Keep Your Hands to Yourself
Posted on Wed Jun 30th, 2021 @ 4:18am by Willian Targaryen & Lieutenant Cyrus Marner
1,555 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Short Treks
Location: Turbolift, Starfleet One
Timeline: 0000-00-31, 09:15
Willian Targaryen stepped out of the Mess Hall and walked toward the turbolift. He was more than ready to get the ship out of the damned nebula as soon as possible and to have some semblance of normalcy in place. If normal was something that they could ever have again. He was going to have to talk to Ash too about what she wanted to talk about. There was something going on. His Chief Engineer was very quirky, but even more so recently.
He had noticed too that his breaking the datapad had gotten some attention from his new Chief Medical Officer. Glancing at his hand, the wounds already almost fully healed, he tapped the call button for the turbolift. He was going to have to discuss some things with the Chief Medical Officer when the time was right. He just wondered when that would be.
Marner was hot on his heels and caught up with Targaryen. "Sir I do need to take a good look at your hand. It is of my solemn duty to keep everyone, and I mean everyone up to par healthwise and in this uncertain time we are in. That also means you. I do not want you to be that self sacrificing sort of Captain who will allow himself to die and leave us all holding the bag." his southern drawl becoming more evident. He was worried, being watchful over the man's wife. Marner didn't want the admiral to come out of her sleep and find her husband was not around.
"I missed the brunt of the damage," Willian said as the turbolift doors slid open - only about ten seconds too late in the Captain's estimation. "It just looked a lot worse than it actually was." He turned and looked out at the Medical Officer after having entered the lift. "I'll be fine."
"Sorry, that isn't going to fly with me, Captain Targaryen." Marner's jaw jutting out as he was bound and determined to make certain there was nothing wrong. "You are not going to just shove this aside, and after what we've been through already, Not going to take any chances. You will not dissuade me from making certain you are all good. And even if you pull a phaser on me I will not stop until I know for myself you are healthy." staring Willian straight in the eye, not backing down.
Willian laughed out loud, "Doctor, are you sure you aren't Leonard McCoy reincarnated?"
Marner raised an eyebrow at that. "Good heavens no, not that I know of, but you have paid me the highest compliment. I thank you." giving an answering chuckle. "However, the flattery isn't going to get you out of my taking a look at you." his gaze going more serious and determined. "I am going to be on your tail like a cockle burr is on a cocker-spaniel's fur. Hard to get rid of." he responded. "Like it or not, I will chase you down you can count on that."
"What makes you so convinced I was injured, Doctor?" His tone went a bit more serious than before as he leaned against the aft bulkhead of the rising turbolift. "Have I given any indication that I am hurt? That the PADD injured me? I know that I seemed a bit off during that meeting but I just want to get us back on the road. We need to get back out there, find allies, and figure out a way to either restore this ship or get us back to where we belong. That's the only thing that's wrong. My hand is fine," he answered as he gently rubbed a portion of his hand with his forefinger, hoping he didn't notice.
"Aha I saw that, Captain. You come with me to sick bay and I need to see to it." Marner hmmphed. "Do I have to hogtie you just to get you to cooperate? I do know how to do that. Don't you try my patience sir, and let me do my job. I saw what happened, I've worked on people who had done just the same. I will not back down."
The Captain smirked in response, "Doctor, normally I would say something along the lines of 'I'd love to see you try' or 'Good luck.' Let's just say I'm a little tired, not in a very good mood, so I might as well drop the pretenses." He lifted his hand toward the young doctor and showed him the wound. As they watched the skin healed itself, reconnecting and reforming solid muscle and flesh where only a second ago there had been a scab and trickles of blood. It was like a dermal regenerator, only one had not been used. He dropped his hand and wiped it on the side of his tunic. "Satisfied, Doctor?"
Marner watched in amazement at the healing factor then his eyes narrowed, "Now you will have to tell me just how that is being accomplished. Is it nanites? Are you an immortal disguised as a human? Have you been altered in a way? And would be nice to know just what is going on so I don't put my foot in my mouth clear to my hip. And even if you have a healing factor it will still be my duty to make sure you are healthy."
"I'm quite mortal, Doctor, even had a brush with death not too recently," the Captain answered. He wondered what happened to Commander Snow - his rescuer when the enhancements started to break down not long ago. She had been his Science Officer after that and helped to save the ship more than once. He hoped that, wherever she was, that she was well. "My gifts are a long story, one that would take some time to go over, but I will ensure that you have access to the report about them. It was highly classified, but I suppose with the Federation and Starfleet having gone the way of the dodo there's no one to arrest me for giving you access to it."
"I would like that very much, Captain, It would probably be a good idea for me to have that information, just in case something should ever happen. Not that I want anything to happen." Marner said, "but still, need that knowledge. I am still at a wall when it comes to your wife. I need to find something, anything to help her wake up." he frowned at that. "I won't give up though." his shoulders drooped slightly, as he thought about the admiral.
Captain Targaryen felt melancholy for a moment at the reminder. In addition to the stress of being trapped in this nebula for so long, he also had to contend with the reality that his wife had been critically injured during the transfer to this timeline. "I know that you're doing your best, Doctor. Maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to find something out there that could help us." He stood, thinking a moment. Was there a medical depot they could potentially go to? It was worth exploring as the lift slowed.
"I do hope so, Captain. " he reached out and gave a pat on Targaryen's shoulder. "We'll get something figured out, and you are doing your best and am grateful for it. And I will not apologize for acting like a mother hen." Marner standing straight once more, his humor coming back. "Don't be too surprised if I start asking if you've eaten that sort of thing. It might be so bad you'll want to put me in the airlock." giving the captain a wink, then Marner laughed.
"You really do sound like Bones McCoy," Targareyn answered with a laugh. "I suppose I will have to keep track of whether I've eaten myself," he genuinely wondered when he last ate because he wasn't sure at the moment. "We both have a lot of work to do in a short amount of time. Was there anything else?"
"Erm, nope not that I can think of, except make certain you send me that information and for Heaven sake man, get something to eat, and speaking of that, I need do so as well." he muttered, "Maybe I need to be a mother hen for myself as well." Looking at the Captain. "Is this my stop or yours?" having not paid any attention as to where they were heading.
He laughed, "I'm really not sure anymore, Doctor. I had asked for the Bridge and this doesn't look like it, so probably yours." He motioned toward the open door and the corridor beyond. "Oh, what do you think of the Saucer Sickbay since its online?"
"You did a mighty fine job, Captain, a mighty fine job. I am very impressed. Hopefully it was good stress relief for you." Cyrus said with a smile. "Well since this is my stop. I'll get off here and let you get to the bridge. Thank you for talking with me." giving a nod. "And remember, get something to eat." a laugh and a smile and he proceeded towards sick bay.
Willian watched as the young doctor walked toward the Sickbay and was glad that he was the Chief Medical Officer.