Can't Find the Chicken

Posted on Sat Nov 9th, 2024 @ 9:00pm by Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

935 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Various | USS Arcadia
Timeline: A Few Days post leaving Starbase 2

ON:

Adrianna had finished her shift and spent the majority of the day hunting for a damn chicken sticker. She'd looked in any area she would venture like the gym, mess hall, bridge and so on, but was coming up blank. She'd even gone through her quarters with a fine tooth comb. She wandered into engineering and found Zai, "alright, cucciolo, give me a hint and I'll get Sabastian on an encrypted video call the second we have chance."

He laughed. "Could it be that you still haven't caught your chicken?" He motioned for her to join him. "So where have you looked?" He asked as they walked.

"Bridge, office, corridors, turbo lift, mess, my quarters, engineering, the gym, captains ready room, coffee place," she listed off, in her mind going through each place again, "oh and shuttle bay. I did consider your quarters, but thought that would be silly as I'd just find the pile of chickens. Oh, I looked in with the hooch too."

"Hm... well that doesn't make sense. Try searching the shuttle bay again. It has to be there."

Adrianna shook her head, "I have been through every quarter inch. My little yellow friend is not there."

"Then I hate to tell you this but he may have been stolen."

A smirk crossed Adrianna's lips, "you mean... I get to beat up another member of the crew? Engineers have become boring to beat up."

He laughed. "Awww, you can thank me for being consciences, I bought extra so you can have your chicken sticker fix today."

She looked jokingly disappointed, "sure that I can't check security footage first and then stalk prey until I rescue the chicken?"

He laughed. "Awwww let the person fine a smile. I say share your happiness." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a chicken sticker. "Here you go?"

She took the sticker from him, "you're a--" she paused trying to remember the phrase, but it had been a long shift, "soiled port."

He laughed. "Perhaps but think of it this way. The person who found that sticker could have been having a bad day. They see something silly and it makes them smile. Worth it?"

"Being in love has made you too kind," she smiled, shaking her head, "we may need some rules about these stickers."

"I'm all ears. I'm done here follow me to the office?"

Adrianna nodded, and began following him, "perhaps the stickers stay in specific locations. Or places I'd specifically be. Just don't make me choke on a sticker whilst drinking coffee. What do you think?"

He laughed. "Yeah I got too creative on that one. That sounds good." Zai entered the office stopped and smiled. There in the middle of the desk was an envelope. "So Sabastian and Vance seem to have a similar tactic. He's got someone on the ship leaving these for me." He picked up the envelope and put it in his desk drawer. "Okay so maybe just around the bridge or your department?"

Adrianna nodded, "unless you hide and immediately tell me the general location." Her eyes looked to the envelope, "perhaps it's an engineer thing. Keen to build-- be that relationship or an engine. It's sweet."

"Alright, I can do that. Hide and let you know general location."

Just as they were seated the chime on the door rang. He hit the button to open it and an engineer came in smiling. Zai laughed. "What's got that smile on your face Ensign?"

The Ensign held up a sicker. "Look what I found in the shuttle bay! God it's been a long month and this was so freeken cute. Anyway it kind of turned my day and made me laugh." She placed a data tape on his desk. "The updated stats. I tried to give it Lieutenant Lee but he's in a mood."

Zai sighed and shot Adri a look. He turned back to the Ensign. "No worries. I'll file the paperwork." He paused. "Why don't you take the rest of the day. Build on that happy feeling of finding the sticker."

Her eyes widened. "What? Really? But Lee..."

"Let me deal with that. We're not short staffed today and the new Engineers have things in hand. If I recall you took no time at base so take the day and tomorrow too. I'll cover."

She gave a little clap. "Oh my God! You're the best. Thank you!"

He grinned as she left. "See, Well, what do you say now?"

Adrianna felt like Gollum. The sticker called to her. She felt him look at her. She groaned and sat back in her seat, sulking. "Fine," she growled, "but anyone else steals one, I'll hunt them down."

He laughed. "Here since I have quite a few extra here is another one." He passed one over. "Better?"

She looked over at him and pouted, "it's not that one though." She chuckled, "keep your spares. I'll just take the one for today. I'll survive. Vance will pay when we next see him in person. Speaking of, I cannot seem to get a hold of him. Have you spoken to him lately?"

"Yeah before we left. He's cramming for the rank exam. Before they promote him he has to pass that. It's not easy. BUT that said I know he'll do well and he's also doing some paperwork for his leave to go to Betazed."

Adrianna nodded, "if you speak to him before I do, can you wish him luck and have him call me? The chickens only distract for so long."

He laughed. "I can do that."

OFF:

 

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