Digging deeper
Posted on Fri Jan 17th, 2020 @ 8:07am by Major Cornelius Tremble
Edited on on Wed Apr 8th, 2020 @ 11:06pm
2,555 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Episode 9 - Empok's End
Location: HS Room 7, Deck 5
Timeline: MD001 1400 hrs
Neil straightened his shoulders and avoided gritting his teeth as he neared her office. The report was done but he needed medical’s part for it and accordingly, he had to see Tallida.
They hadn’t spoken since their fight and he wasn’t quite certain how to even brooch the subject. His mouth had run off and he was sorry about that.
But, he wasn’t all that sure he had been wrong beyond that and apologizing when he was mostly right wasn’t something he was used to.
He had shut his contact down and hit the annunciator manually once he had reached Ovaa’s office door.
Tallida hadn't slept well. Her head hurt, she was exhausted, she was angry, and she missed Neil. She had even gone as far as deactivating Merriam, something she would pay for later. Ordering her third cup of coffee she beckoned whoever it was at her door to enter.
Stepping through the door, his eyes found her face immediately and he paused. She looked like she'd just traveled a long stretch of bad trail in the dark. And she looked like home at the same time. Removing his beret, he steeled himself then spoke quietly "Lieutenant Ovaa, I thought to collect Medical's data and summation for the Wakefield matter." He automatically slipped into something near to parade rest, keeping his eyes on her, try to avoid making direct eye contact.
Tallida's shoulders fell when she hear Neil's voice. It wasn't his voice, it was the mention of the Wakefield stuff he had asked her to look into. "Coffee, strong, extra sweet." She waited until the cup appeared before picking it up and turning to face him. She let out a sigh at the way he stood and simply rolled his eyes and she took a sip of her coffee and took a seat. She cringed at the heat and the sensation of it almost being too hot to drink. "Refresh my memory?"
His brow creased, but keeping his tone even he said, "The JAGMAN tasking looking into then Lieutenant Wakefield's trial and the actions of the officers in charge and the rest. You were to interview those involved, review the files from a medical point of view and prep a summary..."
Perhaps a bit petulantly, his words came out slowly, patiently, as if reminding a child of chores to be done.
"Oh yeah," she replied in a very immature, sing songy fashion. She took another sip of her coffee before setting the cup down and rising from her desk. She moved over to a bag that was on her couch and began digging through it. She looked up at Neil. "You look like you are going to pull something if your back gets any straighter." She finally found what she was looking for and returned with a padd. "Have a seat, Captain."
Neil slid into the proscribed chair and replied, "Thank you, Lieutenant." His posture remained stiff, his back barely grazing the back of his chair. His eyes traced over the clutter on her desk and he shook his head slightly without realizing it but kept his tongue. "Do you have a summary of your findings on the whole affair?"
Tallida could practically read his mind as his eyes went over her desk. He was so much more judgmental when she knew how to read his face. God help her she loved him. Not that she had ever told him so. "I do." she started. "What type of petri dish princess would I be if I didn't using my augmented brain to do a simple job." she pushed the padd across the desk.
Neil kept his face placid as she threw his words back in his face, instead he nodded without saying anything and picked up the PADD. Wordlessly, he blew a few crumbs and dust motes from the screen, then accessed the information. After a few moments he looked at her and asked, "So, you don't think the command staff necessarily dropped the ball. I don't see an absolute opinion on Medical's actions. Don't you think when she complained about not sleeping and actually went to sick bay for it, there should have been more follow up?"
His eyes moved to trace over her and he caught himself, his eyes moving to her face again.
"Honestly," Tallida started "it is murky." She could see him struggle to not roll his eyes at her statement. "Chemically, she checked out." She took another sip of her coffee. "They could have prescribed her a sleep aid, but if the problem is emotional or psychological, they can do more harm than good. Without being there, in the moment," She shrugged her shoulders. "It is hard to know."
Neil made a noise and shrugged, "There are a lot of if's in this. IF medical had explored her request a bit more or the Captain and XO had kept a better eye on their junior officers. And and and...."
He shrugged again, then stood. "Thank you for the summary, Lieutenant. I'll merge the final reports and get this off before I sleep today, with copies for you and the Captain." He met her eyes again and asked, "Any questions for me, Lieutenant? Final comments...for the report before I take my leave?"
"Not everything is always black and white, Neil." She replied softly not moving her eyes from him. He had reverted into his original issue and he wasn't surprised. She knew his type, but she loved this one. "You okay?" She asked softly unable to hold it back.
Neil met her eyes for a moment and evaded that question to ask, "More importantly, are you? Your away mission was interesting, from what I heard. And then of course...this," he said gesturing between the counselor and himself with the PADD he held.
Tallida wasn't surprised by his avoidance. A quote of any aspect of his personality being issued by the corp rang out through her had causing a laugh to bubble up from her behind her coffee cup. "I am fine, thank you for asking." she could tell he wanted more information, but she wasn't going to give more than he was willing too.
Neil frowned, then bristled at the laughter and nodded again. "Glad to hear it. Take care of yourself then," he shook his head in exasperation and began to pull on his beret.
"I am sorry," Tallida replied with a twinkle in her eyes. "Don't be mad, I wasn't laughing at you."
He squared his beret, then crossed his arms and regarded her for a moment, then said. "It is good to hear your voice...your laughter again, Tallida. To answer your question, I'm fine. Busy. But not busy enough to keep you out of my mind."
She eyed him while he spoke. Taking in the full sight of him. "Were you trying too?" she asked as she motioned for him to retake his seat. Her tone had reverted to the one she reserved for sessions but she was sure he would know that.
He eyed her and the chair and didn't move, "Sounds like you're starting a counseling session," he stated matter of factly. "If that's how you want to talk with me, why should I? This isn't some clinical study..."
