The Next Adventure

Posted on Sat Jan 1st, 2022 @ 9:39am by Petty Officer 2nd Class Halla Dezom (*) & Major Levi Drake

Mission: Mission 14: Holoworld
Location: USS Cosmos
Timeline: 2397
1131 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

As Maxun left and Halla finally got back into the bio bed to rest and try and get her body back to normal she turned to see Levi stood in the entry way. Now that was someone she wanted to see and check on. She was worried about him and she knew he had been worries about her before the second energy wave let alone now.

“Hey you? Feel better? You been signed out or are you sneaking around?” She demanded sitting up to make room for him if he wanted to or he could sit on the chair.

"I'm fine." He rolled his eyes at the idea he might be needing medical attention. Even if he had been hurt, he wouldn't have let his marines know it. "What about you? Things happened pretty quickly down there, and it could just as easily have been you in a coma."

Halla gave him a look that spoke volumes of who do you think you are rolling eyes at but said nothing to argue. She did not want to argue. The fight had been knocked out of her by the experience on the planet. “Could have been but it was not. I live to fight another day.” She assured. “I am tired and I hurt in places I should not but I am able to see and I am here so it ended well.”

"Well? The XO of the ship ended up disappearing for at least an hour. Then he reappeared without warning, and we don't know why. I'm not sure that's 'ending well' in my book," he retorted.

“But he is back? No one died.” Halla pointed out. She was determined to be hopeful as he was very right it could have been her. “What is the alternative?” She questioned.

"I guess you're right," he shrugged. She was the smart one, after all, and he was just the grunt. "Still don't want you feeling like it was somehow your fault. This weirdness might be over for now but we still don't know what that object was."

"You guess." The woman rolled her eyes. She knew he cared deep down otherwise he would not have been there but sometimes his off the cuff comments or lack of them stung. "Well, it kind of was. I should not have followed in the spirit of adventure. If I had not neither of us would have been there." She pointed out wincing as the light brightened just another outside of her room for her to notice.

"Commander Mitchell is just the same as you: curious and adventurous, so don't claim it all." He looked her over, brushing her hair out of her face with his hand. "At least nobody was seriously hurt. Do you think you'll be heading back down soon?"

The woman shook her head moving away from his touch. “I do not think I will be going anywhere any time soon. I am relieved of duty as I have a problem with my eyes. Why it is so dark in here. None of my visitors have noticed so you all must be used to living in the dark.” She said trying to make light of it despite how she felt.

"I figured someone forgot to turn them up," Levi shrugged. "They're sending me back down with a squad of marines to keep an eye on things. Will be leaving in an hour, but I thought I'd check in first. Sort of hoped you would be coming."

Halla smiled a bit. “Afraid not. I think my luck has run out for a bit.” She said sadly. It did not matter there was plenty for her to catch up on especially as she did not take much down time recently. “I am sure you can go camping on a strange archeological dig without me.” She said.

"Not sure I can think of anything more boring-" he started, then bit the comment back, realising that it was her specialism he was referring to. "Than being down there without you," he added, hoping she wouldn't hold it against him.

“I am going to be fine up here. Plenty of people to keep me occupied.” She assured already having a plan on how to help but to still keep involved in the mystery.

"All right." He narrowed his eyes just slightly, wanting to be sure she wasn't just being evasive, but let it go all the same. "Anything I should look out for? Aside from strange black boxes, of course."

Halla looked at him and shrugged at the question as she avoided the look he gave her. “It was dark. I was actually coming to find you but the Executive Officer found me instead so I did not really see much of the ground or terrain. Maybe be careful: it is an archaeological dig after all?” She finally said.

"I'll be my usual careful self, don't you worry," he replied.

“Maxun was here before you and he thought that he recognised the markings on the cube maybe check with him as he was going to see the Commodore.” She added suddenly remembering how that conversation had ended.

"I'll check in. If we have some reference for the markings, then we can see if they match anything else down there. I'd be surprised if they did, though - that cube fell out of the sky. Unlikely it was related to anything already there," he reasoned.

Halla nodded. She did not think that it would connect to anything that anyone had seen and thus had said so but she knew that everyone would be checking it out and trying to figure it out. She also knew what Maxum was like. "I would be surprised too. I said that but he has gone to the Commodore. I am sure you will be briefed before you go down."

"I'll make sure I do." He touched her cheek with his hand, then leaned in to kiss her gently on the forehead. "Don't worry so much. We'll be fine."

Halla smiled at the gentle gesture from him. It spoke so much more than words could sometimes. “I do not care about whatever ‘we’ you are on about. I just want you safe and fine.” She breathed holding him where he was by his uniform for just a moment.

"I've gotten this far without blowing up or anything," he shrugged. "What did I tell you about worrying?"

"Not to do it but then we do not have a good track record of keeping safe... zombies, bombings, cubes..." She pointed out in a teasing tone. "Go. I will see you later... or tomorrow... or whenever you breeze back into my day." She said letting his hand go with an effort to put a smile on her face.