A Package Delivered

Posted on Wed Nov 30th, 2011 @ 6:26pm by Lieutenant Commander Leto & Commander Oralia Zeferino

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Intel Offices

The turbolift doors closed, much to Nenita's relief. As it began to ascend, she entered the override to make sure it didn't stop for anyone. The devil himself could have been pressing the button on Deck 400 and he'd just have to wait. Giving the order for Deck 33, she tapped in the intel code, then leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.

"You okay, Oz?"

"Do I look okay?" Oz was still sitting right where Lazan had set her down. Her hands and fingers were splayed across her bare scalp; one wrist, the one broken in her tussle with Thumb a few days back, was swollen and purple. "Look what they did! The bruises, the cuts... whatever," she dismissed the actual injuries Frick and Frack had inflicted, "My hair...." She finally glanced up at Nenita, looking a touch lost.

"Aww, honey." Nita crouched down beside her, taking her hand, gently pulling it away from her scalp. "I know this may be hard to believe, but you'll get used to it faster than you think. I was bald for a while last year. I was being a Deltan for this....well never mind what it was for. It was marvelously freeing, to be honest. Never had a bad hair day." She smiled a moment. "The good thing is we got you out without anyone being the wiser, though Paddy did take a phaser shot. He's tough, he'll be fine."

"Yeah, I owe him," Oz agreed. She stared at Nenita for a moment then said, "Yours was voluntary. Portraying a Deltan? Sort of awesome. Being scalped by some guy who intends to sell you? Not very awesome at all."

"Yeah, well, we showed him, didn't we? He'll be busy mopping the walls with his goon squad. Hopefully that will distract him so he leaves Li alone." Nita sounded worried for a moment. When she continued, her usual light tone had returned. "And I'm sure Paddy was glad to do it. He's a sweetheart. And have you ever looked at his ass? It's one to write home about, I promise you."

The knowledge that Suresh would do to Frick and Frack what she wanted to do to them was just another reason to hate Suresh. She managed to nod and lightly chuckle at Nenita anyway; she knew the Intel officer was trying to cheer her up. "Yeah, I have. Don't tell Connor, though; it'd drive him a little jealous." She moved her arms and massaged her biceps, where the pain from having them held behind her back had settled.

"We'll be arriving soon and then I'll get you something to wear and start fixing you up. I suspect that when Connor hears, he'll climb up a Jeffries tube to get in if he has to. If you want hair, we even have that."

"A wig?" Oz looked doubtful, but... maybe... yeah, that could be interesting. "Got one in red?" She cracked a smile. "I just want to get home."

"That's probably not a good idea. Suresh is partial to red, you saw Li." She paused once more. "Umm, that isn't going to happen just yet Oz."

"Why not?" Oz's tone changed, a touch of anger replaced the unhappiness. "I'm sure Connor's home, worried sick by now."

"Li said in no uncertain terms that you were to remain on the Intel deck where no one but us can get in. Do you not think you are still in danger Oz? That those two cavemen won't come looking for you?"

"Still?" Oz paused and realized she hadn't been thinking like a Security Chief. She'd been thinking as a woman who wanted her shower, her bed, her Iggy and her Connor, not necessarily in that order. Oh, and food. A good stiff drink needed to be on the list, too. "Ugh. I'm going to shave him bald. Soon as he's in my Brig, that cretin's hair is coming off."

"I'll hold you to that. Who are you sending down to get him? And give us a heads up so Li can get out before they go in. But for now, you're our guest. And don't worry, we have rooms up there with all the comforts of home."

"I'll take volunteers to go down after him. Perhaps in an unfortunate phaser accident, he'll be injured," she said bitterly.

"As much as I'd love to do just that, and have done such, your department isn't a bunch of vigilantes. You know the prosecutor will cry foul if you all misstep. Unfortunately."

Sometimes, playing by the rules sucked. Oz sighed, "Yeah." She looked up as the lift came to a stop. "This our stop?"

"It is." Nenita helped her up, surprisingly stronger than she looked. "First we get you down so you can have a shower, and I'll get you some fresh clothes. And something to eat too." The doors slid open and she helped Oz from the lift.

Several minutes later, Oralia stood in front of a mirror, avoiding looking at her lack of hair. Instead, she was watching her reflection as she slowly peeled blood-soaked cloth away from the phaser burn on her side. To shower or not to shower was her question. Would a medtech have an easier time tending the wound as is or after a shower? Deciding the medtech would just have to deal with it, she proceeded on to the shower. Turning the water on as hot as she could stand it, she dispensed a dollop of shampoo into her hand and stepped under the water, only then realizing she didn't need shampoo. A new flurry of tears came and she stayed under the water till her toes turned pruney.

Once Oz emerged from the shower, Nenita reappeared. She had no doubt the mirror in the bathroom had been hard for Oz. The next few days would be as well. For now, she would help her ease things as best she could. "Here." Without asking, she pressed a drink into Oz's hand. "Drink up honey. The Doc should be here soon and get you all fixed up. Whatever you need, just call." Nita smiled once more, patted her shoulder and turned to go.

Taking the drink, Oralia took a large sip: a mojito, a strong one. She briefly wondered whether the rum was real. "Which doctor?"

"Why yours, honey. Who else?"

"Oh, no. No, no, not yet. I can't...," her hand went to her hair... that wasn't there. "Not like this."

"He won't care, trust me. He'll be more worried about what happened to you, not your hair. Don't you know what he loves has nothing to do with how you look? It's who you are. The rest is just details."

Her shoulders slumped. She wanted to argue that she cared, but... Connor would see her at some point, may as well get it done with. "Fine, I'm going to lay down; I'm beat," she winced at her own choice of words and moved to the bed in the room.

"Get some rest, I'll see you soon." Nita left the quarters, and once out into the hall, she moved back to the offices, a thoughtful look on her face. She was taking the first shift of what amounted to bodyguard duty and so she settled in, leaving the doors open.


********

Oralia Zeferino
Shorn

Lt.(jg) Nenita Quidley
Sure