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arthonielPreviously, on Secret Life of Dolls...
Surprisingly enough, not much has changed. It might be having something to do with the fact that Edward doesn't sleep, and therefore doesn't really need a place to sleep or a Shelf to stay on or whatever, but he's... been getting by. And then Will, Data and Japan are running the Shelf like a real Star Fleet ship. They don't have that much to do, since there isn't anything that'll really lead to universal doom here... but they're doing various things- scientific missions and whatnot. I never thought there was so much to learn about my radiator... but it's occupied them for a solid month.
Meanwhile, Edward has clearly been getting more and more bored. You can tell by what he's been doing in his now endless amounts of free time. I'll wake up one day to find a stack of papers that was a mess the night before be all neat. One day I woke up to find my pens lined up in size and color order. Or another day I woke up to find all my music CDs (yes, I do still have some of those) organized in the order of when they came out by year, then what was his preference in that time frame. And he's been practicing with Data's violin too (although I'm not sure whether or not he has his permission to do it...) so the other day he was just standing by the window, looking out on the New York City street, playing Bella's Lullaby perfectly.
Then yesterday, he was looking outside the window again (I think the windowsill is his favorite place in my room), when, out of nowhere, Japan walked up to him.
"...Mr. Cullen?"
"I thought you weren't allowed to talk to me unless I'd agreed to some stupid formality whatever with your starship."
"I'm not."
Edward really turned to look at him then. "Then... why are you talking to me?"
"Because... you were right. It wasn't the brightest idea we've had on the Shelf to run it like a Star Fleet ship. There's really only so many scientific missions you can do on a radiator... and there's nothing else here to investigate. Lieutenant Commander Data doesn't mind as much, considering how he doesn't have emotions, and Commander Riker enjoys the power, but... well. I can't give up my home on the Shelf voluntarily, because I need a place to sleep, and to eat and such, but... if there's anything I can do for you... well, the offer is there."
Edward was genuinely surprised- he didn't see this coming. And he was... touched. Especially since he once tried to eat him. And he blinked a few times too- almost like he would've cried, if vampires could cry. "I... thank you. I appreciate the offer. And you don't have to be so formal- just call me Edward."
"Of course... Edward." And, even as formal as he usually is, I could've sworn I saw him smile at him for a second, before turning back to return to the Shelf.
What Japan didn't know was that Will had been watching him from his command chair the whole time, and once Japan got back to the Shelf, he beckoned him over. The irony that someone was watching Edward this time, instead of the other way around, was not lost on me.
"Ah... Ensign Japan. May I have a word?"
"Of course, Commander."
"Ensign... Mr. Cullen is not a member of Star Fleet. What were you discussing with him?"
"Ah..."
And this is when Edward's Super Vampire Hearing kicked in, and he was over by the Shelf in an instant.
"What Japan and I were discussing was none of your buisness, Riker."
"You'll find that, as his commanding officer, it is absolutely my buisness."
"His commanding officer by your own order. It's a system entirely set up, and naturally run, by you. You're no better than the dictators you believe you've grown past!"
"Whoa, that's a bit much Edward-"
And then, naturally, Data rushed over with his own superhearing.
"He came up with the idea for this system of governing the Shelf, but it was supported by Ensign Japan and myself- it has the mandate of the people."
"Exactly. So I'm going to request that you leave once agian before we force you to leave."
"Ah... Commander, if I may?"
"Not now, Ensign."
"Commander. I have something to say and I would like to say it, and I would like to say it now, thank you."
Whoa. Japan is serious about this.
"I have supported your style of government for a long time, and for the most part I agree with and support your policies, however, it isn't right to force Edward from the Shelf like this simply because he doesn't agree with you."
"Edward. You referred to him by his first name. Are you really on that close terms with him?"
"My relationship with him is my own personal buisness."
"Ensign, if you wish to retain your position with Star Fleet-"
"I'm sorry, however if that is how you're going to govern the Shelf, then I am going to leave."
"What??"
Edward spoke quickly, like he really wanted to get this out before Will interrupted him... which, to be honest, was a valid thing to think. "I can find a place for you to stay, if you like. There is an alternative- you don't have to stay here."
"Yes, I would like that, thank you."
