Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side sim - Status Quo

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side sim - Status Quo

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side sim - Status Quo
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
The last thing on Roman’s mind were his morning duties. Perhaps he should’ve cared more, but all he cared about then was how Rand was. “You can’t walk on that, I’ll take you,” he said. Lifting her was easy, Roman was more than strong enough to manage it. In a moment, Rand was in his arms and he was headed for the lift.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“I’ll manage…wha…??” And she was better ng lifted. At first she thought he was just helping her stand and then she could lean against the wall as she made her way to the nearest lift, but her feet didn’t set down on the floor. Instead he was carrying her! “Cmdr put me down,” her voice was a strained whisper with no real force to it. Lord’s and Ladies he was strong! “Put me down…really I…I..can mange..” What if someone saw? What if SCOTT saw? Half the crew already thought she was uptight and worthless. And he was holding her and that made her breathless and she could smell his after-shave, and he was really close....she started having a panic attack…

Yeoman Rand

With her this close to him, Roman found himself noticing she smelled really nice. Even after running. He’d never noticed that before, not even when she had hugged him in his quarters that one night. He was pulled out of his train of thought by her protests to be put down. Not understanding, he thought she just didn’t want to bother him. “Nonsense, it’s no trouble.” He said as he stepped into the lift. “Deck 9.”

Once the lift opened on that deck, Roman stepped out and headed briskly down the hall, walking right past biology and his CSO office to reach the Sickbay.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Her protests died as they got on the lift and Rand concentrated totally on trying to make sure Roma…Alden (she needed to get a grip) didn’t notice her panic attack, but she was breathing way too fast and too shallowly. At least he couldn’t feel her pulse rate, that was totally erratic or see how the pinpoint constriction of her eyes was creating tunnel vision. When they got off the lift and headed toward the science labs she tried again, “I can…can make it from here.” But her voice was too muffled to hear. Maybe if she was just quiet no one would notice. But her foot really did hurt and the swelling was much more noticeable now, so she was thankful for the help, she couldn’t have walked on it. And buried under all of the panic she was still made breathless by him.

Yeoman Rand

He could feel her rapid breaths, but thankfully for her, his hands were not placed anywhere he could feel her pulse. And he was too focused on where he was going to notice her pupils or anything else like that. He was not running by any means, but he was walking briskly as he went down the hall, turning and entering the Sickbay.

Unfortunately for Rand, the night crew was still in science, and that included NE Scott. And when she saw Alden rush past the door, Rand in his arms, her eyes practically buldged out of her head and she pointed for the rest of Science to see, “Look! The lt commander’s carrying Rand!”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Rand heard Scott and ducked her head trying to hide from anyone else seeing her, which only made her semi curl up against Roman. How was she going to explain why she did that? Oh Scott saw and she thinks we’re a thing and she’s crazy, but I’d really like that, but I don’t want anyone else to see because there is no way you’d ever do that, so I’d rather her not gossip…no absolutely she could NOT say that, any of that. Maybe he’d just think she hurt too much? The injury was really making itself known now, and though he wasn’t jostling her, her foot seemed to throb to the pace of his steps.

Roman was doing his best to keep her as steady as possible, he knew any jostling would make it hurt more. When she started moving, trying to hide from Scott’s sight, Roman only clung tighter to her, trying not to lose his grip. But it only brought her closer to him.

Rand went really, really still. She couldn’t exactly move away from him, and if she tried to return to her previous position it would draw attention to the fact she noticed he was holding onto her tighter. Rand was so anxious, embarrassed, and in enough pain she was ready to cry. Why was this happening to her?

Several of the night crew looked up where Scott was pointing, but Alden and Rand were already gone. “Seriously Scott, can it already. I was on bridge duty a few days ago with Lt Cmdr Alden. There is NO way there is anything going on there other than work. He ran that poor yeoman ragged and never once actually looked at her. You’re just a hopeless romantic.”

“Please, he’s a workaholic! But you’ve got to notice the way he looks at her when they’re not working,” Scott said just before they left earshot.

Mathers shook his head, “The man never stops working and neither does she, so when are they not at work.” He shook his head again and went back to work.

Entering sickbay into the waiting area, Rand pointed at a chair. “I can just there until they’re ready for me. Thank you, I…I wouldn’t have made it here that fast,” her voice was really quiet, just between them, but she excused because she was having a hard time breathing…from the pain…not him holding her and her anxiety…right, the pain…

Yeoman Rand

Roman set her carefully in the chair, making sure not to bonk the injured foot into anything, including the floor. And then he sat in the chair next to her. “It was no problem at all,” he said. After all, he did it because it was his job, right? She was part of the crew. But he still didn’t want to just leave her there… Even waiting in Sickbay for someone else made him nervous, he hated this place.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

It took Rand several moments to get herself under some semblance of calm. She adjusted in the seat stiffly trying not to move her foot too much, and that’s when she realized he was still sitting there. She glanced over at him, and maybe no one else would notice but there was a tightness around the corner of his eyes that told her he was nervous or stressed. It was the same look he’d had when he asked her to talk to Randy for him. He didn’t want to be in sickbay, and she couldn’t blame him. He’d probably spent enough time in sickbay when he got hurt. “Ummm…you…you don’t have to stay. I’m sure I’ll be fine with the nurses.”

“I don’t want to make you wait alone. Unless you don’t want me to stay,” Roman replied. He was trying to hide his distaste for the place, not knowing it was virtually impossible to hide his emotions from Rand. She’d gotten very good at reading his tells.

Not want him to stay? Far from it, but he was uncomfortable. “N…no it’s not that. I..um…I just know you really hate being in sickbay.” Her voice was quiet and didn’t carry to anyone else, maybe because she was trying not to tell his business, maybe she was trying to stop from voicing her thoughts on her foot, or maybe she didn’t want him to get mad at her for saying something. Or maybe it was something else entirely.

Roman glanced at her, brow furrowed. He never remembered telling her that. It was a stupid thing to not like, and he always said he was ‘too busy’ or it was ‘a waste of time’ to go. “How did you know..?” He asked, his voice lowered, not wanting anyone else to know.

NE Shrine peaked in, “I thought I heard someone. Oh Cmdr Alden, En Rand. What can I do for you?”

Rand looked really sheepish, “I hurt my foot on my run this morning.”

Yeoman Rand

Roman looked up when the nurse came out. “It was a little accident, but it looks like it might be broken,” he said, adding, “I’m just here to help her out.”

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Shrine nodded and knelt down to get a closer look at the foot and let out a low whistle, “Good thing the Cmdr was around, Rand. That’s not going to feel so good when the doctor sets it. Let me get a doctor and a bed set up. And then we’ll get you moved.”

Yeoman Rand

Roman was glad he had been there, so he could help her. So she didn’t have to limp herself to Sickbay. Sure, he’d help any crewmate who was hurt, heck, he’d have even carried them if he needed to, but he’d come to care deeply for Rand, and he wondered if it was because he considered her a friend… He couldn’t even entertain the idea of something ever happening to her. The idea terrified him.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO