h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*There are separate rooms for the officer's quarters.*

*Scandrea goes into her quarters, and locks the door behind her. She fumbles for the light switch, and gazes at her reflection in the mirror. Brown hair, sad brown eyes, scars on her arm from where she had very nearly spread herself across the Bighorn mountains. Slowly, she brings her finger up to her left eye, and removes what looks like a soft contact lens. She pulls away and blinks, and the next time she looks in the mirror there is a large red gash running across her pupil.*

*She put the lens in its case for the night and staggered her way to bed. She hadn't lied exactly- she had the laser eye surgery and her eyes hadn't quite gotten back to normal, her left eye in particular. The only problem was that it had been two years, almost to the day.*

*She lay down on the bed. For the most part, the special lens worked. It held her sight together for most of the day by refracting around where the laser had scarred her eye- though there were problems as the day got longer. It was like having a third eye, she postulated. Having trinocular vision with two eyes. Her perhipheral vision wasn't what it once was, and she had trouble tracking objects with her injured eye. She had fooled everyone so far, but she saw the way people looked at her when she was litterally blindsided by an incoming ball or CD.*

I'll have to face up to it someday.

*She rolled over and closed the lid over both eyes for the night.*

*Scandrea wakes, and walks to the mirror. She carefully puts the lens in her eye. It was always painful, but it was simply something to get used to. She blinks, the red mark is gone, and her sight is whole again.*

*She changes into the spare uniform she keeps in the barracks, eats an energy bar, and goes back to the lab.*

*Returns to the barracks, and changes into plainclothes.*

If they're not going to make me, I'm not going to wear my uniform.

*Goes to the telephone, dials an outside line, and calls her mother.*

Hi Mom, Merry Christmas!

...

What do you mean it's January?

*there is a knock on Scandrea's door*

Err.. uh... hang on Mom, I've got visitors. I uh... had the flu over the past couple of days. Probably someone to check on me.

...

Love you too Mom, and I'll call back soon!

*Opens the door.*

Yes?

*There is a mail man standing with a large bag*

Special delivery for Major Scandrea, looks like your Christmas presents miss. I tried to deliver them before but you weren't here.

If you could just sign here...oh and these were given to me by some doctor on my way up. Told me to give them to you and ask you to take one a day with breakfast.

*hands out a clipboard and a tablet bottle*

Thank you very much!

*Signs the clipboard, and takes the packages inside.*

Tell the doctor I said thank you as well.

*pager beeps with the medical bay's number*

*Groans, and heads for the Medical Bay.*

*Comes in, and grabs the laptop on the desk.*

*...and leaves.*

*Tannoy Announcement*

\/\Major Scandrea to the colonels office, Major Scandrea Please\/\

*Returns, still in cast.*

Ugh... glad that's over.

*Makes herself a cup of tea and hits the hay.*

*The door opens, revealing a somewhat cranky Scandrea. She shuffles around with her crutches, and begins to make her way to the mess hall, muttering:*

ing cast, I can't wait until I can ing move again without ing limping.

*walks in* I am looking for the Head COmputer guy? ANyone know where I can find him?

[Grunt] No one like that here have a look for Major Scandrea

Right. Would she know?

[Grunt] No idea, but there is a computer suit somewhere

Computer suit> Hmmm....*thinking maybe I will just "borrow" It for a while*

[Grunt] Ok