Chap 2

"I just came by to use the computer."

C2 didn't even look up from her book. "'Backward technology' getting to you again?"

"Something like that." Charlie settled into her old desk and tapped the PC on. "We're looking for a new way to improve power efficiency. Maybe there's something here we haven't tried."

"You do know that's cheating?"

Charlie grinned. "Call it what you will, but it just might get me promoted."

"So, while I'm working my butt off trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing each day, you're getting promoted for secretly using future technology to improve your work ethic. Yeah, that sounds like a fair arrangement."

Charlie's expression changed to one of concern. "Sorry. How was work today?"

"Fine. We're charting some nebula somewhere, and I've pretty much done everything I need to for today, but we're having trouble identifying these pockets of gas." She chucked over a PADD, which Charlie deftly caught. "The gas is made up of unfamiliar chemicals, which Lt Finch and I are supposed to be looking up-"

"Hey, I recognise this. The gas is made up of 2 main elements, Metafisanine and… um… Chloronide, I think it was. Combined they're highly toxic to most life forms and is very rare- in fact, there's only one case of it in history. I'm not surprised the computer couldn't identify it."

"How do you know about it?"

"Extra reading, genius. I guess it's something they don't put in the database. I was lucky enough to go to a scientific library of mostly unimportant stuff on Col 4 when I was travelling with Papa, though I didn't think so at the time."

"Thanks, Charlie. I'll tell Finch-"

The door chimed, and without thinking, both girls called out 'come in'. In the split second before the door opened, the girls looked at each other, stricken, before C2 dived behind her chair, leaving Charlie frozen at the PC.

Lt Finch walked in and greeted the girl, then saw what she was wearing and stared. "Ensign, if you don't mind my asking, um, why are you wearing an old uniform?"

"I'm…er…I'm…" Charlie racked her brain for an answer, and came to the only one she could find. "I'm… playing dress up?"

"Playing…dress up," Finch repeated, embarrassed disbelief crossing his face. Trying to recover himself, he commented, "Well, um, you've got the colour wrong. Gold is Operations, Blue is Science."

"I'm quite aware of that, thanks…" Charlie counted the pips on his collar, "Lieutenant. Now, with all due respect, I am a little busy, so what is it you came for?"

"Oh, right, sorry, I was wondering whether you've identified those mysterious pockets of gas in the nebula…"

"Meaning you haven't been able to?"

Embarrassed silence.

"Ok, hang on." Charlie spent a few moments tapping on her PADD, then handed it to him. "You'll find it all there. Metafisanine and Chloronide, highly toxic, very rare. And no I'm not a genius, I read it in a book. Is that all?"

"Yes, thank you…" Finch stared at the PADD, then her.

"Well, bye then." Charlie wiggled her fingers in an impatient little wave.

He finally got the hint and left, and C2 popped her head out from behind the chair, looking ready to burst. "Playing dress up? Seriously?"

Charlie exploded. "Did you see his face?"

C2 nodded, giggling hysterically. "He's probably still wondering what happened!"

"He was so embarrassed!"

"And his reaction when you just casually gave him the information everyone was searching for…"

"And then I was like, bye!" Charlie wiggled her fingers again, sniggering. "Like, get out of my quarters and leave me alone! Guys! Can't take a hint."

The girl spent the next few minutes in hysterics before finally deciding to calm down. Charlie turned back to the PC and sighed. "Back to work again, I guess."

C2 replicated two coffees and set one on the desk for her. "I presume you like Vietnamese?"

"Ohhh, yes, I love it. Don't have it very often, though." She leaned forward, studying the screen. "Seriously, bypassing the secondary outlets actually works?"

"Apparently."

"I don't think we've ever tried it." Charlie took a quick gulp of coffee and winced as it burned her throat. She looked at the time in the corner of the screen and whistled. "Whew, the whole night's gone in the other universe. I must be going."

"Ok, see you next time."

Charlie emptied her coffee mug, dropped it in the recycling chute, and slipped through the gap to start work in the other universe, while C2 picked up her book, curled up in the chair, and started where she had left off.