Personal Log, Lt. Jen Lee

Stardate 9904.06

Jen/Ying-Ying

Computer> Establishing link to Ying-Ying Huang, Kaoshuing, Taiwan, Earth.

The communications terminal screen changes from the Federation logo to the happy face of Jen's best friend since childhood. Ying-Ying sat at her console, her brown eyes twinkling, a full smile on her face. Her waist-length black hair is pulled back into a ponytail with a colorful scarf, swinging all around well below the bottom of the screen with her excited movements. She leans forward, studying her friend, chin in hand.

"I haven't seen this mix of emotions on your face since you decided to switch to coffee instead of tea! What's happened to you?"

Looking up at her friend miserably, Jen said, "Coffee ... THAT is the problem!" She rakes her fingers through her unbound black hair, ending with her head in her hands, fingers entwined with the silky locks.

Ying-Ying's eyes open wider, and she leans toward the screen more, hands reaching toward the screen, palm down on the desk. "Coffee, eh? Don't leave me hanging ... do tell!"

Disentangling her hands, Jen says, "Well, we've been so busy lately, there just hasn't been enough time for coffee ..."

"Not even by yourself? Come on now!" Ying-Ying interrupted with her eyes sparkling, and eyebrows raising.

"Ying, please!" Jen said, blushing slightly. "You have no clue how busy we were! I barely had time for sleep, let alone coffee!"

"You poor thing! I hope you've fixed that problem ..."

Glowering at her friend in the time honored tradition saved only for best friends, "Anyway ... as I was saying, we finally got some shore leave. We were on Deep Space 9, at Quark's ..."

Ying-Ying shudders and wraps her arms about herself, "You didn't have ... coffee ... with QUARK did you?!?" She swallows hard, fighting the urge to vomit.

Jen sits bolt upright, "God, NO! Ying, how could you? Oh God ... anyway, let me finish." Jen shakes the revulsion from herself.

"Please ... go on ... I'm just happy it wasn't Quark." Ying-Ying returns to her ever-listening posture.

"My top two assistants and I were sitting together, just doing the time off thing. Anyway, Serik and I started in on coffee," Jen hangs her head, "Several cups ..."

"You didn't! Jen ... you are his superior officer!" Ying-Ying said, her eyes widening in disbelief, her mouth left slightly ajar.

Jen looks at her friend chuckling, "You'll catch flies that way! Wait ... it gets better!"

Ying-Ying snaps her jaw shut, once again cupping her chin in her hand, "Please, do go on!"

"Well, just as we were debating on having some Ratkajinko ..."

Ying-Ying jumps up. "Jennifer Lee, you didn't!"

Rubbing her eyes, then making eye contact again, "No, but then, the Captain joined us for a cup."

Ying-Ying sits up again, hands braced on her desk, "He DIDN'T!"

Blushing profusely, "He did. What were we supposed to do? Tell him no?" Jen sighs heavily. "What am I going to do now?"

Getting serious again, thinking of her friend's predicament, "Well, first off, I'd stick to de-caf." Ying-Ying grins mischievously. "Then, try to quit, hon ... at least don't drink it with your shipmates!"

Nodding, Jen replied, "I know ... Counselor Trull has started a twelve step program for coffee addicts. I think I'm going to try some of those meetings out."

With an affirmative bob of her head, Ying-Ying says, "Good ... it's a start." She looks off to the side of her, outside the range of the screen, obviously communicating with someone else. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but Lien and I are going to dinner ... I've got to go."

"OK ... I understand, and thanks for listening! you're the best! Give Lien a hug for me!"

"I will! See ya hon!" Ying-Ying's hand reaches toward the screen, and hits a button. The screen flashes black, then returns to the Federation logo.

Computer> Transmission terminated.