Wabbit Season | Part I

Posted on Mon Jun 14th, 2021 @ 10:21am by Lieutenant Percival Bálor Ph.D & Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova
Edited on on Thu Jun 24th, 2021 @ 9:12am

1,404 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Out of Time
Location: USS Ontario | Deck 09 | Armory

The pursuit for scientific praise was one that often had Percival's creative genius sparked. Challenges were afoot, and unfortunately, his determination to validate his chosen pursuits and passions in the area of science had lead him astray, often down the twisted roads of scientific blunders.

Percy was an ouroboros. He was the alpha of his nightmares come alive and the omega of his hopes and dreams.
Once again, Lieutenant Percival Bálor was running around the starship Ontario trying to fix a problem that only he could fix...mostly because his pride dictated that only he could, and because he was the creator of his own problems.

His tongue was still numb from the stinging nettles he had recently removed from his tongue, a casualty of the hunt. His little escaped convict was running amuck throughout the starship. It was only a matter of time before Operations and or Engineering caught wind of the damage. He had to the escapee before any serious damage was done.

It was not quite an intruder alert situation, but he made his way down to deck nine nevertheless, a PADD in hand with a weapons request, schematics with modifications to be made, and the hope that the Security Chief was not the sort to play twenty questions when asked to check out a weapon and a request to have it modified.

Percy walked into where the woman's office was locked, saw her at her desk, gave the bulkhead a quick subtle knocking, and stepped in. "Hi," he said awkwardly. He handed the woman a PADD with his weapons request. "So...have any TR-116s in the armory that I could burrow for an hour or two? I just need one, and those modifications to be made to it," he added with a shrug.

To say the request for a TR-116 was peculiar was an understatement. Coming from s science officer? Absolutely bizarre. The modifications he was asking to be made: enacting the micro transporter modification to shoot through bulkheads and walls was one thing, but the request to replicate biodegradable magnesium bullets filled with a sedative? Now, that was beyond weird.

"Yes, we have them." Anahera said taking the PADD and skimming it. "So what are you hunting?" She asked.

Percy looked at the woman, his tongue still stinging a bit with numbness settling in. "Wabbit," he said awkwardly. He could hear what came out of his mouth. Damn Izarian stinging nettles he thought to himself. He opened his mouth a scratched it, pulling it a bit, just to get more sensation back into it.

"Rabbit," he corrected. "I am hunting rabbit. Well, more specifically bunnicorn. One was in one of the science labs and has escaped. It is eluding me, and I need to capture it before it does any damage to the ship. One of those gets into the jefferies tubes and starts chewing on things it should not be...well, you're going to have some power issues and there will be cooked bunnicorn."

"Okay, since time is an issue , we'll forgo the paper work for now on the condition that I join you." Anahera said. "It'll only take a few minutes for me to complete the modifications, also after the 'hunt' you best go and get Izarian nettle stings treated in Sickbay. That poison can do a number on a humanoid's system." The Security Chief added as she went off to perform the modifications.

Percy nodded in full agreement. "Were I completely Human, I'd be knocked on my ass by now. Fortunately, being half Tellarite comes in handy with most toxins," explained Percy. "I'll have it looked at after. Join me? I will happily accept your company, Commander, but if we are foregoing paperwork...could we keep this little incident between us? I have been making a mess of things lately."

"We'll see how this goes." Anahera replied knowing full well what damage a wild animal could do to a power system and had to clean up the mess a few times herself.

The Chief Science Officer held out his hand. "You'll want to hand over a tricorder, ma'am. I need to make some modifications to them...this isn't your typical bunnicorn. It kind of - uh - yeah, it ate something in my lab."

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you, Lieutenant?" She asked handing him her tricorder. The Security Chief then retrieved the replicated rounds from the replicator and the modified TR-116s from the Armory.

"Everyday, something new," replied Percy. "All the incidents lately, the strange mishaps that have been stacking up in security logs...you're welcome" Percy added. "I undoubtedly keep you and your personnel busy, but yes I am full of surprises. Unfortunately, so is this bunnicorn. It got into one of my experiments with a head of cabbage and at the cabbage. The problem is, I was focusing high density particles at the cabbage for several days."

Percy smiled awkwardly. "The particles are safe...mostly," he said hesitantly. "They were particles used in Suliban technology. Off the record, Commander? I was getting the cabbage to cloak. Not perfectly, but it was getting there. Our little bunnicorn friend escaped at some point and had the munchies."

"We're hunting a cloaked bunnicorn? Tell me as an experimental subject, you removed the venom sacs, right?" Anahera asked as she handed Percy a TR-116.

The Chief Science Officer made a dismissive sound as if to say 'how ludicrous' and he was reluctant to respond. Though he did. "I have the bunnicorn because of its venom sacks. It wouldn't serve me much purpose if those were removed."

Anahera rolled her eyes and sighed. "So, where did you see it last?" She asked.

"Deck eight. It escaped from one of the science labs and was heading for the lounge."

"Okay, let's get going." Anahera said. "Before it causes anymore trouble."

"Ladies first," replied Percy gesturing to the doorway. He prepped the modified TR-116 and placed the exographic targeting sensor on his head. "If it puts up a fight, it is bye bye bunnicorn."

"Okay." Anahera said. "I hope that's you being gentlemanly, and it's not just an excuse to stare at my ass, Lieutenant." She added as she equipped her on exographic targeting sensor.

Percy laughed at the woman's remarks. "No no," he replied. "I am letting you go first because I value my life. If something bad is out there or if anything attacks us, it has to take you out first in order to get to me" he added. His tone was so even-keeled that it would be difficult to determine if he was joking, serious, or somewhere between the two.

"I am sure you have a lovely ass, but frankly my dear, I don't give a damn," he added. "My mind is too focused on other things." It was not a lie. His mind was on other things.

"Fair enough," Anahera said taking on a more professional tone as they headed for the turbolift.

Percy followed Anahera into the turbolift. "Deck eight," he said once the doors to the lift closed. The silence was a tad bit awkward. He did not know the woman well. This was probably one of the only times thus far that they had been in the same space alone. "I can't really look at anyone else right now, not in that way. It's a wee bit annoying, but in some ways it is amusing," he said referring to not being interested in admiring her ass.

"Perhaps we can discuss it later." Anahera said stepping into the turbolift. Once Percy was aboard she said. "Deck 8." and the 'lift moved towards its destination.

"Perhaps," replied Percy. His mind drifted as the lift began to move, his chest fluttered like the thumping foot of a bunnicorn. The lift was silent, but his head was full of music. Soon, the silence was replaced with a gentle sing-songy humming of "Can't Take My Eyes off You" by Frankie Valli.

"Wouldn't "White Rabbit" be a more fitting song to hum?" Anahera asked as the turbolift came to a stop and they disembarked.

Percy hadn't realized he was humming until called out. "Oh," he replied. "You are right, something more fitting perhaps? Know any good hunting songs?"

"None that are appropriate." Anahera replied.

"I'm not an appropriate kind of guy," replied Percy. "Let's get ourselves a bad bunny." They exited the turbolift.

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