Through The Smoke

Posted on Sun Feb 16th, 2020 @ 4:00pm by Petty Officer 2nd Class Halla Dezom (*) & Major Levi Drake

Mission: Cosmos
Location: Starbase 621, Main Promenade
Timeline: 2396
1981 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure

Halla was nothing but exhausted as she stomped along the promenade holding a container in one hand and her breathing apparatus in the other. It felt so far from the scient labs on 621 to her bed on Cosmos, it had never felt as far before. She turned as she felt something yanking on her breathing apparatus and frowned at the dog that was looking for attention. She looked around confused for an owner, no one would be letting a pet out on the base with so much chaos around.

At the lead of a small squad of Marines, Levi had thought the deck was clear of civilians; with everything that was going-on, confining them to safer areas had been the most logical idea. He was surprised, therefore, to spot a figure in the open. He motioned for his men to continue checking the promenade's various shops and locales as he forged on and motioned for the unknown person to approach. He frowned a little at the sight of the pet by their side. A dog? Here?

"You've got to be..." He sighed as he made out the familiar frame standing next to the animal. "Halla?"

The Trill looked up from where she was crouched offering the dog the attention it needed so it would return her apparatus. "Levi?" She questioned back unsure what was wrong or what he was doing there.

"What are you doing out here? And on your own, too? There's talk the whole station's been locked-down, that there could be more explosions imminent..." He approached, separate from his Marines. "Are you okay?" he added, his voice a little softer.

"I am just walking back to the ship? I was in the science labs here trying to help work out where the gas was coming from." She questioned holding up her breathing apparatus as the dog took an instant like to Levi. "I am fine just tired." She had been responding since 04:00 and it was nearly 5pm in the afternoon.

"You should take a break," Levi said. He motioned one of the troopers to approach, then motioned to the container in her hand. "Lopez can take that wherever it needs to go. Take a few minutes. Grab something to eat. Maybe take a nap. We can handle this."

"I am. I've been told to head back to the ship as I am on too many duty hours today." The woman said reluctantly letting the dog go. It was nice to have an animal so close, it was the one thing she liked about living on a base like that.

"A lot of people are. You've done your bit, Halla, no need to stress yourself too hard." Levi glanced around. "They're not saying too much about what happened, but I've got people checking for unexploded devices. I'd feel a little better if you were safe back on the Cosmos. Not that I could really force you to..."

"Aww, you do care." Halla stood up properly and mused his appearance. He looked in a lot better condition than her, she was hot, sweaty and smoke covered. "Not you could not because I would scream really loud but I heard that too." She admitted that she had heard the rumours that more items could be around to go off now that 'rescuers' were now there to help support.

Levi made a little grumble at the notion of her screaming for help. In the back of his mind he wondered about how poetic it might be to inject her with something that would paralyse her from the waist down this time, but instead he just shook his head to dismiss the thought. "I care about making sure everyone here is safe. And that includes you."

Halla smiled a little as to how grumbly he was that evening. She had no idea why she found it amusing but it was amusing. Maybe it was because of how different he was from Maxum or maybe it was because she had a good gauge on how he felt. "I thought I was special for a moment." The woman muttered turning as one of the Marines dropped to the floor unconscious. "Don't move." She called to the two who had turned to help the man on the floor.

Levi tensed, instantly clocking entrances and exits, counting heads for his men, his hand already on his phaser. "What is it?" His eyes followed hers to the men, then he moved with her to intervene, motioning for the marines to give Halla some space.

"It's the gas." Halla indicated for them to back up a few more paces as she chucked on her breathing apparatus. She indicated to Levi that he needed to stay there and not move closer as she moved closer to where the fallen marine was lying. She knelt by him and touched his neck relieved that he was still breathing. The gas was dense and slow-moving in wide-open spaces like that so she quickly took in a big gasp of air putting the breath apparatus on the fallen marine watching him take in a few gulps of fresh air and stir.

Levi watched what she was doing and processed it rapidly. He motioned to the frozen marines around him. "Emergency supplies are in the storage locker in section 12b. Go!" he barked, startling them to life again. He moved closer to Halla, preparing to unhook his own breathing gear for her.

The woman held her breath for as long possible as she shook the marine to get him to stir before to took in a quick gasp of air. "On your feet." She muttered pulling him up giving the mask back to him hoping a few steps and they would be past the slow travelling gas.

