Okada sat in the bridge officer’s lounge, her chilled green tea grasped in her hands.  She had woken up that morning and found herself with the urge to return to the ship.  It was an odd feeling at the time.  Katsumi had forced herself to see old friends on the station, but she was left with this sensation of…wanting more?  The conversations had often turned to the subject of her friends and the latest gossip or the latest thing that had taken the crew by storm.

She’d wandered back to the Eddie, reflecting on the connections she had built in six months.  The Friday movie nights at Prentice’s place had become a hallowed tradition that they observed as sacred.  She’d found Woodward’s Sunday afternoon Sabbath sessions hard to grasp at first, but she was slowly starting to understand what it meant not to do any work as a part of your downtime.  She’d discovered she enjoyed reading for fun and was starting to learn more about cooking.  She found her people, she’d decided that morning.  Each of them had something that drew them together, and each of them brought an energy that encouraged the others.  They were still a young command crew, and there were plenty of journeys ahead, but she felt she’d found where she belonged.

The door to the lounge opened, and the new Chief Communications Officer stepped nervously into the room, clasping a PADD tightly to her chest.  She glanced around the room and spotted Katsumi.  “Lieutenant Commander Katsumi!”  She walked over and eyed the empty lounge, “May I…join you?”

The XO nodded, “Get a drink from the replicator if you’d like.”  The new officer nodded heartily and went over to begin the process of finding her drink.  She settled on a hot chai and returned to sit across from her on the couch.  She took a sip and closed her eyes for a moment. Katsumi gave the woman a once-over.  She was Filipino and smarter than her in communications and linguistics.  Her profile read like a book of advanced degrees and more – she’d found herself impressed with the ensign.  She leaned back, “How are you finding the Eddie?”

Presley took a swig of her chai and thought about it for a moment, “It is…a unique place, Lieuten…”

Okada put her hand, “Chief Okada or Chief Katsumi will do just fine…or just Chief.  It’s a lot simpler than the long rank and title.”

The ensign took note and started again, “It is…a unique place, Chief Katsumi.  I’ve been serving on an Olympic class ship for three years…I didn’t make many friends…it’s full of a lotta people.  But this ship…I’ve met most of the command crew, and I’ve only been here one day!  Even people in the hallways want to know me.  It’s been…hard to be open to this new experience.”

The XO smiled quietly, “I read your file, Ensign Atega.  The Eddie isn’t unique.  There’s lots of ships out there with crews and captains and chiefs just like this.  You just got lucky that you landed with us.”

Atega grimaced, “I read that Commander Harris doesn’t believe in luck.”

Katsumi laughed loudly, startling the young communications chief.  “You’ve done your research.  And ya, it’s true.  Thing is, enough of us believe in luck; we can create our own, and it’ll get us all through in the end.”

A pause as the new officer thought about what the XO had said.  “I’m not sure what I believe about luck and…all that.”  She took a sip of her drink and leaned back in the couch, “I always dreamed of space.  The incredible distances that exist…the languages…the species…the history.”  She glanced at the XO, “Sorry, Chief Katsumi…I ramble sometimes.”

A shrug, “I’ve been out here in space for so long…I sometimes forget what it’s like back planetside, you know?  Been on this ship for six months…and I’d never imagine going back to Bravo…or even Earth for a posting.  My place is here with these people – weird and wonderful as they are.”

The ensign was quiet for a moment, and Katsumi could see her mind working on deciding what she going to say.  She grasped the PADD tighter, “They say you talk to your warp core.”

The loud laugh returned to the Chief, and she shook her head, “It’s common knowledge.  Not just the core…the engine room, the conduits, the Jefferies Tubes…whatever ship I serve is my girl, my sister, my friend….it’s a relationship unlike any other.”  She eyed the young woman, “Was that an attempt at humor there, Ensign?” A weak smile was the response as she continued to clutch the PADD.  A chuckle, “We gotta work on your timing, Chief Atega.”

Presley loosened the grip on her PADD and set it down next to her as she looked up to her XO, “May I sit here with you?  This is helping.”

The XO raised her glass, “Let us toast to the luck and the linguistics in our journey, Ensign Atega.”