SIM:Early Morning Jog (Post)

Stardate: 248601.26
Author: Brenna Parker
Character: Brenna Parker
Title: Early Morning Jog

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((Personal Quarters, USS Challenger))

Certain that, having completed all her tasks aside from settling into her quarters, she was supposed to give Koloth a 'shout', Brenna instead gave her hair a brush and looked at the still-full duffle on the floor. It was kind of obtrusive, just sitting there in the middle of her room, but it reminded her of herself, in the way she had always been an intrusion in her brother's life, in her grandparents' lives, just something sitting there to be tripped over.

Continuing to contemplate that idea in her mind, Brenna laid down on the bed, picking up and hugging her pillow to her chest as though it was a life preserver in her drowning mind. And at 1604 in the afternoon, still dressed in her uniform, she drifted off to sleep.

***

When she awoke, she knew it to be quite late. Her internal clock said somewhere around 0230.

Parker: Computer, what is the time?

Computer: The time is 0143

Brenna frowned to herself. Obviously the assignment and travel had messed with her brain more than she had suspected. Thinking that Koloth wouldn't appreciate being shouted to at this time (and if he was still awake at a bar somewhere, then she certainly didn't want to be attempting to make sense of him), and that he wouldn't interested in her choice of activity anyway, she ignored the comm. system as she changed into sweat pants and a regulation T-shirt, tying her hair up before stepping out of the room.

She had assumed that there wouldn't be many traveling the corridors at that time of night, especially with it being shore leave and most enjoying the beach below, and she was correct. Making a wide circuit around the deck, Brenna counted her steps, measuring out a mile, then two, then eleven.

Feeling significantly better as she panted along, legs and arms pumping and her hair whipping rhythmically on the back of her neck, Brenna allowed herself to close her eyes on a straightaway as she ran, imagining herself off in a distant place, free.

End:

Ensign Brenna Parker
Medical Officer
USS Challenger, NCC-12886