fascinated by the possibilities. If you have time to answer some questions?"
"Oh! Of course." That was one of his favorite things, explicating scientific theories for the crew. They couldn't all be physicists, of course. But as far as he was concerned, anyone who didn't have a healthy interest in the wonders of the galaxy (and beyond) didn't have any business exploring it.
And then his mouth got ahead of his brain and he blurted out, "I thought you usually spent the evening with Dr. Stanton." He blanched as soon as he said it, regretting the inappropriateness of the suggestion.
Lieutenant Farnsworth just smiled at him, though. "We're not attached at the hip." And then she added, "I haven't had dinner yet, would you like to join me?" and Brandon had to forcibly remind himself that she was interested in the science, not in him. That was the way it should be.