seventh translation // voice/action

[lt_linguist]

The house is minus one crystal ball, and plus one Captain.

Hopefully it'll stay that way for a while.

[Passersby might notice Uhura outside house #7. What is she doing? Well, she's got a small fire going, of all things. She also has a moderately-sized stack of papers, covered in a neat, feminine hand.

She's burning them, carefully, one by one.]

Comments

[slaying]

[Buffy steps out--perhaps as though she were sneaking out for some unprescribed fun; however, she notices Uhura quite quickly.]

Little chilly for a bonfire, isn't it?

[lt_linguist]

[Uhura glances up at Buffy, giving her a wry sort of smile.]

I'd agree, but this was the best way I could think of to reliably dispose of trash, and I'm not starting a fire inside the house.

Did McCoy give you the okay to be wandering around?

[slaying]

Trash? [She asks, pointedly ignoring the question so the answer must be no.]

[lt_linguist]

[She gave it her best shot, anyway. Glancing at the pages in front of her, she picks one out and offers it to Buffy.

It's a sheet of paper covered with gossipy tidbits about the Slayer (and some about Kirk). Some are true, and highly embarrassing, and some are false, but also highly embarrassing. Clearly, Uhura had been writing these things down on anything she could find that wasn't her journal.]

[ voice ]

[thirdhost]

Things seem to be getting back to normal, then. [ a beat. ] For the time being.

[ voice ]

[lt_linguist]

As normal as things ever get around here. Which isn't saying much.

At least they give us breaks now and then?

[ voice ]

[thirdhost]

I'm not sure what concerns me more: the silence or the chaos. The breaks are comforting and needed, but at the same time, you're left wondering... What's next?

[ voice ]

[lt_linguist]

I imagine it'll only get worse.

We'll just have to use the interim time productively.

[canyonsiniowa]

[ Kirk leans in the doorway of House 7. All bandaged up now. ]

You missed me?

[lt_linguist]

In a manner of speaking.

Besides, I don't think Spock likes being acting captain much.

[canyonsiniowa]

He did fine, I'm sure. Not that hard when there isn't much to be a captain of here. [ Grumble. ]

What's with the fire, lieutenant?

[lt_linguist]

Of course he did fine. I just don't think he likes it. Besides, you never know. He might've been concerned for your safety.

[She pauses, then begins burning another sheet of paper.] There was an experiment last week. I'm just burning the evidence.

[lt_linguist]

Yeah, one of my housemates tried fortune telling for a few days there.

[lt_linguist]

Only time will tell.

[ voice ]

[hippocraticly]

[ Guess who is sulking somewhere else! ]

You have my permission to knock me unconscious if I ever act that stupidly again.

[ voice ]

[lt_linguist]

[She understands, Bones. She doesn't even like to think of the kind of damage she could've done if she'd stuck her alternate career choice on the journals.]

I'll take that into consideration going forward, Doctor.

[She'll just have Spock nerve-pinch him. Nonviolent, and completely painless for everyone involved.]

[ voice ]

[hippocraticly]

[ Yes. The only thing injured will be his pride. ]

You all right?

[ voice ]

[lt_linguist]

[What else is new?]

Me? Perfectly fine. I'm glad the experiment is over.