Confessions

Posted on Mon May 7th, 2018 @ 4:35am by Leiddem Kea (*)
Edited on on Tue May 8th, 2018 @ 12:25am

Mission: Mission 6 - Azzia
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: MD 14 22:00
1224 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Ambika laid on the biobed staring at the surgical tray next to her. On it sat a jumble of probes and bloody gauze along with half a dozen carbon fiber flechettes they extracted from her side. It as a chaotic mess, discarded and abandoned, though not forgotten about. It just sat there, a pile of bloodsoaked used-up pieces of junk ready now for someone to come along to tip down the disposal chute. Ambika sighed as she stared at the ceiling and thought how much it was an apt analogy for what her life had become.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Leiddem enter the room, "So enters my benefactor," she said not even bothering to look at him, "Tell me hero, is my transport back to Azzia here already or do I have the pleasure of an interrogation first?" She knew she shouldn't be so flippant if she hoped to at least have Mátéma get clear of this, but she was tired, in pain and didn't relish her future, which most likely included her remains being found in some nondescript dumpster. Then seeing the dermal regenerator in Lea's hand she actually found a reason to laugh. "Well at least I have a pretty nurse."

"Prettiest on the ship," Leiddem said as he flipped her hair from her neck and injected her without another word. The man sat back and stared at her before he carried on with her side. "Want to talk about how you come by the injury?" He asked not even answering about her transport back to Azzia or interrogation. Didn't she feel the ship leave the space port?

"Sure, why not," Ambika replied as she kept staring at the ceiling, "I was coming home from the market and met two of my fellow officers, Ravi Harish and Navin Poddar, while I was cutting through an alleyway I always use when getting back to my apartment. I just heard Ravi whisper my name, turned around and saw them. One look in their eyes and I knew." Ambika bit her lip still angry and bitter, "Next thing, my grocery bag explodes as Poddar shoots that his damn needler at me." She looked at Leiddem then, fixing him with a melancholy smile, "I just thank the mighty Azzia, he's such a bad shot. Anyway next thing I know I've my service pistol in my hand and I'm returning fire. Guess they didn't have much stomach for a fight. They ran down the alley. It was only after my hands stopped shaking that I realized I was bleeding."

"I understand." The man said softly as he started to run the regenerator over her side in a familiar motion. It was almost as familiar as a phaser rifle. It was hard to see people you thought were your friends let you down let along try and kill you. He couldn't imagine how she was feeling at that moment. "I think your colleagues are very corrupt. Better off on here even if you think us wrong uns." He said gently after a few moments pause.

"Not all of them are,"Ambika sighed staring back to the ceiling, "Some are like me, just ignoring the ones that are bent. Some are like Harish. Rav said he just took the occasional nibble to get by. Guess he found himself hung out by his short and curlies after your friend got shot." Ambika laughed as her eyes watered, remembering the look of pain in her old friend's eyes, "But some are like Poddar, he's worse than a thug but too well connected to touch. So that makes us all corrupt by default." She then dared to look at Lei, "You said 'Better off here'? So I guess I won't be seeing Ojha today," She said cryptically, "You know I lied to you. I was trying to smuggle Matty off planet, to keep her alive. Needed some breathing space too, so I can try and figure all this out. Figured you should know the trouble your letting on board. Don't suppose you have a cigarette?"

Leiddem looked at her and smirked again, he touched his temple. “Telepath.” He repeated not able to believe that she didn’t know why Gregnol stationed him on the gangway, he scanned everyone who wasn’t crew. “And no… no cigarettes onboard. Don’t you know how unhealthy that is?” He added as he finished with the regenerator.

"Don't you people had rules against snooping?" Ambika asked as she stretched her side out to check the patch of new skin, then she pictured Lei all greased up wearing nothing but the skimpiest speedo. "Well if you're not going to give me a cigarette I'll have to find some other way to combat stress," she said adding a set of stocks and a large flyswatter to see if he was still peeking.

The Betazoid shook his head, he only ever read on the gang way and with Gregnol's orders. She was indeed correct there weren't rules but Betazoid's had standards. "There is in Starfleet but I am a freeman and even in Starfleet if my Commanding Officer orders me I can." He said chucking the regenerator on the side to take the bloodied items to be discarded of.

"Ok freeman mind reader, what do I owe you for services rendered?" Ambika asked as she considered which she preferred, her bloody shirt or the backless paper surgical jonnie she was wearing, "Don't suppose you have some scrubs I can borrow?"

"We don't wear them." The man commented on before he went to the office and returned wearing just a black tee instead of his shirt. "Here." He offered kindly. "Don't want to scare people on this ship just yet." He teased with a smirk.

"Thanks," Ambika hesitated for a moment then just shrugged, removing the jonnie and replacing it with the oversized shirt, tying the excess fabric around her midriff, "I'll get this back to you as soon as I can, though right now my wardrobe consists of that bloody shirt and... well now this. Now your good nature notwithstanding, you should probably tell Captain Gregnol I came on board, he might want to put me off before you leave spacedock." she groaned but added, "Please ask him to keep Matty onboard, I can take care of myself but she's just a kid."

"You can keep it. It's not my favourite. That is a shame." The man said with a shrug as he hopped up onto the other biobed. "Sadly we have already left that spacedock and the Captain knew you were onboard ages ago." Leiddem was sure with the spare stuff onboard they could get her some more clothing.

then went on to talk for about a half hour or so, it surprised the Azzian how welcoming at least Lieddem seemed to be. But as time wore on she knew she had to go. "Well, then I guess I chose the right boat then didn't." She said getting up, "Have to find Matty and get her to bed. Thanks again for the shirt, Mr Mind-reader. tell the Captain I'll find him in the morning to thank him myself.'

OFF::

Leiddem Kea
Weapons Master
SS Mary Rose
(PNPC Gregnol)

Ambika Marwah
Passenger
SS Mary Rose
(PNPC Kane)