36 Hours

Posted on Mon Oct 14th, 2024 @ 6:51pm by Ensign Tobias "Toby" Dienstag & Lieutenant JG Marcel Knowles

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 5: The Price of Paradise
Location: Deck 7: Medical Section
Timeline: M5 MD10 (2268.08.2) 1300

It was the early afternoon following Toby's brush with death aboard Relay Station H-57. Although Dr. Kirchner said his wound was healing nicely, he wanted to keep him in sickbay under observation for at least 36 hours. By then all of the poison should be flushed from his system or absorbed by the medications.

For the past few hours he had sat up in bed. Mike had brought him a stack of books but unfortunately had to go on duty but should be getting off in a few hours. Until then Toby was content reading a book on Vulcan philosophy. His voluminous brown eyes danced from word to word as he read the book first in the original Vulcan and then in the accompanying English translation. Except for the oversized bandage bulking the left side of his chest, he looked completely normal.

The plus side to being Chief Helmsman was he ability to walk into Sickbay to see patient without much scrutiny especially when he was stable, recovering, and within visiting hours. Marcel had heard what happened to Toby shortly after it had happened, and he had been monitoring ship scuttlebutt the entire time, eavesdropping on medical personnel, monitoring them coming in and out of sickbay and waited mostly impatiently.

Toby of course had his nose buried in a book or several when Marcel entered, approaching carefully. It was a bit awkward between them though that was Marcel's doing not Toby's. He approached Toby from behind and peaked over his shoulder "interesting choice of reading" commented Marcel. He smiled at the injured officer. "How are you healing?"

Toby almost jumped out of bed as he dropped the book back onto the pile. He looked over at Marcel with his usual doe eyed look. "Oh, hi Marcel," he said, "I wondered if you would pay me a visit."

Marcel smiled "So you do think about me," the helmsman teased. If only it were that simple and if only Toby did, but the battle for Toby's heart was a futile effort that had already been won long ago. Unless something happened to Mike, Marcel had no moves to make, no tricks up his sleeve, just an unyielding barrage of lust that he tried his best to keep at bay.

"Of course I was going to come pay you a visit" he replied softly. "I tried to come when you were brought in initially, but you know how that goes. I didn't make it very far and I thought it best not to end up in the brig."

"Well, if I recall you were still on duty at the time," Toby responded, "But the visit is appreciated, none the less..." He paused and scanned Marcel's face, trying to think of what else to say, "I'm just sitting here trying to make sense of it all... And not getting far... At least I didn't die, so that's something right?

Marcel nodded. "Yeah, I was on duty, but that didn't stop me from wanting to drop everything and rush down here" he stated. "I waited until after my shift. Then I did, but the weren't keen on letting anyone in then. I had to wait until after you were out if surgery and recovering. I'm glad you you are here, Toby."

"Thank you," Toby responded, "Brooke was by briefly and I Mike is on duty floating around here... The visits by my friends have been welcome... Even the Captain stopped by to see how I was doing." He sighed, "I don't know, I just feel numb to it all... Don't know why," he said, "Had the weirdest dream under the anesthesia too..."

No weirder than the ones I have thought Marcel, dreams of something he could not have. "Everyone cares about you here. You are practically our mascot from what I can tell" he added. "What did you dream about?"

The young man rolled his eyes and sighed, "Oh great... Mascot?" he commented and then continued, "I relived the Kobayahi Maru test I took on Starbase 10 while we were docked there... For better or worse..."

"Lucky for you you're a blue shirt," replied Marcel. "I've been trading off red and yellow. Those dang command ambitions of mine" he teased. "How bad was the Kobayashi Maru?"

"Well, we survived for awhile... Took out a few ships here and there... I knew a few tricks from knowing the science and the astrophysics, but it just keep getting more intense until I froze with ten or more D-7's wailing down on us," Toby responded as he started to blush in embarrassment, "The Captain asked how it went before we left dock, but... I was too embarrassed to tell him."

Marcel placed a reassuring hand atop Toby's. "You did better than some people do. You are a science officer Toby, and there I nothing wrong with with that. Even some of the best Captain's probably froze during their careers."

"I suppose," Toby responded, "See this situation was a puzzle to be solved like any other, a simple matter of probabilities... But the scenario clearly cheated..." He sighed, "Of course I've been reading that it is designed to cheat," he added, "Which made me wonder what's the point..." He stretched his bandages shoulder which was still incredibly stiff and sore. "I was asking for some excitement and I guess I got it, huh," he commented.

"Excitement can be satisfying, but seeking it may end up being risky, even more so when it just finds you" stated Marcel. "I'm just grateful you're in on piece. I don't want to think about you not being here."

"Well I appreciate that," Toby responded with a smile, "I just wanted to get out of that science lab and see the galaxy again," he added before looking at the chair next to the bed, "You can have a seat if you want." He could tell Marcel was sneaking a peak down the open back of his maroon rayon patient gown.

A glimpse or two never harmed anyone, but it was the gazing longingly that would do him in. He accepted the suggestion and took the seat, humming a little tune. I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder thought Marcel.

He smiled at Toby. "Just don't get yourself hurt in search of excitement. I worried about you, Toby."

"It happens, that's space..." Toby responded with a flippant remark, "And why's that?" In the moment on the relay station he could feel the panic well up inside him but all that could come out was being frozen. All he remembered after answering "I don't think so sir, was falling onto his back and staring at the bright florescent light.

"Why?" Marcel replied with a exhausted sigh. "Well, as the little blue shirt that you are, you will undoubtedly shoot holes through any sort of metaphor or analogy I have because it is biologically inaccurate" stated Marcel. "But some would say because my heart feels like it does this sort of pitter-pattering when I'm around you."

He shrugged. "Psychologically, because I have issues clearly. I definitely like to dangle a carrot in front of me that I have zero chance of ever catching in this reality."

Toby just stared at him for a moment, his normal doe eyed expression became almost a glare. He began to speak, "We need to find you someone better than me..." He said, "You need to move on." His tone was avoid of emotion, almost antiseptic.

Maybe you need to thought Marcel but he did not dare say that to Toby. It was wrong for him to question whatever Toby had with the physician. "Rome was not built in a day," Marcel replied. "I'm working on it. Believe me. I want to move on, but I don't want to lose any chance at friendship, but I know. I know if I keep saying crap like that I'll end up making it awkward and you'll want nothing to do with me."

"I've put up with it so far," Toby responded with a smirk, "I'm not that weak... I'm not going to just run away." He knew what the young man's motives were, but they wouldn't come to fruition. Toby wanted so hard to return to the friendship he enjoyed.

Marcel smiled and gave Toby's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I think I'm a bit of a pest, not mature enough to leave you and Mikey alone. It makes me a pretty rotten friend and self-centered, but you've been nothing but kind to me. Rest up, Toby. Some stars between us might be a good thing for a while until I work out who I am."

 

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