The Ship

Dropship FSS Roanoke

Towne 

Federated Suns

12 May 3077

                    Azalea Thomas dropped her kit bag on the deck of the cabin she would be sharing for the next few weeks as they made their way to wherever their next target was.

                    "Top or bottom?"

                    She looked up to see her roomate for the first time. 

                    "That's a loaded question." She didn't know why she blurted that out. She immediately started to blush. The woman looking back at her was gorgeous. She was dressed in the standard fatigues of the 5th Crucis Lancers, but Azalea didn't recognize her. That wasn't anything to remark on, she didn't know many of the people beyond the medical staff that she worked with. 

                    The woman held out her hand. "Captain Danielle Waters. Most people call me Dani."

                    Azalea shook her hand. "Corporal Azalea Thomas. I'm a medic. People usually call me Zee"

                    "Well Zee, pleased to meet you. I'm a mechjock, if you hadn't guesed already. Guess we'll be berthed together until we get to wherever we are going."

                    Azalea smiled. "So you don't know where we're heading?"

                    "Not a clue. They don't tell us much. Operational security and all that. So, top or bottom?"

                    "Bottom, if that's okay with you?"

                    "Fine with me."

                    The two exchanged pleasantries as they all got settled in. Azalea tried to keep her cool, but she was drawn to this woman. Her pose, her figure, the subtle blonde highlights in her jet black hair that perfectly gelled with her flawless light brown skin.It wouldn't do to be crushing on her roomate for the next few weeks. 

                    "So, you play cards?"

                    Azalea shrugged. "A little. I can play some Poker and some Drax. I'm not very good."

                    Well, the officers have a bit of a game going whenever we get some downtime, and you're more than welcome to tag along. We usually play Drax. It cuts through the monotonay of the space side run."

                    "Sure. Beats just hanging around."

                    "That's the spirit"

                    They made some small talk, getting to know one another, and the game of Drax made things easier. After a few hands, Zee felt comfortable enough around the group. She made several flirtatious comments towards Dani, but she wasn't sure if they hit or miss. 

                    What was she doing? She had just had a fling with a Mechwarrior and now she was having the hots for her roomate? She felt like she was back in school again. They made their way back to their cabin. The bulkhead closed with a thud. Zee's pulse was racing.

                    "See, you weren't bad at all. You took the Major for a few hands, something he won't forget next time, mind you."

                    "I just felt like a fish out of water. You guys all know each other, and you're all Mechwarriors."

                    "Bullshit. You fit in fine, Zee."

                    "Well, it's good to have something to break the monontony. I hate the time in space. I don't get TDS or anything, I just hate not being on solid ground, you know?"

                    Dani smiled. "Yeah, I hear you. For me it's the waiting. I hate the downtime. I want to be in the thick of it, you know? Downtime can be fun and all, but there's nothing like the rush of piloting a mech into battle."

                    "Yeah, I get that. The adrenaline rush and all. I wasn't always a combat medic, I started out in the rear, very tame compared to being out in the field. I hated it at first, but it's kind of come to grow on me"

                    Dani tapped her on the shoulder. Tingles ran down her spine. "Speaking of a rush to beat the downtime, you want to try something?"

                    "What do you mean?"

                    Dani dug through one of her bags and removed a small black box. She opened it and inside were an assortment of various pills and capsules "You ever let loose? You know?"

                    "Can't say as I have. Isn't some of that shit illegal?"

                    "It's only illegal if you get caught. And sometimes not even then."

                    Zee shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

                    Dani shrugged. "We all have a little something to get us through the downtimes. For some it's booze, but I've never been into that. Seen too many good soldiers go down a bad path with that. But chems, you use them right, it helps a lot to get you through. You're a medic, you understand."

                    "I guess. I've just never..."

                    "It's cool. We don't have anything going on for days here in this hunk of metal. It won'tr affect your readiness of anything like that, if that's what's got you worried."

                    "No, it's not that."

                    "You were hitting on me prety hard back there at the Drax game. How about we just calm your nerves. Everything will be fine. Here."

                    She passed Zee a tiny pink pill. "What is it?"

                    "It's called Solaris Spice. It just takes the edge off, lets you relax a bit. Nothing trippy or anything like that, and it won't get you hooked. Won't show up on a standard screen either, if you're worried about that."

                    "No, it's cool. Thanks." 

                    With that, she popped the tiny pill and waited.