Better off Dead?

Posted on Mon Jun 8, 2015 @ 4:16pm by Captain Maritza Soran & Lieutenant Kyle "Loki" Carter

1,753 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Eye of the Beholder
Location: Infirmary
Timeline: SD03 2000

[ON]

Kyle laid on the medical bed and slowly started to stir. At first not realizing where he was and instantly recalling what he last saw in the cockpit. Flying parallel to the giant asteroid, the brief elation he felt as he saw the opening, then it all being ripped away from him as the asteroid made impact with his fighter just feeling the spin before blacking out. His eyes shot open and he inhaled sharply. Gripping the side of the bed to make sure he wasn't spinning. Once he noticed he was in medical and it brought him out of the flashback and his eyes ended up on Commander Soran. "Oh god I am dead, and I went to hell." He pulled his hands to eyes and wiped the groggy out of them. "This is because of that weekend on the Ferengi Casino Ship isn't it. I knew I shouldn't have gone to that with Davis and Halix."

Maritza had been awake for nearly forty hours, and even the little tweak she'd had just after they narrowly avoided death wasn't going to take the edge off her mood. She had rings round her eyes, and there was more than a fews hairs trying to make a break for freedom from her braids. At his words she put her padd down and pressed her lips together. "You are not dead, Mr Carter. Though you might wish you were." She wasn't going to let the comment on the casino ship get him out of anything. "You have substantial injuries, not least of which is concussion and a near terminal case of heroic idiocy."

Kyle reached up and pinched the Commander's forearm.

She gasped, and slapped his hand away with a blow that made her fingers sting. "Watch what you're doing, Mr Carter. You're not my favourite person right now."

"So this isn't a hallucination or dream either." He said trying to pull himself to sit up now. "Only near terminal though, not quite a full blown case so there's still hope right?" He added jokingly.

She rolled her eyes. "Your insufferable insubordination and lack of gravitas its whats going to make it terminal. I believe I was quite clear that you were to get behind the station and escort civilians through the asteroid field. What on earth made you think disobeying me was going to end well?"

"Well ya know I figured I hadn't had enough things go wrong for me today, I should try to pile on a couple more." He added dryly. "How much trouble am I in now? Is there to be more berating to take place?" He said trying to sound enthused. He wasn't sure what was coming his way but he figured he couldn't make it too much worse.

Maritza looked at her padd, and considered smacking him over the head with it. "Would you like the list?" She called it up. "Conduct unbecoming of an officer; insubordiantion, 3 counts; deserting your post; disobeying a direct order during general quarters; and reckless endangerment of a starfleet officer."

"I think I could argue a few of those off the list and maybe turn them into commendations, but I don't think you're here to theaten me with a Court Martial are you Commander?" He asked already knowing the answer. If she was she would've brought armed guards to stand over him for extra effect.

"Mr Carter. Shut up."

Kyle let out a light sigh and nodded to Soran. She had something to say and there was no point in him prolonging it.

When she was sure he was listening. "I'm here to remind you that a court martial is going to hit you harder than that rock if you keep larking about in the mistaken belief you can do more good sitting in the seat of your Valkyrie than listening to your commanding officers."

Kyle was exhausted, he could spar wits with the Commander for hours but he just didn't have the desire too at the moment. "To be honest Commander where would I have been a better asset at the time? Out there making a difference or in fighter control sitting on the sidelines?" He asked her. "It's like in basket ball, if your star player is a shooter, you gotta put the ball in his hands."

She pinched her nose. She was too tired for his shit right now. "My star player is a maniac," she muttered to herself. She pulled on her braids, they were starting to give her a headache now, and trying to talk to the infuriating man was impossible. "You know talking to you is like banging my head against a brick wall. Except in that case I might actually have a chance of forward progress!" she growled.

"First off I heard that and I'm not a maniac. I don't have extreme or wild dangerous behavior....."

"Mr Carter."

"Ok well maybe a little dangerous then."

"Mr Carter."

"But not extreme or violent. I mean really Commander if you actually thi-"

"Loki!"

He slumped back against the wall with an almost defeated expression on his face. He didn't have the energy to fight with this woman right now, where did she find hers he wondered.

