Don't tell Naxea.

Posted on Sat Feb 3rd, 2024 @ 11:11am by Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Commander Sthilg

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Various decks/Sickbay.
1404 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

No sooner had the door hissed open was S'hib peering out, his long equine face sticking out of his quarters and scanning either end of the corridor.

"Right, looks clear..." S'hib muttered softly to Sle'anna, who was strapped to his chest, her limbs dangling out in front of her as he leaned into the corridor.

"And remember, don't tell your mother." He added as he slipped outside and tapped the door controls, glancing briefly to his left before heading off down the other end of the corridor.

Sle'anna, however, seemed less than thrilled to have been made to leave their quarters' warmer confines, her brow perpetually stuck in a frown as they rounded a corner.

"Almost there," S'hib muttered quietly, more so to himself as he clutched her hooves, stroking at them affectionately.

His ears flicked around as he glanced about, always trying to keep one angled behind even as they approached the end of the corridor and the turbolift.

What would he even say if someone saw him anyway? Would most of the crew even know he wasn't supposed to be out? Questions continued to rattle around his head as he stood there looking up at the pod display, waiting to see it stop moving.

"Anyone from security, obviously... senior staff? It's a big ship..." He thought to himself as he gently leaned over and chimed the controls.

Sle'anna reached out after watching S'hib call the turbolift, her little brain becoming utterly obsessed with wanting to press the button too.

S'hib however did not notice, nor pay any attention to her snorts of frustration as he watched the pod move between the decks.

"What's the matter with you, hm?" He asked as he looked down, wriggling his top lip against her mane, oblivious to her plight that was the short distance between her and the button.

But then the door hissed open, catching both of their attention as they stared into the empty pod.

"Deck twelve." S'hib uttered as he quickly walked inside, watching the doors shut with avid interest.

Though no sooner had they started moving, the lift came to a stop, and the door hissed open once more.

"Shit." S'hib thought to himself as he smiled at the young woman who boarded the lift. She smiled back before catching herself staring at the odd sight before her, this giant of a being with a far smaller version tied to his chest.

"Deck ten... Promenade." She said before promptly turning around.

Silence befell the turbolift as S'hib fought a furious battle to keep Slee's hands from reaching and grabbing the woman's hair.

"Stop it..." He huffed as she huffed back, kicking her hooves into him in frustration as he covered her nostrils to stop her from making a deafening whinny just as the lift came to a stop.

"You're most definitely having a nap when we get back." He frowned as he walked out onto deck twelve, much to the amusement of the crewman.

His pace quickened once out of sight, especially now he was on this part of the ship, intent on this little excursion being as brief as possible.

And then finally he was there, almost tripping over a nurse as he rushed inside sickbay.

And almost slammed into the good gorn doctor who had just replicated himself a fresh cup of coffee. Hearing the familiar yet oddly rushing sound of S'hib feet. Turning he almost collided with the security officer though his coffee went flying onto the floor. Before he could even see what he'd collided with a familiar small but powerful kick hit his back. " Hello there Ssslee good to sssee you again," he said to the small hybrid before looking at her father. " And what has gotten into you my dear boy." he asked S'hib as the sickbay cleaning rover had already begun cleaning up his coffee.

“Well, I’m not supposed to be here am I…” S’hib remarked in a hushed tone as he stepped around the rover, glancing between it and Sthilg with a mildly confused look. He wanted to ask what it was but quickly remembered why he was here in the first place.

“But it’s Slee… I need you to scan her or something…” He added, motioning to the filly on his chest, before being distracted once more by the rover beeping at a satisfactory job as it left.

" Why isss something wrong?" Sthilg said as he looked at the small hybrid before gesturing to her father to follow him to his office for some privacy.

“Yeah, her poops green… whys it green? it’s not normally green.” S’hib asked, his tone more confused than concerned as he followed the good doctor.

" Hum." the gorn said as he thought through the likely causes. " Hasss ssshe been eating well and what hasss ssshe eaten recently?" The gorn said as he indicated to sit the small hybrid on the offices biobed.

“She's been eating fine, I've been trying her on some more solid things… flower buds and such, things she can chew on that aren't too small or hard…”

" Ah ha." The gorn said. " Let'sss give her a quick ssscan, but i guessss ssshe'sss jusssy having sssome digessstive isssssuesss."

“Down you get…” S’hib hummed as he untied the swaths of fabric that had acted as a sling, placing her gently down onto the small biobed before taking a moment to see if there was anything within grabbing distance.

Sle’anna however had become unusually docile, sitting there staring up at Sthilg with unblinking eyes, tracking him as he moved about.

The gorn switched on the scanner giving a smile to the hybrid on the table. " And how are you doing my boy?" he asked her father.

“Hmm? Oh, I’m doing alright, got Academy courses to keep me busy when she's sleeping… sooner I get that all out the way the better.”

" I'm sssure you'll ace them, my friend. How's your wonderful wife doing?" Sthilg added giving Sssle'anna a warm smile as he watched the incoming data.

“Naxea’s doing alright, though I think she misses spending time alone with Slee. But that’ll change soon, once I’m back in uniform.”

S’hib paused for a moment, glancing between Slee and Sthilg. “What about you? Don’t think you’ve had a day off in a while…”

"Can't really afford one." Sthilg replied honestly. " Not until we get home."

S'hib frowned at this. "That could be a very long time Sthilg... you need to pace yourself."

" I'll pace myself when we leave thisss sssector of ssspace far behind. I'm the one doctor thessss aleinsss can't effect with their nightmaresss. " the gorn explained. " The othersss are doing their best, but I can tell they're ssstrugling."

"Which is why you should be getting the most rest." S'hib reaffirmed though he did not press the point any further.

" I'll try my boy, I've survived worssse than thisss. " Sthilg responded with a reassuring smile. With a beep the computer annonched the scan was over. " Well, good newsss my boy. Ssshe'sss jussst having sssome digessstion problemsss. Nothing I can't help her with."

“Do you think I started her on solid food too soon?” He asked as he ran a few cloven fingers through her protomane, the incredibly fluffy tuft not long for this world.

" Another week or two won't hurt." Sthilg added as he walked over to the replicator in which a small bottle of gummies had been replicated which he handed to S'hib. " Give her one of thessse every day at lunch and dinner."

He rattled the bottle, looking at Sthilg with curious eyes. "What's in them?"

"Sssome gummiesss to help with her indigessstion. Mossstly andranista with sssome apple flavouring. " Sthilg responded.

S'hib frowned, looking down at the bottle with untrusting eyes. "I should probably get her back home..." He finally huffed, somewhat defeated by the news.

"You did the right thing by bringing her here. Make assure ssshe getsss her gummiesss and make assure to tell her mother." Sthilg replied. " And you look after your father little one." He added to Slee.

"Well, I'd rather not tell her I was here... but I'll let her know about the gummies," S'hib said before his demeanour changed almost instantly.

"Come on you, let's get you home." He added, scooping his daughter up high before tucking her back into the sling on his chest.