A Corner of Paradise

Posted on Wed Jun 2nd, 2010 @ 9:20am by Commodore Samantha York & Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson

922 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Transitions
Location: Arboretum
Timeline: Current

ON

Lizzie walked into the arboretum and did a slow turn. It was... clean. Trees had been planted, yes, but there was room for improvement. The second level was only half-filled with plants. She liked that. It meant more room for her to add her own touches.

And, now that Sam was the CO instead of the Chief Science Officer, she had both less and more to do with the arboretum.

So, to keep things simple, and because she liked bouncing ideas off Sam, she called the CO down to talk about renovations.

====

Sam was grateful for the chance to slip away from her ready room and the business of moving to a new ship. Especially when it meant she could go into the arboretum. It was one of her favorite places on the ship.

She walked into the room and stopped. It looked like every other arboretum she'd been in. She looked around and grinned. That was going to change right away.

She found Lizzie in a back room. "Hi!" she said cheerfully. "So, you want to talk about the arboretum?"

Lizzie had a large grid spread across the worktable. "Yea. I based this on the Orion's arboretum, but we have a little more room here, so I wanted you to take a look and give me some feedback," she said, plopping down in front of the large paper.

Sam looked over the plans carefully, noting the trees and walkways, the holo-emitters and waterfall.

The second floor was filled with flowers and smaller shrubs. Walkways meandered around the room which was open in the middle to give the trees plenty of room to grow. At the far end was a large waterfall that fed into the irrigation system. As with the Orion, the area behind the waterfall was covered in tall fern. A small walkway led behind the waterfall and allowed the crew to look out on the arboretum without being seen. A bench allowed people to sit and visit for a while.

Sam smiled as she recalled taking Damon on a tour of the arboretum. They'd just started getting to know each other then... She would have to bring him on another tour when this one was complete. She wondered if he would remember his threat to dump goldfish in the irrigation stream. She chuckled softly and shook her head.

The bottom level, behind the waterfall, was a large viewport showing a view of the stars.

There was still the large Medusa tree in the center of the room with a circular bench for people to sit. Walkways radiated from the center 'hub.' The back part had a thicker forest with fern and soft undergrowth. The front part was a little more cultured, but not a lot. It still had a feel of old growth. Something both Lizzie and Sam appreciated.

Flowers on the top, trees on the bottom. Lots of places to walk or sit and enjoy nature. Thick enough to feel like you had stepped away from the ship. Sam liked it. "Perfect. Can you get the changes made in a week?" she asked.

"Sure. I've already put in orders. Some of it can be acquired here. The rest will be shipped in. Everyone in the department will come out to help plant. We'll have it set by launch," Lizzie assured her. "I'm even going to launch rubber ducks in honor of the ship's launch. We'll have rubber duck races around the perimeter."

Sam chuckled. "Sounds like fun. Do you think I could camp out in here the night before it opens? Just to 'get away' for a few hours?" She had no idea when the idea began to take root, but the thought of sleeping in the arboretum appealed to her. She may not be the only one to do so, but she wanted to be the first.

Lizzie looked at her for a moment, then grinned. "As long as you're not alone, I think I can let you stay here. I'll even lock the door so you have some privacy," she teased.

Sam felt her cheeks grow warm. "I'll see what I can do. Would I disturb the undergrowth if I set up a tent, or should I just throw down a bedroll?"

"I think a bedroll would be best. If you want privacy, go in the back where the trees are thicker. Or in the fern. There will be enough room in there for a double-wide bedroll."

Sam refused to comment, but her blush deepened. "I'll let you get back to work. Notify me when you do the planting. I'd love to give you a hand."

Lizzie nodded in agreement. "Just be sure to get the Commander's permission. I hear she's particular about who gets to sleep in here."

Sam chuckled. "I think I can get that. Thanks for letting me in on this. I look forward to the finished product."

She liked Lizzie, but right now she didn't mind escaping back to her room. She would invite Damon to join her -- and she'd take Lizzie up on her offer to lock the place down for the night. Even if she were alone, she wouldn't want someone walking in on her while she slept. Besides, the arboretum shouldn't be open to the public until its official grand opening the day before they launched. She thanked Lizzie for her excellent work and headed back to her pile of paperwork.

OFF

Commander Samantha York
Commanding Officer
USS Calypso

Ensign Elizabeth Jackson (NPC)
Biologist
USS Calypso

 

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