The Old Man and the Cane

Posted on Tue Jun 30th, 2015 @ 2:55am by Admiral Ricky Wegener & Lieutenant Hope Beckman & El'Shar Blackhorse
Edited on on Tue Jun 30th, 2015 @ 3:46am

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Wegener's Office

* * * Deck 6 - Wegener’s Office * * *

El’Shar Blackhorse, retired Starfleet Captain and former Temporal Affairs Officer, had grown a bit restless since her separation from service but she had found supreme happiness in her relationship with Admiral Ricky Wegener, the commanding officer of Starbase 900. Their relationship had started out somewhat slowly but the accelerator was fully depressed shortly after when he proposed to her, and she accepted. She now proudly wore his mother’s ring on her left hand as a symbol of her betrothal to the man she deeply loved.

Things had been a bit strange afterward, however, with Rick coming under investigation with Lucius and a crazy Admiral coming to their quarters holding El hostage and finally shooting Rick through the hip with a phaser. That admiral was quickly taken into custody, Rick and Lucius cleared of all charges and things had returned to relative normality. Rick, however, still had problems sleeping from the injury he’d sustained. Physically he was completely healed. The surgeons had done fantastic work and she was barely able to see any scarring at all from the wound. They said he may have some residual pain for a week or so after, but he seemed to be dealing with that easily as well.

His dreams and restless nights, however, told a different story.

Rick had gone to work at his regular time after waking from another bad dream. El felt so bad for him and was concerned. She’d mentioned maybe going to see counseling staff just to talk about what was going on in his dreams, but he’d refused adamantly stating that he’d dealt with worse many times before. Hoping to help, she spent the morning baking him some cookies and muffins and had decided to visit him at work for lunch.

“Hello, Hope,” she said as she entered the outer waiting area of Rick’s office. She had always liked going to his offices. They were built prior to his arrival but the decorations were a mix of paintings, statues and knick-knacks of his choosing, and a few of Hope’s as well, and that young lady had excellent taste. El made a mental note to visit Hope’s quarters at some point to see if her style carried over to her home decorating as well.

Hope heard the doors open but didn’t immediately look up thinking she would just be telling another visitor to piss off since they didn’t have an appointment. When she looked up, however, her straight face turned to a bright smile. “Oh, hi, El’Shar! How are you today?”

El returned the smile, happy that she had finally convinced Hope to call her by her name instead of ‘Captain’. “I’m well. You looked busy, I hope I’m not bothering you?”

Hope switched off the monitor. “Not at all,” she said. “I’m happy for a reason to get sidetracked.” She sniffed the air. “What is--are those cookies?”

El held up the basket and flipped back the cloth. “And muffins. Would you like some? The cookies are chocolate chip, sugar and oatmeal raisin. The muffins are chocolate with chocolate chips and some blueberry as well.”

Almost vaulting the desk, Hope was looking through the basket to find a few she liked the look of. She took two cookies and a muffin. “Thank you!” she said with a mouthful of cookie. “I’m starving!”

El laughed. “What time is lunch?”

“Another thirty minutes,” she said, looking sad all of a sudden.

“Then that should hold you just fine.” El looked to the large doors then back to Hope. “Is he busy?”

“Not if you’re the visitor,” the lieutenant said as she walked back around and opened the doors remotely. “I don’t think it would matter if he were in a top secret conference. He’d want you in there. And thanks for the snacks!”

El’Shar’s slim, six-foot frame walked gracefully, as always, into Rick’s office and the doors closed behind her. The room was empty. “Rick?” she called.

She heard movement behind her but knew it was him. When his hands slid around her waist and she began receiving kisses to her neck, she smiled and leaned back, giving him a bit more access. “Were you trying to sneak up on me?” she asked as he continued kissing her neck and ear lobes.

“I heard the love of my life outside my door and I had to jump into action,” he said between kisses. “Wait--” he stopped suddenly. “Are those cookies?”

She laughed and turned to face him. “Hope said the exact same thing,” she said as she held up the basket for him to see. “I thought you could use a little brightening up.”

He inhaled deeply, then took the basket, placed it on a small table by the door and pulled her close for a proper kiss. “You’re all I need to brighten me up,” he said. “But thank you.”

She looked down smiling, but her expression changed to one of stern concern. “Rick. Where’s your cane?”

He balked a moment. “I, uh...it’s---” He huffed. “It was just this time. I wanted to surprise y--”

“Rick,” she said, making a demand with one word that he couldn’t confuse with anything else.

“But, El, I--” he began to whine.

“Richard Strauß Wegener, you march right back to your desk and get that cane or so help me I will call Doctor Harding and have him put you back on light duty!”

“But, El--” he began again, this time knowing he was fighting a losing battle.

“Now.”

His shoulders slumped, he let out a pitiful sigh and walked slowly over to his desk and sat down, picking up and showing her the cane and flopping it on top of the desk.

She arched an eyebrow.

He apologized quietly.

Picking up the basket, she walked over to his desk and placed it on the corner then circled around behind him putting her head next to his. “I love you, Rick, but I will not allow you to potentially cause yourself more damage by not following the doctor’s orders. Besides, you only have three more days with the cane.”

He rested his hand on hers as it hung over his shoulder. “Okay.”

Noting his defeat, she gently kissed his neck. “Would it help if I told you that I’ve been anxiously awaiting your medical clearance so we could get back to business in bed?”

Turning his head, he asked, “Really?”

“Oh, yes,” she said, trying to hold back a chuckle. “I’ll definitely make it worth your while.”

With renewed vigor, he sat up straight in his chair and cleared his throat. “Well, then,” he said, spinning in his chair to face her, “consider this cane permanently attached to my hand until then.”

Running her hand gently down his face, she said, “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

“Wait--did you just use sex to get me to do your bidding?”

She shrugged playfully. “Maybe.”

He reached behind her and gripped her bottom. “Eh, I’m okay with it,” he said, leaning in and hugging her.

“Why don’t we go get some lunch?” she asked. “We could take Hope along with us. I think she was seconds away from accosting me for the entire basket of sweets.”

“Wasting away to nothing, is she?” he asked as he checked the time on the wall. “I could definitely eat,” he added, standing and making sure to use the cane with great show. “What are you in the mood for?”

“Cravings? Or Ha’Dara?” she offered.

“We’ve been to Ha’Dara,” he said as they started walking toward the large doors. “Let’s do Cravings.”

He flung one of the doors open. “Hope, lock it down. We’re going to eat.”

She looked up from her desk. “We, as in me and you two?”

El nodded. “Yes, Hope. It’s always good to eat out on the Admiral’s dime.”

She moved like a blur, shutting everything down and locking the doors. “You don’t have to ask me twice. Where are we headed?” She had opened the doors to the corridor and was almost pulling them out with her.

“It’s a surprise, young’un,” Rick said with a grin. “Just follow along and get your stomach full.”

Rolling her eyes she fell in line behind them. “You sound just like my dad.”

“He’s definitely old enough,” El said.

Hope chuckled and added, “And the cane sells it.”

--------------------------------------------
Admiral Ricky Wegener
Captain El’Shar Blackhorse (ret.)
Lieutenant Hope Beckman