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

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side sim - Sickbay Shenanigans

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

(snip)

His reports would suggest she was wrong, there were no major errors however one of them was dated a month in the future and another had the wrong name on it. On the fourth night, Roman ultimately decided that the last thing he should do is avoid her, which might make her think he didn’t like her, and so on the fifth night, he showed up for coffee.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Rand corrected the reports, and didn’t think much of it, it wasn’t like him to make such simple errors, but he was handling everything without her assistance. She noticed similar errors across the departments so it didn’t stand out to her that maybe it was out of the ordinary for him given the circumstances.

When the chime rang, Rand called, “Come in.” She was sitting on her bed, leg stretched out and propped on a pillow, on the left side of the room. On either side of her bed was a small night stand and then another twin sized bed past that. The quarter were divided by a half solid/half latice wall. The right side of the area was a work/eating/prep area and a door to a lavatory on the far wall. Looking up see saw him enter, “Cmdr Alden.” She smiled and then realized she had her stuffed kelpie on the bed next to her which she promptly hid behind her pillow. A glance at Randy’s bed told her his giraffe was still on the floor on the far side where she’d thrown it back at him earlier that afternoon. “Come in.” She pushed herself up to sitting straighter. “Would you like to sit down?”

Yeoman Rand

The door opened and Roman stepped in, peeking quickly to see if Randy was there. Seeing that he wasn’t, Roman relaxed somewhat. He’d never actually been in Rand’s quarters. Her quick stash of the stuffed animal did not escape his notice and he smiled slightly. “I would. I would’ve visited again but- I was busy,” he said, feeling the need to explain his absence. It wasn’t like it was an unbelievable excuse after all.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Looking around would show the quarters were neat and set up for as much efficiency as possible when two people who were always on call was capable of. There were several photos around, most depicting Rand,Randy, or both with other people who shared a family resemblance. There was a set of bagpipes on the dresser, the bag in the same design as Rand’s sash. There was also a family crest on the wall and a couple of tartan throw blankets.

The decorations and photos put their quarters in stark contrast to Roman’s own, mostly empty quarters, in which there were no pictures at all, and while he owned a violin, he kept it stashed in the closet alongside his martial arts wear. The photos clearly depicted family, and Roman remembered Rand had mentioned Randy played bagpipes, so nothing particularly surprised him, except for how home-y the room was.

Rand nodded her understanding. She knew everyone was probably busier than normal. Someone had to complete the reports and deliver them, run deliveries from one department to another, to the department heads, the galley, to the captain, to Alden as the XO, run reports and requests between sections and individuals. “I’m allowed to work from my desk now, but not wander all over the ship, back and forth, as Elbbirt put it.” She realized the only place for him to sit where she was, was her bed. She turned and put her feet on the floor and stood up very slowly. She was allowed to walk around her quarters, she just had to be careful she didn’t move too fast and her ankle give out or stand on it too long. She moved toward him. She was wearing a soft cotton peach knit sweater and thick comfortable heather grey lounge pants. Her hair down rather than in a bun or a pony tail. She kept one hand out ready to grab onto whatever was near by just in case, and moved to the table so he could sit with her. “Do you want coffee?”

Yeoman Rand

Roman was unused to seeing her look so casual. In his experience, she was either in uniform or running clothes, and her hair was always up in some fashion. He had to admit the more casual look really suited her, she was very pretty… but that wasn’t why he was here.

“I, um, I can make it, so you don’t have to walk so much,” he offered. Roman hadn’t a clue how, but he was sure it couldn’t be too complicated. He moved over by the table, but hesitated to sit down, in case she did want him to make the coffee. It would be pointless to sit just to stand again.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Rand grinned and moved over to the counter and began to pull what he would need out of the cabinets. “Well I will tell you how to make it, but you have to promise not to tell Randy I told you. He’’s been trying to get my secret from me for years. He can’t know I told you.” Rand was only have joking and teasing as well. A combination of him being in her quarters, knowing she was off duty and in casual clothes rather than her uniform, that was really her armor, the lighter dose of meds they gave her, and nervousness that she’d say something to embarrass herself.

“I won’t tell,” he promised with another half grin.

She had to reach up on tip toe of one foot, hand braced against the counter, the other reaching for a small container, her secrete, hidden behind…his tea.

She sat down at the table and walked him through how to make a Scottish coffee. “Add a spoonful of that container after you add the whiskey to the coffee and stir it till dissolved.” She watched and nodded as he did. She was really happy to see him, but she couldn’t say that could she? So instead she asked the only safe thing she could think of, “How are the animals? Has the chinzilla finally weaned her babies?” It had only been a few days but for Rand it felt like a month since she’d been in the lab with him talking about the different animals and the other labs, or just the reports and generalality of the ship.

Yeoman Rand

“Do you want one?” He asked before he started, so he knew whether to do two mugs or one. Mixing the ingredients together in the familiar style mug, he occasionally looked back to her as she told him what to do. When the coffee was made, he sniffed his mug and said, “It turns out better when you make it.” And then he took a sip as he sat at the table.

Rand nodded, “Please.” She would rather the coffee to help her sleep instead of more pain meds. She blushed softly at the compliment, “Oh…thank you. I’m sure you’ll get it. Just takes practice.” She really wanted him to say he didn’t want practice. That way she could keep making it for him. She sipped at the mug, it was good. The mix of ingredients was a little different than what she did, but it was good.

Roman was happier than he cared to admit to see her again, too, despite his feelings toward what he knew. When he was with her, he wanted to just say to hell with it, and tell her. When he’d spent time away from her, he worried one of them would be transferred, although he was unable to find any rule against it. Or that her feelings had changed since he overheard her in the lab.

If asked, Rand could recite the regulations concerning such things, anything really. She wasn’t thinking about it though because the possibility of Roman liking her was non existent.

“Nibbles has been missing you. The science crew is doing their best to keep her entertained, but she knows none of them are you,” he started. “Mushu is showing signs of illness, but I think he’ll pull through. The chinzilla has begun offering her babies solid food, however she still supplements with her own milk. I suspect they will be weaned in the next few weeks.” He loved talking with her about the animals and he loved that she always asked about them. They were one of his favourite things to talk about and it made him happy she seemed to care almost as much as he did.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“I miss working with her,” she did. She found animals so much easier than people. She’d told him that once. They didn’t provide those deep meaningful connections humanoids tended to need (unless exceptional), but Rand was more comfortable with them. But as much as she missed Nibbles, her little confidant, that wasn’t what she missed the most. She missed just being around him, she missed talking to him. “Do you think the Chinzilla will make a family group or will the mother attack them and they will need new cages?” The information about Mushu mad her frown. And then “OH! I read that sometimes reptiles get really lethargic before they molt, is that the right word? So you think that’s what’s happening to Mushu? Maybe he’s growing?” She was obviously very hopeful that was the case. She wasn’t supposed to get attached, but Rand struggled with that. If he was paying attention he would have noticed a copy of Catherine H. Howell’s National Geographic Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians.

“I was wondering if Mr Wyvern was different, with me totally gone from the lab? I seem to antagonize him without trying.”

Yeoman Rand