Careful consideration

Posted on Fri Nov 1st, 2019 @ 12:34pm by Lieutenant Mica Rue

Mission: Sounds of Silence
Location: Lt Mica Rue's quarters

When she awoke on her second day on board the ship, Mica Rue felt like hell.

She had felt the slightest twinge in the back of her throat the night before, but hadn't thought much of it. After all, she had been chatting up a storm with anyone and everyone who would listen, not to mention the vast conversation she had with the warp core the day before.

But this, this was not the routine after-effects of too much socialization, she decided.

When she stumbled out of bed and to the bathroom, she washed her hands, glancing at herself in the mirror. She figured in the grant scheme of things she didn't look too bad, perhaps a little sleep deprived, but nothing too severe.

Straightening her shoulders, despite the ache in her muscles, she attempted to put a smile on her face. It came, though with an effort she didn't usually feel. With her jovial nature, her cheeks and lips seemed predisposed to the constancy of a smile. Right now, the effort just felt wrong.

Although she wasn't slated to be on for another few hours, Mica took a sonic shower and dressed, tying her hair back into a ponytail and forgoing the usual breakfast.

The Lt took a slow pace to engineering, noting along the way how very quiet the place was. The dynamic of what she had heard starships were was off somehow. But, realizing she had no basis of comparison as starbases were vastly different in nature, she left the feeling to inexperience. Still, there was more than once that she heard a clearing throat around the corner in the corridor, and at least twice she had seen the tell-tale sign of puffy red eyes in other officers that tears had been shed.

Shaking off the dismal thoughts, Mica entered engineering, nodding to the others already there, waving off their inquiries at her early arrival. Strolling to the main console, her fingers found the cool glass, a zing of pain erupting up her wrist and arm as she spread her fingers on the surface.

As though she were shocked, she pulled back her hand, frowning.

Mica rubbed her fingers with the other hand, caressing the sore joints and the bruised-feeling skin between her thumb and pointer finger. Her frown increased.

"Ma'am, is there something wrong?"

The other Lt's question startled Mica, though she rarely was caught unawares. She jumped and turned, then tried to put the smile back on her lips. This time the effort came harder.

"No, Lt. I think I just overdid it in the lounge last night." her voice was hoarse, scratchy. The work of speaking seemed to dry out her mouth, leaving sand behind. "Nothing a good night's sleep can't solve, I'm sure. And a coffee."

The man smiled back, though the expression didn't quite reach his eyes. Not even the third one. "Well, I can't do much about the sleep, but I certainly order you up a coffee, ma'am"

As he left, Mica thought she should say something. That was an inappropriate comment, wasn't it? she wondered to herself. Was his consideration of not being able to do much about the sleep possibly innuendo? should she broach the subject again?

A dull stab to the back of her neck had the Lt shaking her head and lifting her fingers to her neck to rub it. Briefly, she closed her eyes.

"Chief?" the Lt had returned, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. His smile had faded, concern glazing over all three eyes.

"I'm fine, Lt, though I may go back to my quarters for the morning, see if I can sleep off the worst of this." she nodded to the coffee, the delicious earth drink she had fallen in love with in the academy calling to her. She took it with her hand that did not seem to be sore and took a deep smell of the brew. "We need another diagnostic done of the dampeners - they still sound off. Call me if anything comes up."

She didn't wait for the acknowledgement that she was sure would have come. Instead she trod toward the door, cradling the nectar of life inside the mug...