Surprisingly enough, not much has changed. It might be having something to do with the fact that Edward doesn't sleep, and therefore doesn't really need a place to sleep or a Shelf to stay on or whatever, but he's... been getting by. And then Will, Data and Japan are running the Shelf like a real Star Fleet ship. They don't have that much to do, since there isn't anything that'll really lead to universal doom here... but they're doing various things- scientific missions and whatnot. I never thought there was so much to learn about my radiator... but it's occupied them for a solid month.
Meanwhile, Edward has clearly been getting more and more bored. You can tell by what he's been doing in his now endless amounts of free time. I'll wake up one day to find a stack of papers that was a mess the night before be all neat. One day I woke up to find my pens lined up in size and color order. Or another day I woke up to find all my music CDs (yes, I do still have some of those) organized in the order of when they came out by year, then what was his preference in that time frame. And he's been practicing with Data's violin too (although I'm not sure whether or not he has his permission to do it...) so the other day he was just standing by the window, looking out on the New York City street, playing Bella's Lullaby perfectly.
Then yesterday, he was looking outside the window again (I think the windowsill is his favorite place in my room), when, out of nowhere, Japan walked up to him.
"...Mr. Cullen?" 
"I thought you weren't allowed to talk to me unless I'd agreed to some stupid formality whatever with your starship." "I'm not." Edward really turned to look at him then. "Then... why are you talking to me?" "Because... you were right. It wasn't the brightest idea we've had on the Shelf to run it like a Star Fleet ship. There's really only so many scientific missions you can do on a radiator... and there's nothing else here to investigate. Lieutenant Commander Data doesn't mind as much, considering how he doesn't have emotions, and Commander Riker enjoys the power, but... well. I can't give up my home on the Shelf voluntarily, because I need a place to sleep, and to eat and such, but... if there's anything I can do for you... well, the offer is there." Edward was genuinely surprised- he didn't see this coming. And he was... touched. Especially since he once tried to eat him. And he blinked a few times too- almost like he would've cried, if vampires could cry. "I... thank you. I appreciate the offer. And you don't have to be so formal- just call me Edward." "Of course... Edward." And, even as formal as he usually is, I could've sworn I saw him smile at him for a second, before turning back to return to the Shelf. What Japan didn't know was that Will had been watching him from his command chair the whole time, and once Japan got back to the Shelf, he beckoned him over. The irony that someone was watching Edward this time, instead of the other way around, was not lost on me.
"Ah... Ensign Japan. May I have a word?" "Of course, Commander." "Ensign... Mr. Cullen is not a member of Star Fleet. What were you discussing with him?" "Ah..." And this is when Edward's Super Vampire Hearing kicked in, and he was over by the Shelf in an instant.
"What Japan and I were discussing was none of your buisness, Riker." "You'll find that, as his commanding officer, it is absolutely my buisness." "His commanding officer by your own order. It's a system entirely set up, and naturally run, by you. You're no better than the dictators you believe you've grown past!" "Whoa, that's a bit much Edward-"
And then, naturally, Data rushed over with his own superhearing.
"He came up with the idea for this system of governing the Shelf, but it was supported by Ensign Japan and myself- it has the mandate of the people." "Exactly. So I'm going to request that you leave once agian before we force you to leave." "Ah... Commander, if I may?" "Not now, Ensign." "Commander. I have something to say and I would like to say it, and I would like to say it now, thank you." Whoa. Japan is serious about this.
"I have supported your style of government for a long time, and for the most part I agree with and support your policies, however, it isn't right to force Edward from the Shelf like this simply because he doesn't agree with you." "Edward. You referred to him by his first name. Are you really on that close terms with him?" "My relationship with him is my own personal buisness." "Ensign, if you wish to retain your position with Star Fleet-" "I'm sorry, however if that is how you're going to govern the Shelf, then I am going to leave." "What??" Edward spoke quickly, like he really wanted to get this out before Will interrupted him... which, to be honest, was a valid thing to think. "I can find a place for you to stay, if you like. There is an alternative- you don't have to stay here." "Yes, I would like that, thank you."And Edward grabbed Japan's arm, and ran off with him- even I couldn't see where. I was stunned enough that I couldn't even think to respond until they'd vanished. "Well. This is a new development."
