Show, But Don't Tell
Posted on Fri Oct 17th, 2025 @ 2:47am by Captain Michael Murphy & Ensign Fiona Flores
Edited on on Fri Oct 17th, 2025 @ 3:17am
1,195 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Children of the Stars
Location: USS Montana Astrometrics
=================================================
Astrometrics
Fiona stood at a terminal. Her hair is styled into a beehive bun. Wearing a shorter red unform skirt that stops at her mid-thigh. It rides up her legs slightly, revealing the lower hem of her black lace underpants. Her black leather knee high boots glisten in the lighting.
Murphy checks the time. Ensign Flores should be in astrometrics doing the last minute checks and scans before the mission. He heads there, striding through the doors, but stopping short at the sight of visible undergarments.
He cleared his throat.
Fiona hears the doors divide, followed by the clearing of a throat. Peers over her shoulder with a tired smile "Heeeey" her eyes then broaden, realizing she is on duty. Spins and stands to attention "Captain."
Murphy: he found his eyes drifting towards the hem of her skirt, and focused them on her face. “At ease, Ensign.”
"Order accepted, Captain. How may I help?"
“I read a report about someone sleeping in a shuttle. It didn’t name the person, but I stopped by the Security Office and it didn’t take too long to find out.” Murphy said, watching for how she responded.
Fiona avoided his gaze by staring down, biting her bottom lip. Swallowing, she crossed to the other side of Astrometrics, standing at a console. "I was having trouble sleeping."
Keeping his tone soft, Murphy asked, “What’s keeping you awake?”
She turned side-on, crossing her arms. "My neighbour. He plays this weird, low pulse music. I went to sickbay to get a sleeping pill, wasn't allowed. I then mentioned my neighbour and then he went quiet like it's some big secret. What gives?"
She turned to face him, one hand on her hip.
Murphy held up both hands up. “Don’t look at me, must be some kind of Doctor-patient confidentiality.”
"Well, does that explain my panda eyes?"
“Panda eyes?” Murphy asked.
"You can't see the bags under my eyes?" Fiona asked back.
Murphy chose to lie, and turned on his charm. He shook his head. “Hardly noticeable. Your eyes look just as nice as the day you came aboard.”
Fiona cocked her head to the right, clearly her throat gently "Thanks." she looked down and chuckle "Anything else you notice?"
Murphy's eyes went to her skirt again, and he forced himself to look elsewhere. “Was there something else to notice?”
Fiona shrugged, "no...just" blushes, laughs nervously.
Murphy breathed a quiet sigh of relief, but even though she may not have noticed, he was duty bound to bring it up.. “Although, there is another thing we need to discuss. Your uniform.”
Fiona looked down at her legs "Ok, the boots are my sisters, but they were a hand-me-down."
She wasn't making this easy for him. “…Do you think your skirt might be a little short?”
Fiona Looks to her thigh "Ah." Looks up at him "It's an older one. Plus, there is a newer version we have to wear?"
Murphy nodded. “Yes there is. It’s sharper, though not as bold.”
Fiona turned to face the screen with a chuckle, reaching up toward an upper part of the screen. "Sounds promising. Is that an order, or a recommendation?" Her lace panties peered beneath her skirt once again.
Murphy, eyeing the lace, “Unfortunately it’s an order.”
Fiona nodded as she looked at the readings, stopping a moment at his word choice, looking over her shoulder "Hm?"
Murphy cleared his throat, and quickly looked to her face, unsure if she had noticed where he was previously looking. “I just mean that this uniform looks good on you.”
“I’m sure the new one will, too.” he quickly added.
Fiona nods "Cool." Standing side on, a profile of her slender body and chest on offer. She gestures at the screen "These are my readings of the planet.”
Murphy reluctantly looks to the screen. “Anything new?”
Fiona sits on the edge of a console, links her right leg over her left as her skirt raised. Strokes her hair back "There's signs of a community to the north where the river is located."
Murphy glanced at her legs, then back to the screen. He silently chastised himself for letting her distract him so much. “Are they only along the river?”
Fiona stretches her arms behind her, sighs "From what I can see. Keeping in mind they are pre-warp, so they could be dwelling in caves."
“Can you point out the areas where you do see them?” Murphy asked, keeping his attention on the table.
Fiona pushes off from the console and walks toward a holographic table. "Computer, dim lights forty percent, send data to holographic table."
A hologram protrudes from the table of the landscape. Fiona bends forward. "See these smoke signals?"
Murphy couldn't help but admire Fiona in the dim light. “I do,” he answered.
Fiona walks around the table "They all seem to converge on this one area of wood. Computer, zoom in on the wood." She stands beside the hologram, hip jutting slightly as she rests one hand on her hip "See that wood, captain?"
Murphy steps closer to the table, resting his hands on the edge of it. “Yes.”
Fiona circles around the table, sits her lumbar on it and stretches her legs, raising her arms above her head to stretch her arms "Follow the smoke"
Murphy watched her reposition and start stretching, but then obediently turned his attention back to the hologram and followed the smoke. He leaned forward to follow it better. “Cooking fires, I assume?”
Fiona gets up from the table, saunters around it as the light emphasises her chest and butt "There's that, but look where they are placed. They are away from trees. To protect against fire spreading."
“I see.” Murphy looked up from the table and found himself looking at her chest. He quickly straightened up and changed focus to her face.
“Does that about cover it? Do we need a closer inspection?" Fiona asked.
“I wouldn’t mind a closer inspection.” He realized how that sounded to himself, cleared his throat, and straightened his posture. “I think you’ve shown me a lot today. Thank you.”
"i'll prepare for the mission. Might even get a nap in before we go to make up for lost sleep." Fiona said with a mischievous grin.
“Do you need a quiet place with a bed?” Murphy asked.
"Computer, restore lights" Fiona chuckles, "I guess the shuttle is off limits." She walks over to a table to pick up a padd.
“I could, this one time, ask Nurse Boudreaux to give you a quiet corner of Sickbay to sleep in. You wouldn’t have to worry about the Doctor, she’ll keep him in line. But you would have peace and quiet.” Murphy offered.
A smile forms on the corner of her lip. "Actually, that would be amazing. At least until I am relocated. Not permanently. Thank you."
Murphy nods in the affirmative. “I’ll take care of that immediately.”
"Thank you, Captain. Anything else?"
“No, Ensign. I appreciate your presentation.” Murphy replied.
================================
Captain Michael Murphy
Commanding Officer, USS Montana
Ensign Fiona Flores
Communications and Operations, USS Montana
RSS Feed