Visitors

Posted on Fri Jul 24th, 2015 @ 10:21pm by Ensign Six of Ten & Suresh & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Ensign Reva Madhava

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Piper Medical Center

Reva, still in Piper for Harding's tests, had pestered the man till he relented and let her see Six. She bounced into the room, smiling. "Six! I heard you're okay and will be released soon. Are you feeling okay?"

Six sat up and rubbed her eyes. “I think so. Still a trifle drowsy but it’s wearing off. What are you doing in here?”

"Darwin," Reva wrinkled her nose. "He brought me in because he and Harding think my hormones and such are out of whack." She grinned and shrugged. "That's the short explanation. Doc Harding is running some tests to see what might balance everything out."

“Huh,” Six answered. “You know, that does make some sense.” She smiled brightly now. “Thanks for coming to visit though. It’s really quiet in here. Vic was here for a while, then he left and Suresh came to stay, according to the nurses. He ran home to change and clean up. Did I miss lunch? I feel like I could eat a whole targ.”

"You did," Reva nodded. "And breakfast, too, I'd think. One of the nurses would bring you something. That was good of Vic to come see you - so quickly too. He was here before Suresh, even?"

“I think I heard someone say he was down below when it happened and heard the commotion,” Six answered. “Then again, I’ve been out of it and having the strangest dreams so who knows what really happened.”

Reva was about to ask something, but the door opened and Darwin came in. "I've been looking all over for you!" He glared at Reva, then turned a much gentler look on Six. "You're awake. About ready to go home?"

“I am. I was just telling Reva I’m ravenous. Apparently I slept through breakfast and lunch and spent the time having odd dreams.” She smiled at Darwin. “Nice to see you.”

"Dreams, huh?" He nodded, unwilling to say anything in front of Reva. He looked at her and said, "Shouldn't you be somewhere, getting poked or prodded?" Wincing at his own wording, he coughed.

"Hmm... I suppose I could be," Reva flirted.

Six raised her eyebrows as she looked at Darwin. Wisely, she kept her mouth shut. “I should be going home soon, Reva. I’ll come visit tomorrow, I promise.”

She smiled and patted Six's arm, "Good, I look forward to it." To Darwin, she winked and said, "See you in a bit, then, Lieutenant."

Darwin sighed as Reva left. "I need whatever Harding is doing to work, Six. Wit's end, here."

“I can tell.” Six nodded. “I can read your frustration loud and clear. Have you ever thought of trying this, then letting her sink or swim on her own?”

"Eh... She might take down too many others when she sinks," he said. Truth was, he felt a bit protective of the idiot. "We'll see, though. I've assigned a couple of people to guard you, including your new Orion BFF: Edana. You might meet her tonight. The other is Kendrick. He can be your guard while you're up here... um, above the equator."

Six nodded. “Thanks. I know it will make Bryce feel better. Is Marat still in the brig?”

"Yeah. You won't need to worry about him. We have enough to convict him. He'll be sent to a prison off-station."

“He should be glad he’s behind a force field then. If Suresh didn’t get to him, Bryce would.” She smiled a moment as she examined Darwin. “Are you alright? Something seems...off. You feel a little..shaky maybe? Did something happen?”

"Hmm? Oh, not really... well... Edana broke the coffee table with me," he said. He meant what he'd said: Edana had used him like a hammer to break the table, not that he and Edana had broken it. "She's a ...um, good choice for this assignment. Very ...robust." He nodded.

Amusement flashed in Six’s eyes. “Robust? Is that what we’re calling it now?”

"Wait till you meet her." He wondered how the older Orion would get along with Six. "It'll be good. She can go places with you, like dressing rooms and bathrooms, that Marat couldn't have gone with you. She knows about this attempt, obviously, and that Suresh isn't the old one."

Six’s mouth dropped open. “Ohhhhh….tall? dark hair? Tattoo?”

"Green skin? Yes. All of that. You've seen her, I take it. In Saturnalia? Or Intel?"

“Intel. She was in the lounge the other day after we had our sparring session.” Six had also sensed something else but she was unsure what Darwin knew about the Vic situation. “Vic seems to think highly of her abilities.”

"I know. He and I talked about this before Oz - Commander Zeferino signed off on the order assigning Edana and Bryce. They've been told to arrange their own schedules." He paused, then cleared her throat. "Also, that rumor you heard about me being on the take?"

Six nodded. “It seems to be spreading, Darwin. Is that intentional?”

"Gives me reason to be down there," he shrugged. "It's not like the rumor can hurt me - Zeferino knows what's happening. Anyway, Edana offered a way to make that look even more true."

“How’s that?” Six reached for the bottle of water Ophelia had left by the biobed and had a long drink.

"Making it look like she's my... um... companion. It'll mean that I'll have reason to be down there and to be near you, should you have anything to pass on."

A smile settled on Six’s face. “I can see this will be a real ordeal for you,” she joked. “It’s a good idea though. Things seem to be heating up don’t they?”

"Heating up?" He looked at her for a second, debating just how she meant that. "Yeah, they are. Suresh should be here soon, and then the doctors will release you. I need to go find Reva again and make sure she's behaving for the doctor. If you'll excuse me...." He smiled and mock saluted her as he left.

Six sat pondering what Darwin had said...and what he didn’t say but she’d sensed. Finally she shook her head and smiled. Things certainly were getting interesting. On the heels of that thought, the door opened and Suresh entered. Seeing her awake and sitting up, a brilliant smile lit his face. He wrapped her in his arms, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Is everything alright?” he asked.

“It is. I feel fine. Ophelia said the nanoprobes moved fast and took care of the minor injuries. They took a little blood from me, mixed it with what they were going to give me and in no time, the little bots had done their thing and it was ready for me.” She frowned as she thought about that. “Is it true they wanted my blood to sell it?”

Suresh nodded. “It’s worth a lot, which is why we’re stepping up your security.”

“Darwin was just here and he told me about Bryce and Edana,” she informed him. “It will be okay, don’t worry. Besides, if they hadn’t sedated me, I’d have taken them down and they knew it.”

He laughed at her spunk, then hugged her again. “I don’t want there to be a next time, Six. I can’t lose you and I won’t. Whatever it takes, I’ll keep you safe, I promise.” He wanted to tell her the rest of it, tell her how he truly felt but he hesitated.

“I know,” she whispered. “All of it. I know.”

“Good,” he whispered back. The sudden relief was immense. She knew and wasn’t backing away from him. It gave him hope. “Dr. Solis was outside and he said you can go. Are you ready?”

“Absolutely,” she answered. “Take me home.”

************************
Ensign Reva Madhava
A Thorn

Ensign Six of Ten
In Perfect Health

Lt. M. Darwin
Poked, If Not Prodded

Suresh
Secret Revealed