Starship Armstrong - Season 3

Part 46 - Coincidence and Misunderstanding (III)

McAfree rubbed her eyes and sat up in her chair when she heard the door to the Science Department chirp as it opened. She had spent the night there again.

"Good morning, McAfree," said Wagner, once she was settled.

"Ensign," replied McAfree, frostily.

Here we go, thought Wagner.

McAfree stood and began straightening her uniform, which had been disheveled from being slept for two days straight. It didn't do much good.

"Do you want to talk about anything?" asked Wagner.

"Not with you," replied McAfree. She turned around and walked to the other side of the room where she pretended to busy herself with some equipment.

She was obviously still upset about the other night. Wagner wished he could get her to understand that he was just trying not to take advantage of her when she was drunk. It was difficult when she would barely talk to him.

"Yoshiko I'm sorry-"

"Save it," said McAfree. "And don't be so familiar."

There wasn't any point in trying to engage with her now, Wagner decided. She'd just keep trying to push him away and would get more hurtful the longer he persisted. And McAfree could be very hurtful when she wanted to.

The problem was she didn't have anyone left to help her process what she went through. Everyone she was close to on the ship she was angry with at the moment. Well, except for Dr. Kang. That was a scary thought.

Wagner went over to his terminal and booted it up. A few minutes later Dr. Kang burst into the room.

"The Captain is currently engaged in delicate diplomatic negotiations!" he announced. "Why are we not already eavesdropping? Why do I even have assistants if I have to do everything myself?"

"Technically neither of us is your assistant anymore," Wagner pointed out.

"Shut up, Wagner," said Dr. Kang and McAfree in unison.

* * *

"The fact that I should be made to share a screen with that man is an insult, an outrage and a sacrilege, not necessarily in that order!" seethed President Gibson.

"That last sentence is the only thing I have ever agreed with that man on!" growled President Gibson.

"Do either of your people have access to space travel?" asked the Captain.

"Well..." stammered President Gibson.

"That is..." President Gibson demurred.

"Then what could you possibly be so angry with each other about?"

"I am not angry!" bellowed President Gibson, his face flushed red, his teeth gritted. "I'm right!"

"He's angry!" barked President Gibson, pointing violently, the vein on the side of his head throbbing. "I'm not angry."

"I've had it with both of you," said the Captain. "I have more than one shuttle I'll just send two delegations."

"There is only one planet!" said President Gibson.

"Only one!" agreed President Gibson.

Funny, they didn't seem to have any issue finding common ground now.

"Then I suppose one of the delegations is going to be very bored," replied the Captain. "Send me the coordinates for the landings. And don't encrypt them. End transmission."

The President Gibson on the left turned into the starscape. The other remained.

"Both of them Ensign!" snapped the Captain.

The other President Gibson disappeared as well.

The Captain started rubbing her hands and looking around at her bridge crew.

"Alright," she said, "who don't I like today?"

Marceaux hunched down a little in his chair.