Stardate 52012.5

     Elea woke at 0700 exactly, her internal chronometer being among the most
accurate in the Federation.  For a moment she continued to lay in bed, blinking 
at the darkened ceiling, with the covers pulled up tight around her shoulders.
Then with a sigh she sat up, placing her bare feet on the carpeted decking.
     "Lights."
     She started to yawn, but stopped herself.  Human emulation could be so 
annoying at times. 
     The computer responded to her command by bringing the lighting up, 
brightening the room considerably.  Elea pushed herself up off the bed, her 
light blue pajamas rustling slightly.  She noted with a slight smile that 
everything was still working properly, those first few months had been 
interesting.  Sometimes plain embarrassing. Softly she padded over to the 
computer console on her desk, and activated the screen.  A simulation for an
improved navigational technique, based on what she had recorded the night 
before, ran on the screen.  Of course, downloading the recordings into the 
computer had required a direct physical connection.  Elea glanced over at the 
small cable that could connect her to the special computer system and smiled 
briefly.  It was addicting, the free flow of information, pure thought and 
knowledge.
     Of course, while the recording was being uploaded into her computer, she 
had downloaded the security logs to Cargo Bay 4.  She had been curious, rumor 
had it the Doctor had been shot, who had shot her?  Why hadn't the alarms gone
off?  Oddly enough, the file had contained nothing but static and noise.  Elea
frowned slightly as she changed her clothes, why had Lieutenant Carter deleted
the files?  She couldn't find a good reason.
     "Your duty shift begins in 15 minutes," the computer's voice chimed 
through the room.
     Elea rolled her eyes and shoved her foot into her shoe, "I know, I know.."
     Fully dressed, she looked into the mirror for a moment before tucking a 
stray hair behind her ear.  It fell foreward again, and she sighed loudly.  
Giving up on perfection, she turned and left the quarters, the door sliding 
shut behind her quietly.  She didn't even notice the screen on her computer, 
still running the simulation, dissolve into static as Reman's virus destroyed 
the files.  Several seconds later she entered the lift.
     "Bridge!", the lift responded and rose swiftly.
     Elea almost paced as the lift raced upwards, this would be her first trip
to the bridge.  She hoped she made a good impression.  Taking a deep breath 
she forced herself to calm down.  Just as she thought she was regaining her 
composure, the lift slowed and the doors slid open to reveal the ship's command
center.  She stepped from the lift, a look of wonder on her face as she looked 
around.  Lights, sounds, and voiced assaulted her senses.  Screens flashed 
displays and readouts, people moved about busily.  It was nothing like the
simulations she was used too.  Directly ahead of her was the viewscreen, it 
enthralled her. 
     "Lieutenant?  Are you all right?"
     Elea blinked. Who had said that?  The sound of a throat clearing drew her 
attention downward to the Captain, who had turned around in his chair and was 
looking at her curiously.
     "Um, yes sir.  Sorry sir", she smiled nervously and quickly headed for her
station.
     "Don't worry about it Lieutenant, everyone has a first time"
     Elea nodded slightly, "Thank you sir."
     She sat quickly and turned her chair to face foreward, and her console.
Expertly she scanned the console, taking in the control layout and current 
settings.  The ship was on course and cruising along at a leisurely Warp 3.  
Happy that everything seemed normal, she reached up and began to input the 
commands to start a diagnostic and simulation session.  She froze suddenly, 
staring at her hands.  They were shaking, barely.
     "Hey, are you all right?", Valen spoke softly.
     Elea quickly looked over and smiled nervously, "I think so, just nervous 
I guess."
     Valen nodded slightly, unconvinced, and returned to his work.  Elea did 
the same, glad that the tremors had seemed to stop.  She busied herself with 
diagnostics and simulations, learning how this particular ship would handle.
It was going to be a long shift.