Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side - sim: Honoring the Ardent

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: Honoring the Ardent

(snip)

He gave a soft sigh, turned, and exited the room. She was being stubborn. He knew one person who could make her. He’d been serious about telling Randy. It was a quick walk down the hall where he stopped at the door to Randy’s quarters and knocked on the door. Whenever he was there for Rand he knocked softly so he didn’t disturb Randy. Now he knocked hard, trying to be sure to get Randy’s attention. When Randy answered the door, Roman said, “Rand won’t go to sleep and I don’t think she’s slept in the last few days at least.”

~ Roman

Rand sighed as well. He’d left, for the lab no doubt. So what did it matter if she slept or not. Not like he would know. She moved over to the counter turning the kettle back on to warm. Pipkin followed and then thumped Rand’s foot, hard, with her back feet. “Ow!” She lifted her foot and rubbed it. “What was tha for?” Pipkin just stared at her and so finally picked her up.

Randy stared at Roman after he opened the door. He hadn’t expected Alden for several days. Rand? “What do you want me to do? Rock her to sleep and tuck her in?” He wasn’t surprised, she was worried about Alden and that made it hard for her to fall asleep. Of course he hadn’t actually seen her for a few days, except this morning. Alden was serious though. “How many days? Where is she?” Rand’s anxiety got worse, like really worse, when she was exhausted. That meant physical strain, including her heart.

Rand

Roman shrugged. “Two? Three? Maybe longer. I kept sending her to bed but… I am beginning to think she never went.” Roman tried not to yawn in front of Randy. “She’s in my quarters… Making high-caffeine black tea.” He didn’t know for sure that was what she was doing but he wouldn’t be surprised.

~ Roman

“I thought you said Rand refused to give you caffeine after lunch?” She must be tired if he convinced her to give him black tea this late.

“The tea is for her,” Roman said.

Randy pinched the bridge of his nose, took a really deep breath and marched down the corridor to Alden’s quarters. Randy pressed the control and walked in. The first thing he saw was Rand in the process of making tea and the dark circles, slightly red watery eyes and the slump of her shoulders. She was exhausted. Rand looked up surprised to see Randy and then Roman behind him! Roman told on her! And the prospect of facing them both made her stomach churn in a very sick way. Randy took the tea bag from her hands flipped off the kettle, set hands on hips in a way that did not convey his usual sass, “Miranda Elizabeth Arabella Scarlett Farquharson!” And Randy proceeded to launch into a tiraid of Gaelic that was too fast for Roman to catch it all. The words sister, baby, love, heart, sick or ill, and bunny were clear. He gestures to Alden a couple of times. As Randy kept going Rand looked embarrassed and then ashamed and her gaze dropped from his, until Randy said something and tapped her over her heart. Rand started arguing back with him, but she obviously knew Randy was right.

Randy and Rand

Roman didn’t catch what Randy was saying, he spoke way too quickly. But there were several words Roman did recognize and Randy kept pointing toward him so Roman figured Randy was saying something about him. And Pipkin? Roman wished they had a UT. When Randy tapped over her heart he knew Randy was talking about Rand’s incident. Roman stood in the doorway, arms crossed, leaned against the door frame, smiling slightly.

~ Roman