I'm not going anywhere.

Posted on Thu Feb 2nd, 2023 @ 6:31am by Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: Season 6 : Episode 1: Circinus
Location: Main Sickbay
Timeline: MD3
1017 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

This was the last thing he should be doing, S'hib thought, scowling at his bandaged thigh as he rested on a biobed.

Whatever Vise had done they'd done an excellent job. Still, his leg throbbed, with pain relief running low S'hib had declined to use anymore as there were others in far more need of it than he.

A mixture of pain, frustration and a visceral need to help had mixed together, making him increasingly restless since they arrived.

He felt so helpless, so powerless to do anything, to do his job.

His eyes flicked about as his head fell low, resting his chin against his chest. self-doubt crept in as he glanced to his right, vanishing as soon as his eyes fell on Naxea and the bundled mass of blankets in her arms, two little Sequus ears peaking out the top, fluttering about at every sound around her.

"Pal va mei" He muttered in native Sequus as he slung his legs around and slid forward to sit on the edge of the biobed, already trying to wave away a concerned nurse

Then he stood, shakingly at first as he gently put weight on his left leg, teasing the floor with his hoof before putting it flat.

He grunted at this, feeling the pain of freshly reknitted muscles working for the first time, muscles that were supposed to be resting.

"Let Doctor Sthilg know this biobed is free," He sighed to the nurse who was awkwardly standing nearby. "I don't need it anymore." he added with a reassuring smile before watching her nod and then quickly walk away.

His smile faded as he reached for his belt and dress skirt, slinging them both hastily around his waist and adjusting them into place.

"Right..." S'hib muttered before looking around, suddenly forgetting where the replicator was before uneasily walking over to it.

Coming to a stop he leaned against the machine, taking a brief moment to put as much weight on his right leg as he could. "Bajoran Hasperat, warm." He muttered with a smile, watching it slowly materialise on a small plate.

He glanced over to Naxea again, her eyes closed and resting despite being very much awake and his smile grew wider still.

"It's my turn now..." He said softly, walking over with the offered food. "You need to eat."

Opening her eyes, she looked up at S'hib. To say she was tired was an understatement, but she couldn't sleep with everything going on as she smiled at S'hib seeing the plate of Hasperat in his hands. "Thanks," she replied as she handed Sle'anna to S'hib and took the offered food with another hand. "Surprised you haven't bolted out the door by now."

"Whats that supposed to mean..." S'hib frowned as he adjusted his daughter, propping her short snout over his shoulder with his large hand cupped around the back of her head, fingers affectionately stroking her short mane.

"You know what I mean. It means now that your leg is healed, I'm surprised you're still here," she grinned at her husband. The sight of him holding Sle'anna was very touching to her as she took a bite of her food. "Have you eaten?"

"I'm not supposed to be putting weight on it..." S'hib said before looking back at the biobed he was on previously. "But the bed was all the way over there... and you're both over here so." He continued, turning to face Naxea with a guilty smile. "I'll eat later... I just wanted to hold her."

Naxea nodded in understanding as she chewed her bite of food. "So any idea on what happened? Have you heard anything?"

He sighed, disappointed that he didn't have anything useful to tell her. "No, we still can't make contact with the rest of the ship, environmental and command lockdowns are in place... The Elysium's gone into lifeboat mode."

The words tasted sour even as he spoke them, the same bulkheads and forcefields designed to protect them were stopping them from helping others... it was frustrating him immensely.

"But there are a few gaps here and there, like the Jefferies tube we used... but it's like playing snakes and ladders trying to get anywhere." He added before leaning his head around to kiss the side of his daughter's head, leaving his flat snout fixed to her coat as he breathed in her scent... burning it into memory.

"I see..." she said as she thought about what was going on. Watching S'hib holding Sle'anna, she had a feeling he would make a great father. "We have to try and reach the shuttlebays. Then we can use the transporters in the shuttles to move people about the ship."

“Thats a good few decks above us Nax… but, theres gotta be a way; plenty of hatches we haven't tried yet.”

He then paused for a moment, thinking as he rocked gently about on his hooves before whispering, feeling Sle’anna drifting off.

“What about an escape pod… they have maneuvering thrusters, we could fly one into the shuttlebay…”

"True...but there wouldn't be a way to open the bay doors without power. Even if we could, we have no way of knowing if the shuttlebay's forcefield is operating.

"We could at least do an external fly-by... then redock the pod afterwards... get some information on how bad the damage is... decks we should avoid?" He whispered again.

"That sounds like a good idea," Naxea agreed before shoving another forkful of Hasperat into her mouth. "You know..."she said swallowing the bite. "You're going to make a wonderful father," she smiled at him.

He gently shook his head in denial, smiling as he spoke. "My mothers used to do this with my sisters so... seemed like a good idea."

"Just holding her and feeding her seems to keep her happy," Naxea said in between bites.

"Well, she got that from you I think." S'hib quipped, leaving his wide flat tongue sat poking out between his lips.

Naxea narrowed her eyes as she waved her fork threating at S'hib as she chewed her food.