Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side-sim: The Reckoning

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side-sim: The Reckoning

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side-sim: The Reckoning
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Rand got up and went and got the stool. She didn’t want it in Roman’s way if he tried to get up, but wanted it close enough he could help Pipkin learn to use it. In the end. She set it closer to the head of the bed near him so the rabbit could get up without landing on his leg, and it was easy to reach so he could move it out of the way. Then she looked at him with mock embarrassment. Well maybe not so mock. She had rabbit proofed, but that had meant going into his things, and that had been nerve racking for her. Roman’s quarters were always neat, but she’d had to make sure none of the draws and edges were warped or had unusually sharp edges, and that everything closed correctly. Rabbits liked to chew cords but luckily there were no loose cords on a star ship, but she had checked anyway. And then she’d checked inside all the lower cabinets to make sure there was nothing dangerous. She’d hated invading his privacy like that. She tried not to look too much. “I was supposed to rabbit-proof?” Her voice sounded appropriately confused but her eyes told a different story. She sat down next to him and reached over to scratch Pipkin behind an ear, which apparently the little rabbit liked. “Of course I did. We can’t let anything happen to her.” And then her voice took on that soft lilting coo that was usually only reserved for Nibbles. “No we can’t because you are too precious, aren’t you?”

Rand

Rand wouldn’t have seen anything really personal. His personal items he kept hidden in something else, like the photo in the pocket of his violin case. Roman did not seem bothered by the idea that she had to look in some of his cabinets and drawers. He liked where she put the stool, it was well within his reach but out of his way, positioned to keep Pipkin from accidentally stepping on his leg and hurting him, or him from tripping over the stool. He could tell she wasn’t serious by her eyes, and Roman knew from her help in the lab Rand was far too thorough to forget something so basic as rabbit-proofing the room before letting the rabbit free in there. Then she turned and started talking to Pipkin and Roman smiled. He remembered telling Rand he’d always wanted one but he’d have never expected her to actually make it happen.

~ Roman

Rand got up and grabbed a small container, about the size of a shoe box. “She has hay and food and water. And they sent a long a dome for her to make a nest in. But apparently this box contains things that are safe for her to chew and play with.” The box contained various shapes of flavored and shaped wood blocks and a what looked like a rope tug toy but was actually made of braided hay and a small blanket type cloth that was made of safe textiles for her. Rand sat the box down next to Roman. “Do you think you could eat or drink something now?” She grabbed one of the treats and held it out to Pipkin carefully. Rabbits were usually gentle but they had strong sharp teeth.

Rand

Roman peeked into the box. “They sent everything with her,” he commented. There was a good assortment of safe toys for Pipkin. Watching for the little bunny, he sat up a little more and readjusted his pillows to support him. “I could try eating something. I haven’t had anything since yesterday,” he decided. Too much pain would make him nauseous but his mind had been off it long enough he felt pretty good, and he wanted to try eating before the pain meds started to wear off. It had already been four and a half hours since they were given.

~ Roman

Rand nodded, “I’ll be back.” Rand slipped out the door making sure Pipkin was still on the bed and at first she thought would just grab something from the small pantry in her quarters, but it probably needed restocking anyway. So she made the trip back down to deck 9 and the Galley. The chef seemed happy to see her. He already had the next round of drinks ready for her to take to the bridge. She put in an order for both herself and Alden and then made the run to the bridge while the meals were made. She hadn’t realized it was already so late. She would have to keep a closer eye on the clock. Not that she was required to bring drinks to the bridge, but it was a small something that was considered beneficial.

Rand was gone longer than Roman expected, he hadn’t realized how late it was either. But while she was gone, he was playing with Pipkin. After a little while the little bunny went to explore the room and Roman leaned over and patted the stool to show her how to get down. It seemed like Pipkin was a quick learner, because it wasn’t long before the bunny hopped onto the stool and then the ground.

Tray of food in hand Rand stepped off the turbolift and back down deck 3 to Roman’s quarters. She pressed the chime incase Pipkin was running around near the door and Roman could warn her. Then watching her step she entered and made sure the door closed. She set her tray on the table first and then brought his over and set it on the bed next to him. Pipkin was very curious about the tray, especially the large raw carrot Rand had snagged from the kitchen for her. Roman may have a problem - Rand was going to spoil Pipkin rotten.

Rand

By the time Rand was back, Pipkin had returned to the bed. Her attention was immediately captured by the tray with the carrot on it. Roman had to smile. “Bringing extra treats? How did you manage to get the chef to part with that?” He asked as he started picking at his own food.

~ Roman

Rand turned a little pink. She didn’t exactly get to spoil Nibbles. Her diet was very strict and the most she could do was give her extra of her favorite mix. Rand got to spoil her in other ways though. But Pipkin, well as long as Roman would let her, she would dote on the little fur ball…a lot more than she should. Rand shrugged, “He was adding carrots to a stew for tonight and I asked if I could just have mine raw. It saved him a little chopping. And I might have shared some of my cheeze whiz with him.” Rand picked up the carrot only for Pipkin to hop across the bed to follow it. She picked up the tiny thing in two hands and set her in her cage, carrot in her feed dish. She left the cage open so she could come out when she was done. But that way Roman wouldn’t have to fend her off while he ate. Then she grabbed her tray and sat down in the chair next to him. “I have your notes from Kelmao loaded onto a data disk for your PaDD. It’s a copy so if you get tired and write something crazy it’s okay.” She grinned at him. It wasn’t like when he wasn’t sleeping, she knew the pain and the meds could make it hard to think, so she made sure he could work without the worry. Rand had copies of most everything that crossed her desk, unless ordered not to.

