It occurred to Hannah in the middle of a shift that she hadn’t heard from a friend of hers in several weeks, and that just wasn’t like Alexis. What made Hannah realize she hadn’t heard from her was a patient that had come into sickbay with food poisoning. However, according to the young man he never ate anything but replicator rations and that simply wasn’t likely. There could be a malfunction in the system of course and Hannah would put in a request to engineering to check the young man’s replicator in his quarters. His room mate, however, was showing no signs of illness. This kind of ‘mystery’ was something that Alexis would love to sink those mental teeth into.

After her shift, Hannah went back to her…their, quarters. She still wasn’t quite over that yet, but in a good way. Daniel wasn’t back yet and so she sat down and turned on the computer console. “Computer connect to USS Ogawa Lt Alexis Bonner.” Hannah waited, tossing a foam stress ball back and forth from one hand to the other. After several minutes, “UNABLE TO COMPLETE CONNECTION, RECIPIENT DID NOT ACCEPT CALL.” Hannah leaned forward and pulled up her list of correspondence. She’d talked to Alexis a couple months ago before she took on a special research project. 3 weeks ago she’d sent Hannah a letter saying she was finished and returning to the Ogawa and would call her once she was settled. This was Alexis, so Hannah knew it wouldn’t take her long. Hannah had messaged her several times, but still had not received a response yet. “Computer begin recording visual message for Lt Alexis Bonner, USS Ogawa.” At the beep, Hannah began to sign. *Alexis, what’s going on? Have you gotten lost in another side project again? Did something happen on your way back to the Ogawa? Are you okay? If you’re stuck in your PaDDs instead of answering me I’m going to come out there and wipe them all clean. Seriously though, I just want to make sure you’re okay. Call me or write me, something, okay.” Hannah signed off.

Hannah worried about Alexis. No one really took the time to understand her, and Alexis had given up on making friends and having anything other than her work after that horrible man on the Hathaway. But Alexis was her friend and she wasn’t going to just give up on her. Hannah was, of course, older than Alexis, but during Alexis sophomore year, and Hannah’s junior year, they had had a lot of classes together, and there were endless house and endless late nights, and endless study groups. Alexis’ parents didn’t let her live with the rest of the cadets feeling she was too young. Alexis’ father, was an instructor at the Academy, and he stayed on campus however late Alexis needed. She knew that senior year would be hard for Alexis because there were several events and tests and evaluations that meant she would have to live on campus. Alexis never did anything but classes and study, and so Hannah had made it a point to include Alexis in everything, not just academics. Hannah had gone to Alexis’ father and convinced Alexis’ parents to let her be Alexis room mate the following year. That way Alexis wouldn’t be thrown into the chaos with someone she didn’t know during her last year. When Hannah had graduated the year before Alexis she hadn’t forgotten about Alexis and she wrote her every week, a gentle reminder to Alexis that some people understood.

Hannah had changed into yoga pants and a cut off t-shirt and was just about to sit down with her dragonfruit lemonade when the console beeped. It was a typed message from Alexis. ‘Hi Hannah. I am so sorry. My lab was totally empty and I got to design the space the way I wanted. You can’t imagine the equipment we have access to here. And then I did, I got lost in my work. I’m so sorry. I will try to call you in a few days. -Alexis’ Hannah shook her head with a small smile. At least Alexis was alright, if lost in her work again.
Lt jg Asimina, Doctor