"Because I love you, and you are being a jack ass." Tallida replied in exasperation not realizing the fact that the first time she said it out loud she was yapping at him.
Neil didn't say anything for a few beats and met her eyes. "You do, do you? That's handy since I love you too." He relaxed his stance and slid into the chair she had indicated, then asked. "That all being said, what now Tallida. I will say I'm sorry for calling you names. I shouldn't have done that."
"I am sorry too." Tallida replied softly. "I didn't mean what I said to come out how it did." She looked down at her coffee cup as her fingers toyed with the handle. "I don't know what now." She said barely louder than a whisper without looking up.
Neil looked at the top of her head then shook his own head, pulled off his beret and got up. Stepping around the desk, he reached down and slid his right hand around her right bicep and half coaxed, half lifted her from her chair. Then he touched her chin and gave her a brief kiss. "Well, what does your counseling training say," he asked with a half smile .
Tallida complied and fought to hide the smile he drew to her lips. "That I should runaway screaming." She said defiantly. "Or petition for the corp to issue me to you so you will be less of an ass." She teased with a questioning look. The phrase made more sense in her head than it did out loud.
"I can't guarantee to be less of an ass all the time," Neil replied to her, "And do you really want more issues?" The words were out of his mouth before he could bite them off. It had been meant as a joke but... He opted to close his mouth then and met her eyes, shrugging.
"I meant," Tallida started with a small laugh as she shook her head. "You had said to me once that if the Corp had wanted you to have a personal life they would have issued you one." She shrugged. "I was trying to make a joke and failed."
He smiled at her and said, "No you didn't fail. I took the meaning and was teasing back." Neil considered a few minutes, then told her "You've become home to me. Does that sound odd? Sounds odd to hear it on my end but it's how I feel."
Tallida watched him. Making no move to say anything even when the silence verged on being awkward. "I just realized I have never told you I, uh, how I feel before." She said softly.
Neil cocked his head, regarding her and asked just as quietly, "The question might be when did you let yourself know how you felt?" He smiled a bit broader than, "Or has Merriam been pestering you about us?"
"You know, I don't try to be a Marine Captain." She teased as she poked him in the chest with her finger. Stretching up to him she gave him a soft kiss. "She pesters me about everything."
"Just as well," he acknowledged after their kiss, "I don't know if the Pioneer could handle two Marine Captains...though it would be handy to have someone to share the workload."
Tallida couldn't help it and rolled her eyes at him with a shake of her head. "So, back to my original question." She started with an amused grin. "Are you okay?"
He sighed slightly and nodded, "Yes. Running on fumes more or less, per usual, but I'm alright." He slid his hands about her waist and amended, "And I'm better now. I really didn't care for you being sore at me."
Tallida moved her hands up his chest until her wrists rested on his shoulders. "Oh?" she teased. "Miss me?"
He let his eyes take in her face and said, "Yes. It's been unnaturally quiet..." he teased back, before saying "And then there's been the cold showers and steady diet of marine supplements...."
"So wait," She asked with a questioning look. "You think I am loud but I satisfy your needs?" She teased as she took a step back. "Perhaps cooking for you was a bad idea."
He gave her an appraising look as she stepped back, then remarked. "As I recall, you were loudest while we were satisfying both our needs. The cooking made me a changed man. You might say you both thawed and fed my soul."
"Well then," She gave him a smile as she moved around the desk. "My quarters, dinner, tonight?" She knew that if she didn't put some distance between them, with the way he was looking at her, they wouldn't make it to dinner.
He watched her go and chuckled, "Sounds perfect. But Tallida, you never did answer me. How are you?"
"Better," she started. "Tired, and I have had a headache for as long as we have been here."
The marine considered that for a moment, his eyes searching hers, then he said "I've had a headache off and on for the past couple of days myself. I think the oxygen cyclers were fouled or something during that training Op. It's mostly cleared up now, but we've had a hand of marines hit sick call too."
He shrugged then and said, "How about we swap it around, you come over to my place and I'll handle supper? I actually got a care package from my mother before we left the station that I've been sitting on. It's been years since she's done that..."
"Sure," She replied with a smile. She pressed her lips together to avoid the counselor in her that wanted to ask how he felt about that.
He saw her lips compress and then met her eyes and all he could do is shrug. "I have no idea. Maybe she's dying."
Talli laughed with a shake of her head. "That wasn't what I was going to ask, but you are cute."
Neil considered her briefly, then asked. "Okay, what were you going to ask, then?"
Tallida shook her head. "Nothing," She grinned. "If it bothers you I am sure you will be able to convince me to tell you at dinner." She gave him a wink and a smile.
His had tilted and eyes crinkled slightly at her change of tone and nodded affably. "Up to you, but I do value your opinion and want to hear what you have to say."
Then he grinned, "I might not act on it, but I do value it."
"I know love." She grinned, "It just really wasn't important." She gave him another smile as she watched him for a moment before she kissed him. "I really did miss you." She added barely above a whisper.
"And I you," he said, his hands coming to rest on her hips, "If we keep up like this, we'll both have to find an excuse to feed the XO why we're playing hooky."
"Then get out of my office," She replied with a smile before she winced slightly her as headache thumped reminding her it was still there.
He stepped back, evading her hands and came to attention, "Aye aye, Miss." Then he turned and headed for the door, "See you tonight" he said over his shoulder, giving Tallida a wink as he pulled on his beret and moved into the corridor.
Talli stood there shaking her head as she watched him leave. Turning back to her desk with her eyes falling on the cups of cold liquid and let out a sigh. "What was I doing?" She asked the room. Only Silence answered her.
A joint post by;
Captain Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Tallida Ovaa
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
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