Roman watched as Rand returned the little rabbit to her cage but left the door open. He smiled at Rand as she sat down. Normally his notes would make him happy but the meds made it hard to focus, to think. But Rand said it was a copy, so if he did decide to work on them nothing was lost if it ended being a load of nonsense. “So I’ll have something to do tomorrow,” he said.

Rand smiled, “Well there’s your Kelmao notes, reports from Command, and of course all that back logged paperwork. Oh and there is this.” It seemed like the items for Pipkin were never ending. She picked up an orange data disk from the small bedside table. “It contains all her health records, feeding suggestions, training, health issues to watch for an how to treat them, and anything else the breeder felt was essential to know. Which was a lot.”

Roman gave an audible sigh. The Kelmao notes were technically paperwork but the best kind of paperwork. The rest of it Roman could happily do without. “They didn’t leave anything out, did they?” He said, looking at the disk. “I can read through it tomorrow.”

They were quiet for awhile just eating, including the sound of Pipkin gnawing at the carrot. Until it stopped and Pipkin decided she wanted to be involved in what was going on again. As Roman had already discovered she was very smart and made quick work of getting back on the bed. Rand laughed as she made insistent demands with her nose and head that Roman pay attention to her. “I think she likes you.”

Rand

Roman was trying to finish his own food when a little cold nose and a little headbutt caused him to drop his fork. “Pipkin, couldn’t you wait another couple of minutes?” He said, but he was already giving in to the demands for attention, scratching behind the little bunny’s ears. “I think she likes you too. Then again, you’re going to be her main carrot supplier.”

~ Roman

Rand was finished eating and she returned her tray to the table and then went over and picked Pipkin up and nuzzled into the soft fur. “Okay you, let him eat, then you can climb all over him. But not his leg. You can’t do that, no you can’t.” Her voice took on that cooing lilt only reserved for baby animals. Rand was totally enamored with the little rabbit, “But if you promise to sit on his chest so he can’t get up while I’m gone I’ll bring you more carrots.” She was sure that would get a response out of Roman but she continued to talk such nonsense to the rabbit for several minutes.

“A two pound baby rabbit is not going to stop me if I really want to,” Roman protested, proving Rand’s assumption correct. “And not too many carrots!” He wanted to baby Pipkin as much as Rand did, and he certainly would more than his lab animals, but not at the cost of the little rabbit’s health. She’d live several years if she stayed healthy.

Rand grinned and looked over at him over the top of a fuzzy white and orange head, but she was talking to the rabbit. “You are so small and cute you just twitch that nose and use those cute bunny eyes and I bet he doesn’t make you move for hours.” She obviously having fun teasing him. “He’s right though, not too many carrots. I’ll find something else for you.”

Less than an hour later Randy rang the chime. He started to ask if they were decent but figured they both might hurt him and he was there in a medical capacity so profesionalism first. When the door opened he walked in and stopped short. “Fhuair thu coineanach dha gu dearbh. (You actually got him a rabbit.)” Randy shook his head at his sister before looking at Alden, “Time for the dermal regenerator and then meds. Do you think the rabbit will stay out of the way? It would be rather dangerous for it to accidently get in the way.”

He turned to Rand, “I have to stay while we do this, so you can run along and do your thing without worrying.”

Rand and Randy

Roman grinned. He knew the Gaelic word for rabbit and the rest he either knew from Rand’s lessons or could pick up by context. It wasn’t a complex sentence. “Of course she got me a rabbit, your sister can make anything happen,” he said. Then he gave an audible sigh. He had no issue with the regenerator but he still did not want the meds. Apparently, the removal of the neuro block had taught him nothing. “It’s already time for more meds?” He complained.

Then with one more moment of giving Pipkin scratch, he motioned for Rand to take the little bunny. “It’ll be best for her to stay in her enclosure until we’re done. She’s young and curious.” And then Randy seemed to be throwing Rand out again. Randy seemed fond of doing that lately.

~ Roman

Rand took her and the way she was loving all over it made Randy let out a long suffering sigh and then grin. “Yeah, my sister is pretty amazing. Not quite time. they last 6 hours, you’ve got about an hour and half left. Wanted to get this over with before the meds wore off.” Randy flipped open his tricorder and scanned Roman’s leg. “Anti-inflammatories are a must. After that walk everything is inflamed and the ice packs aren’t doing it. We have to reduce the swelling. You were on a 3/4th max dosage of the pain killers. We’ll try a half dosage, and see if that works.”

Rand sat down on the end of the bed opposite where Randy was standing. “I don’t start rounds for 45 minutes. I don’t have to leave yet. What are you up to?” Randy put a hand on his hip and then pointed at his sister, all attitude, “Fine but quit snogging in front me. Glad you’re happy, but just…don’t. I’d tell you two to get a room, but,” and he waved his finger around in a circle indicated they did.

Then he set up the device and got it started on Roman’s leg.

Randy and Rand