Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side-sim: New Normal

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

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

(snip)
Roman wouldn’t have minded playing longer, but it was time to eat, and Rand had seemed determined to let him ‘finish’, so that’s what he had done. “I’ve nearly finished the antivenom for the crimson cobra, but no, nothing particularly big.” It would be big when the antivenom was fully finished. But it wasn’t yet. He loved his work as always, but it wasn’t the cause for his good mood. He did still seemed relaxed, especially with her. He was sleeping well, through the whole night, his accent was relaxed when it was just the two of them, and he was smiling, so much more than he used to. For him, though, he silently worried that his good mood and his good sleep, wouldn’t last. He just wondered how long he’d get to enjoy it.

~ Roman

Rand shuddered. It bothered her every time Roman had to extract venom from that snake. Even before they were dating, she made sure to not be in the lab for it. She was sick to her stomach until she saw everyone who had been in the lab was okay. But she would be very happy when the antivenom was finalized. “That’s good news. What about Mushu? Is he doing better?” Rand had been helping feed him but had been so busy now that she was better from Kelmao she’d barely had time for Nibbles.

Rand

“He’s been more active than he was, but he still doesn’t seem completely back to normal.” Part of Mushu’s problem was probably that the little lizard had missed Roman while he was on sick leave, something Roman wouldn’t admit. But with the lizard still acting a little off, Roman was getting a little worried about him. Especially when extracting venom, but any time he was working with the large and dangerous snake, Roman did it alone, or with one other well trained officer. He wasn’t risking anyone he didn’t need to.

~ Roman

“Sometimes I wonder if maybe Mushu’s species lives in family groups too. Just the way he acts sometimes. His eyes always follow you and he reacts to your presence and…well I’ve never focused on observing it, but he is always active when you’re around. I’m not sure if that changes when you aren’t. But you have had him since he was very young.” Rand remembered when she first started helping she was so nervous all the time about offering an opinion or observation to him. Now she didn’t worry about that. Things were going well with them, and if Rand thought about it too much she would start to panic about when she would mess things up. She was thankful for the current calm though. With Kelmao, his leg, her foot, being without a CO so long, maybe this was a deserved break.

Rand

“Keep those observations up, it’s a worthwhile thing to look into,” Roman said. “He was a few months old when I found him, I don’t know how long he’ll live for, but he still seems young… and he’s just under three years old.” Things on the ship were calm, things with them were going well, all said, it was a good time for Roman. Maybe that played a part in his good mood. He reached down briefly to rub his leg, it was bothering him. But it wasn’t long before his hands returned to the table and he finished his dinner.

~ Roman

Rand nodded with a smile. “I know most animals have a very short infant and child stage, but is it possible that his is longer? That the…” Rand searchers her memory for the correct term. She’d heard Roman and the other techs use it… “Juvenile stage lasts longer and they live with the parent or family group longer or maybe never leave? If that’s the case then, you are his family.” She wasn’t meaning it in a fanciful I want a pet way, but in terms Mushu’s natural development.

She saw him rub his leg. “Do you want the heat pad or muscle rub? Or maybe to stretch it? Maybe it’s cramping from all the work?” She had a feeling even if there was nothing wrong with it, that once healed, Roman may rub his leg when he was really stressed anyway.

Rand

Roman nodded. “It could be. He still acts young. I almost wish I could get a second one, keep him company. If he’s a social animal, he’s probably lonely. Lab techs don’t make very good family.” He probably would rub it even if nothing was wrong, it was basically habit by now. “Just the heat pad, it’s not too bad. A little heat should take care of it.” He said. He remembered Randy had said he should say something if after a week off bed rest it was still hurting regularly. He was hoping it would stop before then so he didn’t have to.

~ Roman