First Impressions "
By: Ian Hunter, Commanding Officer, [PC]
Dr. Alyssa Caitlin Northrop, Intel Officer, [PST]

Stardate: 58204.15 1945

=Qul Tuq Deck 7 section 69=

Hunter was leaving the Commodore's office and was walking down the section to the turbo lift. Suddenly as he rounded the corner, he was met head on by someone else carrying several travel bags. As they bumped the bags fell to the deck. Scattering their contents. Hunter took a step back, "Excuse me Miss," he smiled "I didn't see you coming around the corner."

"You wanna watch where you're going, huh?" Looking around herself on the ground....seeing her clothing scattered all over the floor. She gasped, "Oh good God!" She quickly began collecting the various bits of lingerie and stuffing them back into the bag they'd come out of.

Hunter, noticing the personal nature of the items resisted his instinct to bend down and help. "Would you like a hand with that?" offered Hunter instead.

"Do I....NO!" She scowled as she gathered up the last of her underwear. "Why would you possibly think I would want you touching my lingerie?" Her words came out as an irate whisper.

"Of course you wouldn't." chuckled Hunter offering his hand to help her up. He got his first look at her he recognized her. It was the Zion's inbound Chief Warrant Officer. He mused to himself, 'so much for first impressions.'

Once she got her clothing back into her bags, she stood up to her full height...and looked the man in the eyes. "Who do you think you are? The King of Qul Tuq?" Her brown eyes were hard...and she flipped her hair back over her shoulder.

"King? ...hardly" said Hunter trying to maintain a gracious composure, "no," Looking at the beautiful young lady, he asked, "...but where are you heading to so fast Warrant Officer?ˇ

She shot back quickly. "I'm a Doctor......" She broke off....remembering that she'd just gotten her comission. "....and a Warrant Officer.......Captain." Her eyes fell onto the four pips on the man's collar....

Alyssa had a very bad feeling that she'd screwed up big time. She was usually right about such things....last time she'd gotten this feeling, she'd accidentily triggered a rather nasty little booby trap in a Optian Temple. "I was headed to the ship I was just assigned to, Sir."

"I'm heading that way myself, may I give you a hand Dr. Northrop?"

Her eyes went wide, "You're.....you're....." she swore in Klingon. Regaining her composure, "Nice to meet you, Captain Hunter."

"The pleasure is all mine Doctor," said Hunter cordially.

"May I?" asked Hunter gesturing at the larger of the three travel bags.

Northrop felt too bad at the moment to turn him down. "Thank you, Captain....but you don't have to." Alyssa picked up the other two....keeping her personal bag close at hand.

Hunter picked up the larger bag, carefully swinging it over his shoulder

They began walking toward the docking ring where the station's transporter pad was located. Turning to Alyssa as they walked Hunter asked, "Is this your first assignment on a star ship?"

She nodded, "As a crewmember yes.....I was on a Federation Science ship for a while.....but myself and the Captain had a philosophical disagreement, so I left the ship at the next stop." She hefted one of her bags back up onto her shoulder...no looking at Hunter.

Hunter paused to let her catch up. He smiled, "A 'philosophical' disagreement? That sounds like a euphemism."

"Well...He insisted that some artifacts I recovered be given to a certain museum.....I didn't agree."

Hunter smiled, he had an idea what had happened. "So how do you feel about being a 'crewmember' now?" asked Hunter.

"So long as the Maquis continues to go in the direction that I'm headed....then I'm fine with it." She figured that Hunter would already know about her family....and that they were really the reason she was there.

"I've seen..." said Hunter with a pause, "..the federation do a lot of bad things." he said with distant stare. He stopped waking and turned to Alyssa, "And as long as I am Captain of the Zion, I will do everything in my power bring the federation down and see justice served." Hunter looked away for a moment. "We all have our own reasons for being here..." with a serious look, he turned back to Alyssa, "If you have any hidden agendas, I suggest you be upfront with me. Otherwise I expect ever member of this ship to do their part. " Hunter paused another moment, "I just want you to understand, this is a war ship, not a research ship." He set her bad down on the transporter pad. He smiled at her. "You know?"

"Oh...I've very aware that the Zion is a warship." She looked up at her new boss, "And I don't have any hidden agendas....mine are all right out in front...and that's to get my family back."

Hunter took her bags and set them on the transporter pad. Smiling he said, "Very well Chief, You are going to do just fineˇ he nodded, ´...just fine." Hunter tapped his com badge, "transporter room 2, luggage to beam directly to Warrant Officer Northrop's quarters.

´I don't suppose I could persuade you to call me Doctor rather than Warrant Officer?ˇ She looked at Hunter and then looked away.

´I don't know..ˇ said Hunter, ´I run a pretty tight ship, I'll see what I can do....ˇ he smirked, ´...Doctor.ˇ

They watched as her stuff dematerialized. Hunter turned to Alyssa, ´Well I have a meeting to attend, Welcome to the Zion.ˇ he said extending his hand. ´Thank you, Captain.ˇ She smiled at him.

Alyssa turned and stepped on the transporter pad and had herself beamed to her new quarters aboard the Zion.