A Working Lunch

Posted on Fri Nov 15th, 2019 @ 12:53am by Lieutenant Mar Megara MD & Captain Remas McDonald

1,497 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: S1.5:1:A Time To Heal
Location: USS Traveller, Canopus Station Repair Bay Alpha
Timeline: MD4 12.00

Remas walked through the corridors of the Traveller as engineers in the white collars of Canopus Station did their best not to make it look like his ship was going through the breakers yard. For the most part, their work was therapeutic, minor repairs that could be accomplished quickly. But soon Remas came to a larger area of work where the deck plates were missing. Here tech's were working on clearing a path through three decks to extract a redundant fusion reactor that the transporters were having trouble locking onto. Ergo it was up through three decks, and out through a popped pressure hull.

All around the ship similar major and minor works were being accomplished or committed depending on how you saw such things.

"Heard through the grapevine you took a hit meant for your CO, am I to expect such bravery in the future or am I meant to defend my own honour?" he asked the wounded ship. He patted the sword he still had on his hip. It wasn't regulation, but after the Reka assault, he was considering updating the SOP for shipboard defence. The Traveller for her part didn't respond.

“For a moment, I thought you were talking to a person,” came a strongly accented- but very understandable- voice behind him. “But I am the only one here and I do not remember ever taking a hit for my commanding officer. So I assume you mean the ship.”

"Huum, serve on a ship long enough and you'll get to know her moods and whims. Ships have their very own language, though they are slow to teach it," Remas said. He reached up, running the tips of his fingers along the smooth laser-cut metal edge of the beam. He turned to look at the voice that had spoken to him. "Treat a ship with respect and she'll take you light years past where her maker would claim was her limit."

“You were an engineer once upon a time, weren’t you?” asked Meg, grinning wildly.

"And before that, I was a wee pup listening to the Storyteller's who'd teach the youngin's on my father's Homesteader. And I feel I know a few engineer's who'd benefit from learning about the Wee Folk who mess with a ships induction magnets if they feel so inclined." Remas took a moment to look over the new arrival, from the brow ridges that melded perfectly down the bridge of the nose marking a unique ancestry. "Dr Mar Megara I'd be one too assume?"

This earned him a friendly smile. “One and the same,” she replied. “And you are Captain Remas McDonald. Now that the reverse introductions are in order...” She produced a PADD that she had been holding this whole time. “Reporting for duty. You are not an easy man to find. Is it always like this or just because our ship is being repaired?”

"More often these last few days than not. Reckon we best take a step back," Remas said as a shout came from below and was answered by a similar call from above. Stepping away from the opening in the deck the two watched as small pieces of debris began to float free of the deck near the hole, washers and flecks of discarded metal and packaging. And then, rising like some massive ocean mammal, the spherical bulk of a fusion reactor drifted slowly upwards in the counter gravity field. It passed them, shepherded from below by a pair of Canopus Station technicians in thrusters packs.

"Traveller took a beating getting back to Canopus Station," Remas said by way of explanation. "Truth be told we thought this was journey's end for us. And as pleasant a surprise as it was to find you all here waiting for us, the repair slip was a much-needed sickbay for my fair lady. In fact, I think sickbay was one of the few places that weren't adversely affected by the passage through Messier 4. At least, not in a physical sense."

Remas recalled the bloody slaughter the Reka had visited upon the many wounded souls who had sought refuge in the ships medical bay. An attack the internal security monitors confirmed had been ordered by the previous head nurse, Tsabina.

“I have heard only rumors,” Meg replied somberly. “But from what I heard, I probably do not want to know any more than is necessary to do my job.” It was her way of asking for information, but only if it was pertinent; she was fine not really knowing the full story of what had happened in Sick Bay. It was also a way for him to get out of talking about it if he wished.

"One of our own went against us, for reasons I do not know I have an answer for. The Reka as a species displays an uncommonly powerful telepathic subconscious, allowing them to instinctively borrow the voices of others and their words. It also allows them a means of instinctual communication, which Tsabina unwittingly tapped into," Remas said. He glazed over the deaths prior to their Reka encounters, the cryogenically stored sleepers whose pods had been rigged to read life signs from corpses. Corpses who all shared a worryingly similar neurological trauma.

"She went over to their side, directing the slaughter in sickbay before leading the withdrawal from the Traveller as we made our own escape into a concealing dust cloud," Remas finished after a pause. "I would like to think the Reka's collective subconscious overwhelmed her, that her actions were not her own. But she is not here to speak the tale, only her actions."

Meg nodded. “I suppose we will never know the truth,” she replied. “But the truth will not help us now. Nothing can bring back the dead. Best not to dwell on it.”

"Tsabina is still out there. She's still one of our crew, one of the family of service we all sworn to abide by. If I see a chance to rescue her back from the Reka, I'd be obliged for your aid in bringing her back to the side of the angel's Doctor," Remas said.

"And if we find her- no, when we find her," she corrected, "I will do everything I can in order to restore her to herself."

"A service fit to be seen by all the crew should need arise Doctor," Remas said, his manner brightening. "So you were originally assigned to Canopus Station? I hope you find better luck as our Chief Medical Officer than the last two to hold the post. Is there anything I do to make your transit to the ship easier? Extra hands for fitting out Sickbay? Design changes?"

"Not at the moment, sir," answered Meg with a grin. "Actually, I have not even seen Sick Bay, yet. However, I am certain it will be sufficient."

"As I believe it, sickbay is being renovated with a few added precautions given the ease by which the Reka moved through the ship. I think part of the refit plan is to have two smaller sick berths at the fore and aft of the ship. Not as competent or fully equipped, but it doesn't put our wounded in a single place should we be boarded again," Remas mused.

"Makes things a bit difficult for me, but safer for the crew," she replied thoughtfully. "It is an acceptable trade-off. I will have to come up with a way to coordinate physical inventory and... well, just about everything. It will be a challenge, but I am certain I and my staff are capable."

"That they are. I've not had cause to read up on your service jacket, but I am more than sure you are up to the task," Remas said with a wane smile.' My apologies. You must understand that the original crew of the Traveller were all handpicked by myself. I feel I owe you at least a chance to get to know you first if you are so inclined?"

“Of course, sir,” replied Meg with a huge grin. “What would you like to know?”

"This is hardly the place to do it. I'd invite you to dinner with me and the miss's if you'd be interested in joining us. I set a fine table," Remas offered with a smile.

“That would be lovely,” replied Meg with a grin. “When would you like to do this?”

"Whatever time you think is reasonable," Remas smiled. "Settle in, find your feet. It's not as though we're running out the door."

He gestured back to the yawning gap in the hull where the reactor had just risen out of.

"Not with a pit in the ship."

"I will see you at 1900 hours, then," Meg replied with a grin. "I look forward to meeting your wife." She added yet another sparkling grin and turned to go back in the direction from which she came.

 

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