'I'd Call It Jade.'

Captain Cross had to admire the young woman. Barely out of the Academy but recommended by both Admirals Pike and Xultok, the young blonde was a ray of pure sunshine wherever she went, and, contrary to the popular cliché about blondes, had an encyclopedic mind that could keep track of a hundred different tasks simultaneously. It never mattered what Cross needed or what obscure bit of information he was after; she was always ready with precisely what was required at precisely the right moment. Sometimes -- often, actually -- she seemed almost psychic in her ability to anticipate his needs. He considered her an absolutely indispensable part of his command, and knew he could never do his job nearly as well without her. He idly wondered if she was even human.

Just then, as if again anticipating the captain's unvoicable needs, Piper shook her hair out and let it resettle naturally on her shoulders in a cascade of soft gold waves reflecting the multicolored lights around the bridge.

If only she were twenty years older, he thought. Or better, that he were twenty years younger.

He forced his attention away towards the main viewer in front of him. It was still displaying the nebula.

"It's very green," he said with exaggerated casualness to cover a myriad of inappropriate emotions.

"I'd call it 'jade', Captain," was Piper's offhand reply.

"The 'Jade Nebula' it is then."

- - - - - - - - - - -

Poser 6. Star Brigade uniform from Daz retextured by me. Piper is P6Jessi with a homemade face morph. Cross' hair is Captainhair by Mylochka. Bridge is a screencap from First Contact because I haven't built a bridge set yet.