Minor Updates

Posted on Wed Mar 23rd, 2016 @ 10:53pm by Lieutenant Commander Earl Crane & Cadet Senior Grade Chance Conradi & Captain Li Hawke & Maxym Balasz

Mission: Further Challenges

* Piper Medical Center *

Li arrived at Piper after a quick detour through her quarters to dress. She’d thrown a few things into a bag to take back with her, including a secure box with two bugs in it for Iggy. She also sent word to Max that she would be in sickbay for a little while. Now, she sought out the waiting room and found Chance there.

“Chance!” She hurried across to hug him tight. “What’s the news? Where is Jackson?”

“He was allowed in to sit with Oralia, though she’s sedated. She’s out of the woods, but was having a hard time catching her breath, so they put her under to keep her from panicking and making everything worse,” he told her. Behind him, Oz’s and his parents sat, worriedly waiting.

Li greeted the parents, then turned back to Chance. “Any word on how long she will be in here? Will they let me in to see her do you think?”

“You can ask,” Chance said, shrugging. “They haven’t said when she’ll be able to leave or how long. It depends upon how quickly the nanoprobes do what they do.’

“I’ll track down the doctor in a few then.” She rested a hand on Chance’s shoulder. “How’re you holding up?” That question clearly included the family. “Whatever you need, you know I’ll make it happen.”

“Thanks, Li. For now, we’re okay.” He chuckled slightly and said, “Little while ago, Mom complained and said that Oz and I needed to move closer to home, meaning Earth, because SB900 is too dangerous for us. Can’t blame her for saying so.” He rubbed his throat, recalling his death at the hands of a Hazari. He had the unique, and wholly unenviable, ability to recall both the feeling of dying and the feeling of having killed him. “Oz wouldn’t ever leave here, not without Jackson.”

“No, she wouldn’t. I think you’d have to pry her out of here however you presented it.” Some of Oz’s current issues, Li felt, were because of the old Suresh’s obsession and thus Li felt responsible. She knew Chance would read that. “She will be fine. She has the best working on her and she’s been through worse. You’d better be prepared though, for when I limit her to desk duty for a while.” She grinned at Chance, hoping to lighten the mood.

“If you don’t limit her to her desk, Gilroy will. He’s been by here, too, and promised that he and Darwin would tie her to her chair if necessary.” He smiled.

“He’ll do it too. Alright, I’m going to see if I can sneak in and see her before I go back to Archadia. I notified Dad and he said if you all need anything to call him directly, alright?”

“Thanks. We will,” he nodded. His thoughts had turned, for a moment, toward Sakkath. Without him, Chance wouldn’t be here. He hugged Li suddenly, ignoring that she was his boss and superior officer; right now, she was a friend. “Earl’s about to walk in.”

She held Chance close, reading the emotions running through him. “It’ll be alright,” she whispered, then turned as Earl entered.

“Li,” Earl nodded to her as he stepped into the room. He addressed everyone, saying, “I have a minor update: Oralia is breathing on her own. She’s still sedated, but she isn’t laboring for every breath. We’re going to let her stay this way for a little longer, then wake her up.”

“Can she go home then?”

Shaking his head slightly, Earl was conservative in his answer, “We’ll have to see.”

“Will you call me when she’s awake?” Li asked. “I need to get back down to Archadia since Iggy is down there.”

“Alone?” Earl’s bushy grey brows drew together, causing a furrow between them. “Is it wise to leave any of those spiders without supervision?”

Chance laughed. “Not really, no. But Iggy isn’t alone.” He had briefly gotten a glimpse of Iggy’s situation on the planet when he’d hugged Li.

“Oh, well, that’s good. We’ll call you, Li, as well as both admirals, Gilroy, assorted family,” he looked around the room, “and anyone else with an interest. I trust you’ll keep Commander Darwin informed?”

Li raised an eyebrow at Earl, but nodded. “Yes. We can come back any time if we are needed as well.”

“I don’t think we’ll need you,” Earl said, “Not in a negative way - just... Oralia is on the mend.”

“Go on back to Iggs, Li, tell her the good stuff. We’ll call if when she’s awake or when she gets to go home. Or, more likely, both,” Chance said.

