Infinite Diversity, Infinite Combinations - Final Curtain

Posted on Sat Mar 12th, 2016 @ 12:25pm by Captain Li Hawke & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Lieutenant Commander Earl Crane

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Piper Medical Center

* Piper Medical Center *

Earl looked up as Li entered his office. “Nice... you come here, thinking that you’ll avoid a check up? Have a seat,” he said, pointing at the chair opposite his desk.

“I came because you wanted this monitor back. Trust me, I know exactly how much energy it takes to replicate one.” She smiled and sat before his desk. “Does it say I’m alright?”

Frowning, his lips pressed together, Earl picked up the monitor. “Ah, yep, it recorded some good information yesterday and last night. There were a couple of distressing moments, but those passed.” He pulled out a tricorder and stood to walk around his desk and scan her with it. He read the readings and made a humming sound in his throat. “Well... you need a bit more rest, but otherwise you’re healthy. Physically, you could go back to duty. Of course, you have to talk to Swift to see about going back to duty.”

Li nodded. “I’m going down to Archadia tonight after the memorial, Earl. Suresh offered his house on the beach so I’ll be there a few days. Oz is meeting me there tomorrow. She could use a little vacation too.”

“Good; she needs some time to relax, too. I’ll see you in a few days, ...well, this afternoon aside.” He patted her shoulder. “By the way, Darwin’s fine. He’s put in for a vacation, actually, so maybe he isn’t ‘fine’, but we’ll see.”

That surprised Li. “He requested for a vacation? Huh. I’ll ask him. He called just now. Anything else sweetheart?” She grinned at Earl as she stood.

“No. Go forth, be safe,” he hugged her quickly. “Darwin was last in Recovery 24.”

Li departed Earl’s office and a few minutes later, entered Darwin’s room. “Hello handsome,” she said softly.

“Hey there.” He smiled. “It was weird having you in here,” he tapped his temple, “and feeling what you felt, but now... this could get to be terribly awkward.”

“How so? I’m not in there anymore.” She moved closer to the biobed, stopping to look down at him and take his hand.

He held hers. “Right, I know. I felt the pain of the link severing. Suddenly I’m very glad I’ve never had a serious relationship with a Betazoid,” he laughed.

Li joined in the laughter. “Should I be insulted?” She brushed back his hair gently with her free hand. “Actually, that was Vulcan-caused. A mating bond that happened unexpectedly the day I met Sakkath. Our hands touched quite by accident and ….boom. Fireworks. It was done. We just had to get used to the idea.”

“Insulted? No, what we did was casual and it can stay that way.” Some of his usual charm and swagger came back to him and he grinned up at Li, “Same time, same place in a year? Well... this time, on the planet. I can’t think of another friend I’d like to take in that lake.”

Li nodded. “We’ll do it. There is nothing I’d like better. But I may have a slight complication....””

“A complication?” He sounded a touch concerned and his thoughts went to a common place for him: worry about an unplanned outcome of having had sex.

“Oh no, not that. No,” she assured him. “But it is a someone. In a year, he may not understand. But maybe he will.”


Darwin’s grin was easy and broad. “Whew. I’m sure he won’t mind. Actually, I can see why he might not. This is Max?”

Li nodded. “Yes. You know the story well enough from being in my mind, don’t you? I know you were jealous and uncertain of him.”

“Boy, was I,” Darwin laughed about his feelings of jealousy. “I wanted to put him in his place and show him who the top dog was. Be flattered, there’s only one other woman I’ve been that way about.”

“Amber?” Li’s smile returned. “If it makes you feel any better, he was jealous of you too, but that’s been resolved. He wants….a lot of things, Dar.”

“Amber,” he nodded, “Then I wish him luck in getting what he wants, Li. And you.”

“We will see. I hear you want a vacation, where would you like to go? I can make it happen, you know.”

He smiled. “I’m not entirely sure yet. I’m not sure whether I want to invite Ed along for a few days or not. I might see about renting a sailboat.”

“She’s been really worried about you, Dar.” Li studied him a moment and shook her head. “She’s not mad you know. Just had a good scare, which I can understand.”

“We worked it out on the planet... oh... no, we haven’t,” he paled a little. He still had to assure Edana that everything was fine, that he wasn’t actually Sakkath, didn’t even think he was Sakkath. “I’ll have to talk to her.”

“Well, with Six away, we could spare her from the Pit. Take her with you if you want. If she will go.” Li perched on the edge of Darwin’s bed as she looked down at him. “Then I have a request.”

“What’s the request?”

“I need you to get up and get dressed if you’re going to escort me to the memorial, Darwin. I’m meeting Dad and Admiral Wegener in an hour.” Li’s smile faded. “Will you?”

“Yeah, give me a minute,” he yanked the sheets back and walked to the bathroom to dress. Several minutes later, he and Li left Piper to go meet her dad and the Station’s CO.

************
Lt. Commander Earl Crane, M.D.
Captain Li Hawke
Lt. Commander Michael Darwin