Levi intervened to help Halla keep the marine upright. "You heard the lady, trooper. Get that ass moving." He grunted the order in as drill-sergeant a manner possible. Something to appeal to the instincts of the man's training. He glanced over at Halla as he hauled the man forward. "You, Petty Officer, are going to get a reputation. Before I know it, my men will think you're more of a badass than their CO."

"I just get inspired by the men I date." The woman teased just a little. She would never admit that the last man she dated was an agent for Starfleet Security that had left her life twice leaving her heartbroken but he had taught her to be badass.

Men? Multiple? Levi let the thought pass. "Well, so far you've had the stones to back it up. Let's get to a safer position to regroup."

Halla nodded, she was feeling a little woozy from inhaling the little bit of gas she had. When they were far enough away rom where the man had dropped did Halla let go of him and pulled out her tricorder.

"So what's the situation? Is the gas stationary or mobile?" he asked. He had any number of additional questions but knew that it would be unwise to ask them all at once. His men were potentially moving into spaces where the gas was worst, and he needed to maintain their relative safety if they were to carry on helping the people on board.

"Mobile but very..." Halla let out a giggle. "Oh no..." She whispered more to herself as the man was taken from them by a medical team that had just arrived. The giggle that had escaped become bigger until Halla was laughing.

"What's so funny?" Levi asked aloud. He frowned when she didn't seem able to reply properly. "Halla?" He scooped up her tricorder and ran it over her. Although by no means a scientist, he knew enough to tell that something was up. He tossed a look over his shoulder. "Marines, check those masks! The gas in these areas is dangerous!" Feeling more confident that the rest of the men were checking themselves, he gave Halla's kit a thorough looking-over. "Don't stop being a badass now, Petty Officer. I need you fit and well."

Halla just continued to look at him as he took the kit off her and found the seal shot after so much work. "I...." She stopped laughing and looked at him, her eyes were wide as if she was high as a kite. "You are very pretty." She whispered as if she was in on a secret with him.

"Uhh..." Levi glanced over his shoulder again, thankful that there wasn't a nearby Private about to hear something he shouldn't. "You're...pretty too?" The way she was acting was unusual. He'd seen this in marines before; usually after either an intense high-altitude run or... "You're high?" he asked aloud.

"Shhh do not tell all of them. They will want to share." The Trill whispered the giggling was returning but at least she was making a little more sense. One of the marines came over and looked at Halla.

"We've cleared fist platoon's gear, Lieutenant..." the marine reported, his eyes questioning the sight in front of him. "Uh...is she okay?"

"Perfectly, Corporal. Move your men out. And find me a reserve supply somewhere," Levi came close to barking. The corporal shuffled away, allowing Levi to pick Halla up, cradling her in both arms. "Let's get you some help, okay?"

The woman had a moment where her view of the world shifted before it resettled and she looked up at Levi. She wanted to spill out stuff to him but he looked pretty annoyed and even in her high state she recognised staying quiet might be the easiest thing.

Carrying Halla across the promenade, Levi sought out a path to a safer zone his team had identified earlier, a now-evacuated lounge area that they'd used as a staging post. Nobody was there for the moment, all of his teams deployed in rescue activities. Finding themselves alone for the moment, Levi eased her down onto a couch, taking a knee next to her and holding out a canteen of water.

"So does this mean I have to whip-up an antidote this time?" he asked. "Promise you'll retain the use of your legs."

Halla giggled slightly ignoring the offered canteen of water. She was perfectly hydrated. She smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead and lay her head against his shoulder. "I am high from the gas. I'll be okay." She promised.

"Okay." He paused. With her head resting against his shoulder, Levi realised that he couldn't stand up without her falling on the floor. So instead he lifted his hand up and stroked her hair out of her face. "How long until I can safely leave you to recover by yourself?"

"Mmm." The Trill murmured listing her head up at the soft touch. "I will be okay. Just leave me here. I was going to go to bed anyway." She would just pass out there until the gas wore off.

"All right. I'm gonna post a guard, okay? Make sure you don't wander off into some gas again and end up with the munchies." Levi eased her head back down onto the couch, tucking a rolled-up blanket under her head and tossing another one over the rest of her before stepping back. The way she'd suddenly gotten so affectionate had thrown him a little. He realised, as he watched her curl up happily, that he liked it. He liked her, which was definitely a new feeling.

Taking a second to shake off the moment of connection, Levi put his game face back on and returned to commanding the several platoons of men out there in the thick of it.

OFF::

Lt Levi Drake
Marine XO
USS Cosmos
(PNPC Ford)

Petty Officer 2nd Class Halla Dezom
Scientific Lab Technician
USS Cosmos
(PNPC Gregnol)