Li nodded. “Give them my best and I’ll check in tomorrow.” She stopped next to Earl, giving him a surface read. What she saw there was relatively reassuring, for now. She patted his arm and stepped out into the corridor. A familiar mind was approaching and she moved on down the corridor towards it - Max. She stopped as he drew closer and took a moment to open her mind, seeking out Oz. She was, as Earl had said, sedated and at ease. The relief was immense and she leaned back against the wall as her thoughts pulled back in on themselves.

Max walked along the corridors, homing in on Li like a moth drawn to flame. “Li,” he said her name softly and took her hands before hugging her. In a flash, he read her thoughts and drew back slightly. “Ah,” he grunted. “Seems like that boat is a beauty.”

“Iggy is enjoying it tremendously.” She hesitated as her eyes met his. “It is...nothing Max.”

“I know,” he smiled. “Enjoy it - all of it, Li.” He was surprising himself with his lack of jealousy. “I wouldn’t mind a sailboat adventure like that, either. I came to make sure you’re okay.”

“Okay but worried. Oz collapsed not long after she got to the house on Archadia. We’ve lost enough, I couldn’t face the prospect of her going too.” She tightened her hand around his. “Are you still sailing these days?” She recalled his proficiency with a boat when they were growing up. “Perhaps we should.”

“I haven’t in a long while, but I see that in our near future,” he said, smiling. “Your friend is going to be okay, though, right?”

“In time, yes, though Dr. Crane says it will be a little while.” She turned, tugging on his hand, and began to walk along the corridor. “I’ve promised to limit her to desk duty, which will not please her but is necessary.”

He put an arm around her shoulders as they walked. “She’ll get over it; I doubt she’ll get too bent out of shape about desk duty. Though she might worry about getting out of shape.”

“Are you sure you’ve only just met Oz?” she laughed. “I think that will be the first thing out of her mouth.” They emerged from Piper and Li stopped to face Max. “Can I tell you something?”

“Anything,” he said.

“I ….I want to come home to you.” She slipped the strap of her bag off her shoulder and lowered it to the ground beside her.

“I’ll move to my ambassadorial quarters, Li. Does that work?”

She nodded slowly. “For now. I likely will be home later tomorrow.” Reaching up, she rested her hand against his cheek. “I should get back but….” A few more minutes wouldn’t hurt, she reasoned.

“No, they won’t,” he mimicked her physical touch before leaning in to kiss her. “I’ll be around when you’re ready to come home.”

She nodded. “I can’t wait. In the meantime, Dad was looking for you. If you’re not busy that is.” She kissed him once more. “It might keep you from being badgered with questions at Menna’s.”

“Ugh... you can’t imagine the questions I’m getting. I took her to the Promenade earlier today and she met a ...um... I think it was a woman? Mamu B’Yaga? Runs a curio shop? Anyway, met her. That was interesting.”

Li’s smile returned. “I can certainly see why Mamu might interest her. She is a puzzle, that’s for sure. She also always seems to have just what you’re looking for, for future reference.” She stretched up to kiss him once more. “I need to go. I have Iggy’s dinner in my bag. See you tomorrow.”

He went off on a tangent, “Iggy’s dinner? Oh, the spider. I saw it at the memorial. That thing is huge! What does it eat?”

“She,” Li corrected him. “She favors bugs, beer, and whatever doesn’t eat her first. I think she likes the dumplings at Lao’s too, but gagh isn’t on her list of favorites. I’ll have to introduce the two of you when we get back. You’ll see quite a bit of her if you’re going to be around me much at all.”

“There’s something about anything with more than four legs... Don’t get me wrong - some six-legged things are okay. The Terran bumblebee, for one. Without it, several planets wouldn’t be able to produce food. But... eight legs? I can’t think of a good example. They creep me out, Li.”

“Once you get to know her, it will help. She’s quite the conversationalist, and sometimes that conversation cuts right to the chase.” She was thinking of Iggy’s question regarding Darwin as they had transported out of Earl’s office. “You will never lack for entertainment around her.”

“I’ll reserve judgment, my dear.” He kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you in a day or so.”

“You will.” Li stepped back and tapped her comm badge, calling transporter room one. Moments later, she faded from view.

*************
Captain Li Hawke
Cadet 4th Class Chance Conradi
Lt. Commander Earl Crane M.D.
Ambassador Maxym Balasz