Disarmed

Posted on Tue Feb 25th, 2020 @ 7:48am by Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri (*) & Chief Helmsman Eden Bowers

Mission: Cosmos
Location: Starbase 621, Main Promenade
Timeline: 2396
1289 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

It was not often that a Task Group Commander got to get out and actually do something she had loved doing as a Doctor - mobile doctoring or visiting people out in the community. She had been assisting the doctors and nurses on the Promenade trying to clean up space enough to be able to check over people who were not badly injured enough to be in Sickbay but still needed checking on.

So far it had been a steady trickle of children but bumps and grazes, a pregnant woman who Ledeya had sent straight to sickbay with a medical cadet escort noticing she was in labour and a few Ferengi looking for free medical care.

Lake had been told to report to this spot. He'd done something stupid. After putting on a uniform he'd jumped right into helping clean up the station and had cut his arm on a piece of twisted metal. Coming down the corridor he saw Ledeya and nearly turned around but didn't know why he just hadn't expected her to be there. Suddenly she looked up right at him and it was too late to retreat. "Hi," he said awkwardly.

"Hello, Lieutenant." The woman said looking straight at him for a moment before looking around for anyone else who could help the man but there was no one who was free to help. She smiled reassuringly and patted the chair she had been sat on waiting. "I am sure I should not allow you on my ship. You seem to end up in medical situations far too often." She attempted to joke just a little.

"Yes ma'am. Bad luck. It's the red hair, always sucks in trouble." He returned the smile and sat down. "I could tell you how I did this but it's a long and arduous story. I wouldn't want to take up too much of your time."

"Talk while I get you out of this uniform." The woman said before pausing realising what she had said as she picked up a pair of old fashioned scissors to cut the uniform around the wound.

Lake let out a laugh, especially at her expression. "Oh it's really not that interesting. I was just helping to clean up the station and picked up a chunk of metal, I didn't notice it had this long twisted barb on it, sliced myself before I'd even seen it. Being silly and not paying attention. Daydreaming you could say I suppose." He jumped a tiny bit with a wince as she cut the fabric away. "I thought maybe I shouldn't bleed to death and here I am."

"Sorry." Ledeya was as gentle as possible stood there in front of him trying to focus on the wound. "I am glad you came for help. Bleeding to death is a terrible way to go." She added as she moved to help him out of the jacket now it was not stuck to his arm. "Not as bad as I thought it could be."

"Yeah, I didn't really think I'd bleed to death, but still. There's a hole in my arm," He joked. "And there shouldn't be." He wasn't sure what else to say and she was really close to him, it was making it hard for his brain to come up with conversation. "So, I hope things were okay, once you got out I mean?" He kept it very nonspecific but knew she'd know what he was speaking about.

"It is not deep but it must be painful. It will not take long for me to fix you up." Ledeya mused holding his arm firmly as she ran a tricorder over it. She glanced around but no one was paying much attention working on their own patients or paperwork. "I am much better now that I am at my optimal again." It was the only way she could describe how she felt.

"That's good. Big worry off your mind I bet. But you know, should you ever feel poorly again, feel free to rearrange the furniture in my quarters." He whispered at her then grinned, hoping she wouldn't prod him in the arm for the cheeky response.

The Commodore did not prod his arm but she did give him a look that almost seemed sad. "It will not be happening anytime soon." She assured as she picked up a dermal regenerator to start healing his arm. She normally went into a whole spill about how it would tickle as it healed but she was sure he probably already had heard it far more times than he cared too.

"Aww, I was just teasing Leddie," he whispered back at her. "I hope you never feel so out of control ever again." It really hadn't bothered him, her telekinesis, but he could see it scared her to death.

Ledeya sighed and bowed her head for a second at the nickname he used for her before she shook her head. "I prefer Ed. I have had it for a long time." The woman admitted watching as his skin turned from bleeding to a pink colour as it healed.

"Sorry," he murmured. Lake could see that all of her walls were pretty firmly back in place. He returned the sigh and glanced out at the people who were making their way by, moving on with their lives after this . . . well, whatever it was. Now, what was he going to do? He'd attached himself to someone who didn't want it or was too scared to let it be.

"I mean... if you are going to be insubordinate call me Ed." The Betazoid did not need to be telepathic to know that he was confused.

"Well only when no one was close enough to hear me. I'd never be that disrespectful to you in public. I know you could pretty much throw me in the brig for some of the things I've already said to you." Lake shrugged. "You're fun to tease, I can't help it. But if I go too far . . . . tell me."

"Like you said we are friends." She just couldn't help herself. What was she doing? She did not normally do this type of thing at all.

"Strangers who got locked into quarantine and came out friends. Sounds like a deal then." Lake noticed that his arm appeared to be healed but Ledeya was just standing there looking down at him and not moving. "We could have coffee?" He suggested carefully. "Sometime."

The coffee suggestion sounded perfect in her opinion. She loved coffee but would that just be giving him hope when she really could not have a normal relationship. "I am so sorry. I was on autopilot. You should be all healed now though." She pulled back her hand realising he was all healed up and she was just on autopilot. "How does it feel?"

He sucked in a breath, so that was a no then. "Fine, it's fine." He said moving his fingers and finally bending the arm at the elbow. Nothing hurt except for the feeling of foolishness spread all over him. "Back to work I guess," Lake said getting up.

"You should take a break sometime. There is a good coffee place on Deck 27." The woman murmured casually as she looked at the PADD urgently instead of him.

"Maybe I'll check it out sometime. But for now, back to work. Thanks doctor." He began to step away from her.

"Stay safe," Ledeya commented as she moved to where a cadet was watching to give her a new PADD and another patient to fic up.

---

Lieutenant Lakeland Brown
Stellar Cartographer
SB 621
(PNPC Bowers)

Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri
Commanding Officer
USS Cosmos / TG 72-B
(PNPC Gregnol)