Habitual patronage - Part 1

Posted on 01 Apr 2024 @ 8:56pm by Captain Ricardo (Rico) Montoya & Senior Chief Petty Officer Anita Valentine & Crewman Sizia Sh'velihr & EMH Mark IX "Nina" & Lieutenant Commander Aiden MacMahon & Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome & Ensign Tora Zalos

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Mission: M-18 The Past is Future
Location: Sickbay

in from the corridor could be described as 'blinding' to anyone who turned to look at the newcomer. A rather small figure stood in the doorway.

Eventually the small figure took a few steps into the sickbay and started to look around. Then upon spotting Ensign Zalos began to make its way over towards them.

As the figure grew closer, it soon became apparent it was Lieutenant Yaotome, the ships Chief Science Officer. One would also notice that she looked rather confused and a little annoyed as she approached the Cardassian.

"Good Morning Ensign." she said softly.

"Oh, hello, ma'am." Tora smiled at the chief science officer. It was nice that she'd thought of coming to see her, really. "I'll be back to work soon, I promise, when I'm not being held hostage here in sickbay, and my chest doesn't throb as bad as it does." The former part of her quip was a joke, of course, and she was sure her department head could tell that much. "I hope I've not held up the rest of us too much."

"I'm afraid this isn't exactly a social call..." Urushi said as she produced a PADD from one of the pockets in her uniform. "Lieutenant el-Altaa is going to want some sort of report on what happened." she said as she pulled up a stool and sat next to the bed. "No doubt he'll be down later..." she said with a slight sigh. "So, care to explain what happened for you to be spending a night in this..." she paused for a brief moment. "Medical nightmare..." she muttered as a shiver ran down her spine.

"Two marines decided to rough me up because they thought I'd made a mistake coming to Starfleet. Something about them having killed tons of Cardassians in the Dominion War. And uh... something about doing the ship a service." Tora recalled faintly. "Uhm. I'm a little hard-pressed for exact details now, ma'am - I hope that's fine." She let out a long, slow, ragged sigh. "I suppose some individuals never really change, huh."

Urushi let out a long sigh. "Some people like to place blame on others, just for who they are." She said as she tapped on the PADD making some notes. "How long are they keeping you down here?" she asked.

"For the day, at least. Then I suppose they'll make a call on whether I'm fit to return to work - if that's what this is about." Tora replied. "I think the counsellor might be along soonish."

The short Trill woman nodded in response. "Well, for the moment your priority is to recover fully before you return to duty." She said. She looked gave a quick glance around the sickbay before returning her attention back to Tora. "There is likely to be an investigation into the incident. But we'll 'cross that bridge when we come to it.' As the Humans say." She said leaning forward slightly allowing her Trill spots to be seen by the Cardassian.

"Of course, ma'am. I'll just let things run their course." Trills were such an interesting people, really. Tora really did like their spots and how varied they could be from person to person - though she'd never really learned the biological purpose of them. Were they a vestigial feature of their earlier primal lives as marsupials, perhaps, meant to attract mates? Perhaps she'd never know. She allowed herself to study her boss' spots for a moment before laying back down. "I hope those two are dealt with properly. I'd hate for the next Cardassian to get this treatment, too." She added weakly.

Urushi gave her a rather compassionate smile. "Don't worry about that right now." She said, her voice smooth and tender. "I'll deal with all the paperwork, but once you're back on duty. You're on lab cleanup duty for at least a week..."

"I'll take whatever I'm supposed to do. Hopefully I don't collapse on duty - now that'd not be very nice would it?" Tora joked tiredly. Lab cleanup duty, reports, whatever it was - so long as she didn't have to spend it lying in bed like a scaly lump, really.

Letting out a sight chuckle Urushi placed a hand on the Cardassian's shoulder. "Take it easy for now. I can make than an order if I really want to." She kept a soft grip on her shoulder as she spoke again. "I hope this doesn't become a regular 'thing' though. It causes far too much paperwork and headaches." She paused briefly. "Ok, get some rest. I'm a comm call away should you need anything important."

Tora was, honestly, glad for the respite. She sighed and lapsed back into unconsciousness as her department head left.

Just before she left Urushi turned in the sickbay doors to look back at the Ensign. "Sleep well Ensign..." she whispered before taking the final step through the door and heading to her office. She had a lot of paperwork to fill out now.

Aiden bumped into the Science Chief just as she exited the door. "Oops sorry Lieutenant," he said as he grabbed her shoulders to prevent himself from pushing her over. "I nearly bumped into you," he chuckled. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah I'm ok. Sorry sir," Urushi replied. "Here to see Ensign Zalos?" She asked.

"Yes, that's right, how is she?" Aiden asked.

"Tired," Urushi replied. "Honestly, I'd come back later if you want anything out if her." She added with a small smile.

"I will do that," Aiden said. He started to turn to leave but then thought better of it, he needed all the information he could get. "You up for a cup of coffee?" he asked.

On her agreement the two officers made their way to the XO's office.


[0930]

Sizia was still a little sore from the whole thing but no worse for wear. Since she had official business in sickbay she thought to use it to check in on Tora as well. As the doors closed behi d her she justs shook her head playfully, "How ya feel'n slacker...I mean ma'am."

By now Tora had begun to feel much less like a pile of aching scales, and much more like a person. She didn't feel half dead anymore, which was good, and at least now she could sit upright and talk without issues. "Feeling less like I was roughed up by two Marines with hot accents." She met Sizia's eyes and grinned. "Aren't you in big trouble too? You slammed one of them into a table, you know. I don't know about you, but I think girls who aren't scared of kicking ass are smoking hot..."

Walking closed she flipped her hair as she played it up. "Well that goes without saying. But yeah...I have to meet with XO and the Sec Chief later today to discuss my actions. But you know. I've been asked out 3 time since last night, the guy from security that escorted me back to my quarters last night, he even tried to set up a double date with my roommate. One of the Marines hit me up this morning by apologizing for his fellow Marines, he wanted to make it up to me. Then just a few minutes ago when I was in Ops getting things set up for our two new officers." Putting her hands on he hips she cocked her head, "Maybe I should have played the badass sooner."

"Someone's popular! I'm not all that surprised, really." Tora grinned. "Not that I blame them - though I'm sure you know that being invited to dinner doesn't necessarily mean they're thinking of wifing you up. What'd you say?" She asked.


TBC...

 

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