"Not A Bit Of It..."

"Not a bit of it..." I said sheepishly.

"Ensign, what could have you so distracted that you missed the entire past half hour?" Captain Jeri asked, and I didn't know what to say.

Fortunately, my brother knew EXACTLY what to say.

"If the event you all just missed is any indication, which I think it probably is, you can just send the presentation to the coms console in his quarters: none of it matters anyway now: they've already jumped ahead to the engagement phase..." Skylar said with a wry grin...

Captain Lance said, "Computer, past five minutes security feed playback, put it up on this screen..."

I watched impassively as the playback came through, then observed our little byplay and blushed to the roots of my hair. There were muffled gasps and **** sounds as the rest of the gathered group observe the event as well but I was reassured that Janelith's voice was not one of those gasping.

"I should have known," my own captain Lance said with a sigh, turning away from the screen. "Ensign, while I understand your enthusiasm, you were on-duty, and as such, this display of unprofessionalism has earned you a demerit," she explained, and then continued, "In any case, the purpose of this meeting is apparently fulfilled, you all are dismissed," Captain Lance declared, and we all stood to leave.