“Where is Vaat,” Roberts asked, craning his neck so he could see the door to the Operations Lounge, his back facing it.

“Probably up on the Bridge playing video games on the viewscreen,” Veenak responded. “You know how those goldbricks up there are.”

“There are gold bricks on the bridge? What for? Are we looking to do some latinum mining soon,” Jin’Tok asked.

Roberts and Veenak both blinked at him for a moment before cracking up laughing.

“Did I say something funny,” Jin’Tok asked, looking to Roberts then to Veenak and back, lost as to what was so funny.

Veenak responded. “The term ”gold brick,” when used in this manner, means people that live life at ease. Everyone knows Bridge Officers sit up their on their lazy behinds, while the rest of us actually work our fourth point of contact off maintaining the ship and systems. All they do is order us around.”

Jin’Tok nodded, understanding. “I see. And you have been on the bridge to see these games being played on the viewscreen,” he asked Roberts, “And you have seen them sitting around just relaxing,” he said to Veenak, impressed at both. “The closest I have ever been to the Bridge is Deck 4. I have not even been to the Executive Officers office for a meeting with him, or with his predecessor.”

Veenak responded first. “Well, no. I’ve never been to the Bridge,” she confessed.

Sheepishly, Roberts responded in kind. “Yeah, neither have I,” he said admittedly. “However,” he said, recovering for himself as well as Veenak, “It is common knowledge that is what happens up there.”

Jin’Tok furrowed his brow, thinking and being confused. “So neither of you have ever personally witnessed this? What about away missions? Senior Officer always go on the Away Missions. And meetings, they have a lot of meetings, do they not?”

Roberts snorted. “You mean they get to leave the ship and see all those wonderfully amazing exotic planets and meet and greet all those wonderful people that we all joined Starfleet to do? Certainly sucks to be them,” he said sarcastically.

“Yeah, and meetings? Really Jin?” Veenak stated. “We all have meetings. The Senior Officers though, they have it down pat. They have a meeting to discuss what they are going to discuss at their next meeting, so they are prepared for the actual meeting later on. They have meetings to ensure their meetings will go according to plan.”

“That does not sound very efficient,” Jin’Tok stated.

“You are sounding like a Vulcan, Jin,” Roberts said. Roberts knew if he and the Klingon had not been such close friends, he’d be carrying his own head to Sickbay for Doctor Kin’Fuji or Doctor Winters to reattach. Insulting a Klingon was a dangerous and extremely fine line to follow. Insult them with anyone that even remotely looked like a Romulan was nearly a death sentence. Which, now that Roberts thought about that, he thought maybe wasn’t such a big no-no anymore, what with Romulans in Starfleet now.

Jin’Tok grumbled, but wore a (however slight) smirk on his face.

“Where is he,” Veenak asked, looking at the door, wondering what could have held Vaat up. “He was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago to join us.

“Maybe he has forgotten about us. Maybe he is just too important now that he has rank and position,” Roberts said. The contempt in his voice was noticable, but barely.

“I cannot believe that to be the case, Alan,” Veenak said. “I mean, sure, he is my boss now, and even I barely get to talk to him anymore. I did get to talk to Ensign Robinson though, the new Assistant Chief of Operations. She seems very kind and nice.”

Jin’Tok and Alan both grunted in acknowledgement.

“So even you barely talk to him now. Do you think he is avoiding you, and avoiding us? We were all such good friends.” Roberts sat back in his chair, almost defeated. “What do you think we did wrong?”

“I do not think we have done anything wrong, Alan,” Jin’Tok responded as Veenak opened her mouth to do the same. “He is a Senior Officer now. Whether that means he is busy with work that none of us see or even know about, or if he is playing video games on the main viewscreen, or even taking a nap at his station, I cannot say, but we all know there is a clear line between Senior Officer and Junior Officer, just as there is a clear line between us Junior Officers and the Senior Non-Commissioned Officers aboard. And for them, a clear line between them and the Lower Enlisted. It could be he cannot enjoy our company anymore.”

Roberts nodded. “Yeah, you are right, of course. It just sucks. He is one cool cat. Uh,” he said, hurriedly, “Just don’t tell him I said that.”

“Yes, his presence will certainly be missed,” Jin’Tok agreed.

“It will,” Veenak said. “So, do you knuckleheads want to go ahead and order, or are we going to starve to death?”

OFF

Ensign Veenak, Operations Officer

&

Ensign Jin’Tok, Security Officer

&

Ensign Alan Roberts, Pilot