Part 2
*** Observation Bay * Main Hospital * SB Unity ***
<<< "Well then you have my pity", Richard responded. "I've
never met a more self involved pious bunch than the people
who call
themselves counselors".
He shook his head at the comment. "Its hard to believe in
this day and age when we are in the middle of a war they
still let people sit in chairs all day and talk....we should
give em a rifle and send em off to the front if you ask me".
"You have a point." Stephen replied although which point he
agreed with was not stated. He lifted the flask but paused,
lowered it and giving Cortez a sideways glance said:
" Shouldnt drink too much of this."
He lifted the flask, took a longer swig and grimaced as it
bit home.
Wordlessly he offered it to Cortez.>>>
(Part2 continues)
He denied the offer this time, shaking his head. "If I come
back to sickbay drunk they'll never let me out again", he
smirked then leaned back in his seat.
Stephen sealed the flask and replaced it inside the
rucksack.
"How long are you going to be in here?" he asked speaking as
though they might well be confined to the Brig with a
lengthy stay ahead of them.
"I don't know", Came the response. "I suppose a week or two
at least", he added.
"Modern medicine sure does work wonders", he said almost
chuckling. "I guess they got small little robots inside of
me
repairing the damage and helping me heal...whats it
called...", he paused a second, "Nanotechnology", he
finally said, looking a bit frustrated that it took him so
long to remember.
Stephen stared out of the window and was perhaps considering
Cortez words or perhaps not, it was difficult to tell.
"They have their place." he said after a few seconds had
passed.
"What has their place", Richard responded looking over at
the man sitting next to him.
Stephen turned his head.
" The small little robots." he replied. " The little devils
that give life to the damned."
He watched Cortez for a second then returned his gaze to the
view.
"heh", the Major continued to look at the man sitting next
to him, thinking for a second on what he'd just said before
turning his eyes back out at the stars again.
He wasn't sure if he should take it as an insult or not.
Almost a minute expired before Cortez broke the silence,
"I guess even the damned have their uses", he finally said
shifting in his chair uncomfortably, "that's why they keep
us
around".
Sometimes silence is a comfortable thing and the one that
ensued after this comment was not awkward or charged with
emotions. It stretched away from Cortez' words until after
some time Stephen said:
"Damnation can be transient."
"Well hale-fuckin-luya", Cortez responded tersely. "What
are you, some kind of priest", he added looking back at
Stephen.
"Not in the least" Stephen replied levelly, still continuing
his observation of the space outside. "...and I doubt many
priests would agree with me." he added, this time casting
Cortez a glance. He paused then said: " If you're talking
of priests though you might find some who would say you are
mistaken in referring to yourself as damned for haven't you
been 'blessed' with a second chance?"
He turned his head to see what Cortez thought of this
question.
The Major laughed hard at that comment causing him to cough
in pain once again.
"Blessed!", he finally said once he'd caught his breath.
"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. You
call THIS blessed!", he said ripping back his robes
revealing his chest which had several different small
sensors and medical gadgets attached to him. "Now I know
why you talk to counselors quite a bit",Cortez added as he
pulled the robe back over himself.
At first glance the sight was not pleasant.The newly
generated skin was still bright pink and the assortment of
implanted sensors, each blinking in their own colour and
rhythm made Cortez look more machine than man.
Stephen looked at the array then raised his eyes to Cortez
whose expression looked somewhat emotionless. "Ah...medical
science at its best." he said dryly.
Richard said nothing.
"I occasionally amuse myself on working out peoples
characters." Stephen said, holding Cortez gaze. "..but I'm
surprised to be wrong about you."
"Wrong about me?", Richard said somewhat confused. He
hadn't been expecting to be judged.
"Presumably all that.." he indicated Cortez covered chest
with a slight nod "...is not only maintaining your life but
probably extending it as well. You don't seem happy about
it..therefore I can only assume that you wish it wasn't
there and would your prefer death wasn't delayed."
"You don't get it", the Major responded quickly. "I'm
nothing without my job. My entire life has been spent
preparing and
training for my duty as a Starfleet Officer", he shook his
head, "If I can't even do that anymore, then I may as well
be dead". he looked away from Stephen. "What's
left....some boring desk job?", he said taking breath.
"Could be the doctors are wrong if thats what theyve told
you." Stephen answered." They aren't the Gods you seem to
think they are." he added.
"Gods". Cortez replied without looking back. "I have no
intention of letting them decide my fate", he finally said a
few seconds later.
Stephen chuckled and would have said more but looked past
Cortez, his attraction caught by a figure in the doorway.
" Ahh..." he said as the figure moved towards them. " Here's
a demi God looking for you now."
He smiled politely enough as Natalie approached them.
Cortez smiled and looked over at the approaching nurse.
" Major..." Natalie said but giving Stephen a quick glance.
"....are you ready to return to the ward? You dont want to
overdo it."
"Well I can think of multiple ways we can overdo it Nurse,
they can't be all bad", he responded, clearly flirting with
the
nurse.
Stephen looked up at the attractive young woman whose
attention was soley on her patient and smiled to himself.
"Shall we?" she asked offering her arm as a support.
"Absolutely", Cortez replied pushing himself up. "Sorry
Pal", he said looking back at Stephen, "The Goddess has
summoned me".
He took hold of Natalies arm, "Do you know who this
scallywag is", he said jokingly looking back at Stephen.
" Ive no idea." she replied which was the truth, for she was
one of Chimeras nursing team and didn't have a full
knowledge
of Unity."Must be from one of the other wards." she
suggested then looked at him suspiciously.
" Major.....have you been drinking?" she asked.
"Of course not". Richard replied as he winked back at
Stephen. "That would jeopardize my health".
*** End Log ***
Major Richard Cortez
C.Sec
USS Chimera
&
Commander Stephen Jacobs
Chief Counsellor
SB Unity
&
Natalie Couzins
Nurse
USS Chimera
(npc) Rangi