"You nearly died, when there was no need. Throwing your life away isn't making a difference to anyone. Except maybe your parents. "

"So what are you doing down here then Commander?" He asked turning to look her in the eye. "Here to gloat? Here to demean me some more? I think we could get you an audience if you like, there should be some medical staff and other patients around here some where."

Maritza looked at the ceiling. He was an idiot. "Because you nearly died, and I didn't have anyone else to sit with you. The rest of the airgroup are rounding up civilian vessels and clearing the airspace."

"Obviously I didn't, and there is medical staff to attend to me Commander. I'm sure you're needed else where to help with the repopulation of the station." He said matter of factly.

"I'm off duty," she admitted.

He had a confused look on his face at her admission. "Then why are you down here Commander?"

_"Yes, why are you here?"_

Maritza glanced up to see Anna, her ghoulish ruin of a body leaning against the wall, watching her. She quickly looked away, not wanting to see the opened brain pan filled with needle thin probes. Well it made sense that she would turn up right now. All the drugs were wearing off. She looked at Carter, as coldly and flatly as she could manage with Anna smirking at her. "Because it aids recovery both physically and psychologically if a trauma victim has company when they wake up. And given everything that's just happened, a functioning CAG is going to be necessary."

"I'll be right as rain after some analgesic and a strong cup of coffee." Kyle groaned swinging his legs off the bed and standing up on his own feet. "I can still fly Commander. I'll get my post ejection psych work up on your desk as soon as it's completed."

"I look forward to it. Though your ability to fly is somewhat moot at this point."

Kyle winced as he adjusted his footing. He just then came to the realization that he was in a hospital gown. He let out a sharp sigh and look to Maritza. "Where are my clothes?"

"Don't move, Mr Carter." She stood. "Until you are signed off by a member of the nursing team you are not getting off that biobed." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Or do I need to activate the restraints?"

"Haven't you ever heard the term walk it off?" Kyle shrugged. "Now can I have my pants?" He asked raising his eyebrow right back at her.

"No." She crossed her arms, "Mostly becuase I think you'll have to replicate new ones, when, and I mean when, you are signed off. I will find a doctor. If you sit down."

Kyle put his hands up. "Alright, you win. Let's get someone to give the me the go ahead so we can get this done with." He sat back onto the medical bed but didn't lay down. "I wait here, scouts honor." He said raising the three finger salute.

"If only you were this compliant when you had clothes on." she muttered and left for a moment, returning with a Ktarian woman in scrubs.

Martiza hovered by the door as the medic approached Carter with tricorder in hand. "I'm Betara Q'iel, I'm a senior staff nurse." She flipped the tricorder open and began to scan him, "Any dizzyness?"

Kyle gently shook his head. "Not really, no."

Q'iel held up a pen light, "Follow." She moved the light around, watching his eyes track the little spot of yellow. "Physically, you're fine. I don't think we need to get a doctor." Q'iel turned to Soran, "I'd recommend light duties only."

"I could use an analgesic though." He said to the nurse. "Ever since I woke up I've heard this horrible shrieking sound but I think it might go away with some encouragment." He said looking at the Commander with a half grin.

"Why don't you check his gluteals again, Nurse?" Maritza snarked back. "I think there might be something stuck in there

"If you can always check them yourself if you like." Kyle quickly retorted.

Betara looked from the commander to the patient and back again. "Play nicely children." she pocketed her tricorder and left.

Kyle nodded at what the nurse said. He wanted to get some clothes and get out of there. "Can I get some pants now?"

Soran threw a bundle of cloth at his chest. it was mostly black with the skyblue trim of the fighter corp. But on top was a pair of pink boxers, with little unicorns on them. "Pants"

"Commander I am in shock......" He said with his jaw left hanging slightly open. "You do have a sense of humor after all. And here I thought you called the polar caps of Andoria home."

"Actually, I find them rather warm." she replied, "And don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to change." She smiled with the happy knowledge it was her about to have the last laugh and started to leave. "You're still grounded afterall."

[OFF]

Lt Commander Maritza Soran
Cheif Strategic Operations Officer/2XO
DS5

&

Lieutenant Kyle "Loki" Carter
CAG - DS5

 

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