Habitual Patronage - Part 2

Posted on 01 Apr 2024 @ 8:57pm by Captain Ricardo (Rico) Montoya & Senior Chief Petty Officer Anita Valentine & Crewman Sizia Sh'velihr & EMH Mark IX "Nina" & Lieutenant Commander Aiden MacMahon

0 words; about a 1 minute read

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

Previously...

"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.

And now the conclusion...


Her playful revulsion was obvious, " Oh my god no! And even if they were I'm too young to be looking for anything exclusive. Would I like to settle down with someone eventually, sure but not now or any time soon."

"You know as well as I do that there's no harm meeting new people and forming connections. Maybe you'll need them later on, hm?" Tora scooted over and patted the little bit of space she'd left behind; the biobed was recording only her lifesigns anyway, right? "Besides, you can always tell them you consider their apology made up, but you're not interested - and then if they decide never to talk to you again you know who's not having in your life."

"So nothing exclusive, hm? Sounds like you want to explore a bit." She added with a snicker. "Am I getting that right?"

Sizia took the invitation and sat on the edge, "Oh I fully intend to see what's out there. I might let those current offers dangle a bit, see what other offers are out there. I might accept and see if they have any game or to let others know how in demand this girl is. Then again I might turn the current offers down but leave the door cracked to see what happens. Who knows... but no matter what I'm going to need my wing-girl."

"Just ask and you shall receive. Though if they don't succeed I'm taking my shot - be warned." Tora grinned and poked her side now that she was seated inches away from her face. "Hot blue baddass like you, yes please..."

Sizia turned a darker shade of blue as she blushed. Thinking to herself, ~She has to be teasing...right?~ Hoping off the bed, she bumped into the foot of the bed obviously flustered. "You're such a tease. I have to get this to Anita. We finally have our Chief Medical Officer coming. Catch the doorframe to the office with her shoulder, she placed the padd on the desk before leaving.


[0953]

Rico passed Sizia in the hall on his way to sickbay he had nodded to her and though she responded she seem flustered but no worse for he experience. The doors opened at his approach and he found Nina in the CMO's office. "How is your patient Doctor?"

Looking up at the Captain. "Oh she's fine Captain, I plan to release her this afternoon. So long as she doesn't get involved in any more brawls."

Smirking, "Has she spoken to the Counselor yet about her assualt?"

"No Captain. Lt. McCaine has not been by as yet but sickbay is too public a space for a counseling session anyway. But as long as she does she does see the Counselor I see no reason why she can't return to duty tomorrow."

"Thank you Doctor." With that he left the Doctor's office and headed over to the biobed.

"Morning Ensign."

"Morning, captain." Tora sat up and smiled lightly at him. She looked much better than when she'd first gotten tossed around, at the very least, which was good. "I feel much better now, thanks to the good staff here..."

"I just wanted to stop in and see how you are doing, and to reassure you that the this will not happen again. The XO and I addressed the entire Marine detachment this morning and the two involved are sitting in the brig."

"That's good." Tora hummed. "I can't wait to go back to work, sir. I hope this whole incident hasn't been too much hassle to handle?"

"Well it's not a thing that one wants to have to deal with but if and when it does I tend to be very hands on. The last thing I want is a member of my crew think I'm gonna let something like this slide. As to you getting back to work, according to our EMH you can return tomorrow if you wish. As long as you agree to and schedule a meeting with the ship's counselor."

"Oh, really now! I'd like that. A counsellor's appointment I can definitely do - I don't understand at all why some people hate them. They're not all here to pick our brains." Tora picked up her PADD to make said request. "I'm just glad to be back in action, sir. Can I help you with anything else?"

The Captain chuckled, "And here that was going to be my question to you." He patted the bed, "You just rest up and and get the appointment mad. The last thing you want his the medical staff hunting you down."

"Of course, sir. I'll be sure to do that." Tora promised.


[1046]

Some time later Aiden walked into sickbay and seeing that Tora was awake he made his way to her. "You are looking a bit better than the last time I saw you on the way here." he said smiling warmly. "We haven't really met, but this can count as that," he said. "Nice to meet you Ensign," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"Less dead than I was before, sir. At least my ribs don't hurt anymore when I breathe." The young Cardassian's tone was lighthearted, as was the smile on her lips, as she addressed the first officer. She felt that she could, at least, given the tone with which he'd addressed her in the first place. She'd been sitting up with a mug of hot chocolate in hand when he'd arrived and had only just put it down. "What's been happening since... well, this happened to me? Is the science department handling alright? And the two marines? I can't remember their names - that's not good." Tora sighed and rubbed her head.

"They are not worth remembering, and you won't see them again" Aiden said tightlipped, clearly still angry. "I had a chat with Lieutenant Yaotome, and the department is running fine, you need to not worry about that at all," Aiden said smiling. "All you need to worry about is getting better, and me not staeling your hot chocolate.. What make is that?" he asked. "It smells like a fire place in the middle of winter, with warm blankets and a nice boardgame," Aiden said,

"I can ask the nurse to bring you another, it's hot chocolate with caramel syrup and a bit of cinnamon mixed in. Oh, and marshmallows made with the sap of Risan gum trees. It has a lovely scent to it, you know." Tora knew that the first officer was joking, of course - but she held the cup to her chest just in case. Of the very few things she was not okay with, people stealing her hot chocolate was one of them. "It's made on Risa, of course. Where I lived for most of my life. It's quite addictive, sir. Once you drink it you may never want to stop."

"Oh I don't mind hot chocolate addictions or Risa," Aiden said and motioned the nurse, and when she came he pointed to the cup in Tora's hand and pointed to himself with a 'pretty please" gesture.

"Well." She settled down with a sigh. "I suppose those two have gotten what they deserved and that's the last I shall ever see of them - but I can't help but feel sad for them. Did they only act like that because they fell through cracks in the system, or was it because of something else? I've found that people are rarely ever born bad. Their circumstances are usually what make them bad."

"Circumstances can play a role, but they should not determine your life. I know people that grew up in terrible circumstances, some that went through a lot of crap in their lives, and they are leaders, captains, good men and women. We are sum total of our own decisions. We can not always determine what happens to us, but we can decide how to respond to it. I have made really bad decisions, no one is to blame but me," Aiden said emphatically. "Anyway, I am asking the same questions you do as well, and if you think of anything, anything at all that could shed light, please let me know," he said as he accepted the mug from the nurse.

"I think they mentioned something about the War. The Dominion War, I suppose. Maybe that's why." Tora scrunched up her nose in displeasure. "Well, I suppose it's done now and they've gotten the justice that was coming to them haven't they? No use harping on it now. Is there anything else you'd like to ask me, sir?"

"Nope," he said finishing his hot chocolate, and got up. "But I have an order for you: Rest and get better," he said in a mock stern voice.

"Of course, sir. I'll be sure to do that." Tora sighed and polished off her cup. "You'll see me back to work in no time, I promise."

Aiden gave her arm a light squeeze as he turned and left her to rest.

After the XO left Anita stopped by, "You've had a busy morning, let's see if you cant get some rest. Try taking a nap and afterwards I will get you some lunch."

---

Captain Ricardo Montoya
CO

LtComdr Aiden MacMahon
XO

Ensign Tora Zalos
Science Officer

NPCs played by Montoya:
Senior Chief Petty Officer Anita Valentine
Head Nurse

Crewman Sizia Sh'velihr
Yeoman

Nina
EMH

 

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