Was It You?
Posted on Sat Aug 27th, 2016 @ 4:49pm by Alika Mahone
Mission:
Mission 2 - Contagion
Location: Ward Room
1084 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure
Joss had just finished questioning Reessem and hadn't been any closer to finding out who had sent him the book. Walking out of the office, he made a quick decision to stop by the lounge for a quick drink. Perhaps he could gather his thoughts and figure out this mystery.
Stepping into the lounge, he got an ale from the tender. He noticed Alika Mahone sitting alone. There was no way Talon could allow that. It had dawned to Talon that this good looking young woman had joked concerning mattresses during her wellness check in sick bay. Was that a subtle hint? Did Alika send the book?
Talon walked up to where Alika sat. "Hello, Alika! Have you found any good mattresses?"
Sitting was a broad way to describe how the young woman was sitting. Her legs hung over one end of an armchair, with the rest of her slung over the other. Her attention was focused on the worn-down PADD in her lap. She snapped her gaze upward at Talon, PADD immediately flipped over as she beamed at him. "No, I've been putting my feelers out, but no such luck. Maybe we'll run into a Ferengi trader who thinks he's worth his salt. Then we'll all have beds."
Gesturing toward where she assumed the nearest chair was, she wiggled herself upright. "So what's going on Doc? Outta the office for someone with a contagion that has to be quarantined? ... With beer?"
"Actually no," Talon explained. "I'm just doing a quick personal investigation."
Joss sat in the seat that Alika had gestured toward. He thought himself crazy for thinking that the younger ones may have sent the gift. The more he thought about it, he may have backed out of questioning Alika. Talon took a deep gulp of his drink.
"Do you know who Leonard McCoy is?" he asked.
The return look Alika gave Talon involved a scrunching of her nose and a deep frown. Oh, she knew who Leonard McCoy was. "... Yeah, he's a doctor. Or was a doctor, I can't remember. Is this personal investigation a test? 'Cause I don't know much else past that."
Talon pinched the ridges of his nose with a thumb and forefinger. He closed his eyes with a sigh. She was right, but if she didn't know more than that, then Joss was sure she didn't send the book or write the inscription within the front cover.
"You're right," he affirmed. "He was a twenty-third century Doctor, serving aboard the Federation ship Enterprise. I don't suppose you know of any books he has compiled, do you?"
"Vaguely?" Doctors were up at top of least interesting topics for the young woman to think about. "I know he's published a lot of them and that he's a big enough name to get all the Docs these days excited... Which Enterprise? 'Cause if he was on one of the first iterations of the ship... he's probably really old."
There was no indication in her tone that gave Talon any inclination that Alika was the one that sent the book. It was disappointing. Not that he wanted it to be Alika, although she was quite attractive, but Joss just wanted to find out who this mystery lady was.
Talon chuckled as he responded, "He served the original and the Enterprise-A. I seriously doubt he is anywhere around today. Obviously, it wasn't you that sent the book to me." Joss rubbed the ridges of his nose as he mumbled, "So, my search continues."
So Doc. McCoy was really old. Good, Alika wasn't wrong in that thought. She knew little about the Enterprise, but what she did know was enough to discern that the book he now had was probably high in value. Which begged the question,"Was that was this about? Didn't realize someone gave you a copy of it... how'd you get a hold of it if you don't know who it's from?"
"I got a message from Reessem that one was delivered," he thoughtfully informed her. "I already interviewed her. She had no clue. It had an inscription but wasn't signed." Joss snickered as he revealed, "It could have gotten me in hot water with Tabs."
"Huh." Alika leaned over for effect. He clearly wanted to know who had given this gift to him, and who could blame him? It was special to him, even if she was never going to understand it. "You and the engineer, huh?... Have you asked her too?"
Alika's response caused Talon to snicker. The thought had crossed his mind. The two of them were a couple and Tabs did mention her aunt did have some substance. That may have been before she had funded Tabitha's search.
"She was the first I had considered," he informed the Terran with a chuckle. "I was surprised it wasn't her. Then I was surprised Tabs wasn't jealous. She's very secure in who she is, though."
"I'll say." Slouching back in her seat, Alika frowned. "Was the inscription romantic? Maybe someone's got a feeling and you just haven't noticed? Should try the girls who're closer to your age, Doc. Or at least have similar interests... at least in the 'doctor history' type of category."
Talon had no idea who that would be on a ship of this nature. Everyone seemed to be on the fringes of society for a reason. They were either on the run or searching for something. The only ones that Joss would think would know of McCoy was someone from StarFleet. He shook his head, still without answers.
"Well," Talon requested, "if you hear anything, let me know. I wish to thank her."
"Will do, Buster." The young pilot returned to her PaDD, and her strange game. He seemed to have a clear intention in his mind, and while he did not seem sure where he was going to go, Alika was not the type to stop anyone from doing it. "... Good luck."
Talon chuckled at the term "Buster." He wasn't the formal type of Doctor that insisted everyone call him by a title. In fact, he used nicknames quite a bit. Nicknames often showed personal acceptance in many cultures.
Talon nodded toward her game and commented, "Good luck to you, too." He grinned as he turned and left her to the game.
Alika Mahone
Chief Flight Controller
SS Mary Rose
Talon Joss
Field Medic
SS Mary Rose
