Marie Benedicte was something of a priss when it came to her personal behavior. She was prudish, not prone to socialization, some might even say awkward and introverted. But when it came time for shore leave, there was one thing she loved to do above all others. Marie Benedicte loved to sun bathe.

Marie lay prone on a beach chair, somewhere on the sandy shores of Costa Rica. In her red and blue one piece swimsuit, sunglasses comfortably over her eyes, she absorbed every beautiful ray of sunshine. Marie had spent a majority of her teenage years living in Brazil, and she’d loved every minute of it. Though not currently in her home, she absorbed every tropical environment she could find herself in.

Which was why when the golden haired beauty had applied to Starfleet Academy, she had literally no clue San Francisco would be so frequently cold, overcast and rainy.

Once she had graduated and been placed onboard various Starfleet vessels, she found space too was equally cold, barren, and devoid of the nourishing rays of sunlight which she so frequently enjoyed.

And when someone stepped between her and her glowing rays on her first shore leave in months, she was quick to find herself annoyed.

“Excuse me…” She said, pulling the sunglasses down the bridge of her nose, “You’re in my sun.”

Lt. Charlie Farnsworth, found herself precariously positioned between Sol and the bathing beauty.

“I know,” Charlie said in an authoritative tone, “You can just call me Captain Buzzkill.”

Marie completely removed her sunglasses now, and squinting up with her deep blue eyes, took the woman in, for all in all.

From her seated position in the chair, all she saw was purple hair, a command uniform, and equivalent set of Lieutenants pips.

Mistakenly believing herself to be addressing someone of similar rank was Marie’s first mistake, but certainly not her last.

“Purple hair.” She said with an apparent sarcastic tone on her lips, “I dyed my hair purple once… when I was twelve.”

Charlie let the insult slide.

One, you get one… she thought to herself.

Marie stood up, since it was fairly obvious that Cap’n Buzzkill had no intention of moving or introducing herself.

Marie was only a couple of inches taller than Charlie, but with her hands folded on her hips, and the sand slowly sucking her feet downward, Charlie suddenly felt the blonde woman towering over her. Marie’s presence was strong and briefly Charlie wondered if Marie might push her down for not getting out of her way.

“Fine. I’ll move. It’s a big beach…” Marie said.

Charlie let the play on words enter her mind for a moment. I’m looking at a big beach alright, she thought to herself.

“I’m Lieutenant Charlotte Farnsworth,” She said with an outstretched hand, “I’m the new Captain of the Feuos.”

Marie did not shake her hand. Instead, she looked down at the slightly shorter girl with a myriad of expressions, and a wrinkled up nose that implied she was either a liar, drunk, or standing on the wrong beach.

“You are not…” Marie said in a corrective tone, “I read the dock masters assignment list. The Feuos is supposed to be commanded by a Lieutenant Commander Nate Wilmer.”

Charlie winced to herself, without shaking her implacable expression of command presence. There was that name again; his name. She began to realize she was going to have to explain herself a lot in the coming days, to people she hardly knew.

“Change of plans. You might want to check your orders again.” She said with a smile of assuredness.

Charlie pulled a small PADD that had been tucked away under her left arm, and thrust it under the young woman’s nose for her to examine at her leisure.

“The Feuos has been pushed up on the missions list. Starfleet needs someone to take point on the team immediately. Commander Wilmer wasn’t available and I was next in line.” She explained.

Marie read the orders in horror and silence, as Charlie continued.

“The Feuos is experiencing a minor power fluctuation on her starboard ventral Bussard collector. It’s probably nothing, but I wanted it squared away before we pull out of dock this afternoon.”

Marie’s golden skin went from tan, to ghost white in mere seconds. Not only had she realized that she had been in fact talking to her new boss, but that she had been rude, surly, and by Starfleet standards, insubordinate.

“T-this… this afternoon?” Marie choked on the question.

Charlie turned her back, somewhat accidentally kicking sand in Marie’s direction as she walked away.

“You’ve been recalled to duty as Chief Engineer, immediately, Lieutenant.” She said, “Shore leave has been cancelled.”

Charlie began to walk back in the direction from which she had come, towards the beam out site. Marie could do nothing but watch her walk away. Suddenly she found herself worrying about her future in Starfleet.

“You can keep the PADD.” Charlie said, already far in the distance.

Charlie’s last words to Marie were mumbled, and quiet. Thankfully, for Marie’s sake, they had been obscured by the roaring sounds of ocean, and crashing surf.

“See you on the ship, lil’ miss sunshine.”