Reunited
Posted on 18 Aug 2016 @ 6:59am by Senior Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin & Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler
4,136 words; about a 21 minute read
Mission:
Click Three Times
Location: Administration
Timeline: MD 6 || 1430 Hours
Joey pushed open the hatch to the Jeffries tube she just used to get to deck six and muttered as she climbed out of it. She never imagined she'd be back in one so soon, but without power, it was the only means of getting around on the ship. The second she was back on solid ground... and given the fact she'd practically kissed it twice in the same day to verify just how solid it was... she decided she'd hang out with Mila until she could take a turbolift back down to deck five. It was just a hunch, but a big part of her knew the Russian woman wouldn't have any problem with that.
Once she'd closed the hatch behind her, Corwin smoothed a hand over her uniform and made her way toward the Administration offices. The dimly lit hallway was bustling with people, but she was able to avoid bumping into anyone until she got to her destination. Joey was a bit nervous because she had no idea what she was going to be walking in on, or if anyone was injured to the point they couldn't make it to medical without help. "Mila... are you here?"
The Administrative offices looked like a bomb had gone off in it; the once highly organized hive that handed the thousand and one daily requests and made sure they got to the right area was now a swarm that had been thrown into chaos. A harried woman in Command red turned at the name and nearly snapped off an order, then stopped and looked like she was going to cry. Instead, she grabbed Joey's hand and tugged gently towards her office. "Please," she said, her voice shaking with the administrative version of battle fatigue.
She didn't need to be told twice. Joey followed Mila into the office, holding her hand the entire way. She knew the entire ship was in bad shape, but seeing the once well organized Administration office in such chaos and disarray showed just how serious things were. When they were inside, she pulled the shorter woman to her and wrapped her arms around her. "I'm so glad you're okay," she said softly.
Inside the office, a white blur launched himself from behind Mila's desk and came to a stop with claws scrabbling for purchase on the floor before he rested against her leg and looked up at her with a low, soft whine.
Mila took a breath and then another before she pulled herself together, or so she thought. At seeing Rico run to his mistresses side, tears started in her hazel eyes and she nearly collapsed against the taller brunette. "Oh, Joey," she sobbed. "I am so glad to be seeing you. Things are being crazy and I was not knowing if...if..." she couldn't bring herself to say any more, but she didn't have to.
When Rico came up next to her, the taller brunette crouched down so she could love on him, but urged Mila down with her so she wouldn't have to let her go. "Shh... it's okay. Everything is okay. Are you hurt?" she asked softly, keeping the canine hugged to her side while held the smaller brunette to her.
Mila knelt down and hugs both her and Rico. "Nyet. Am fine," she said as she sniffled. "Things have been crazy and I am feeling pulled in fifty different ways. Is not your fault, but I am making sure Rico is fine. Are you?"
"Thank you for taking care of him for me, Mila. It means a lot to me," Joey said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She'd never be able to thank Harvey or Mila enough for what they'd done for her today. Rico was a huge part of her, and they'd kept him safe. "I'm okay. There was a bit of an incident, but it's been taken care of."
"Incident?" Mila asked and the Senior Chief in her sighed before the Yeoman shoved it back to the back of her mind. "What happened?" She backed off from Rico to give Joey more space to love her K-9 companion. "I am not even knowing what happened or why power went off or why I am waking up on floor or anything."
"Let's just say that a certain Marine and I crossed paths after he escaped the brig after the power went out," she replied, giving a shudder. She pulled Rico to her and rested her head on top of his, giving him as many pets as he could handle. "The Cochrane's Captain was there, too, but he was out to get Harvey. I was bait for that, but to make a long story short, they lost."
"A certain Marine?" Now Mila was more confused than ever but she let Joey talk. "The Consortium Captains of the other ships, da? How is Harvey to be getting there from bridge? I am knowing they are to be working on getting power restored because of runners bringing reports, but turbolifts and such are down. What happened?"
"Yes, Major Jackson and Captain Kylar," Joey replied, settling down on the floor so Rico could wiggle his way onto her lap. "People are getting around through Jeffries tubes right now. That's how he was able to get where he needed to be. I guess Jackson had it out for me because of what I did. I'm going to have to file a report on it, so you'll be seeing it that way, but I'll try to tell you. I don't want to relive it too often." She took a deep breath and told Mila the story.
"Is good that he is out and other is dead," Mila said. "I am telling Harvey that they are needing killed, but he is too much Starfleet Captain. Now there is being one and other other is being prisoner once again." She grunted. "But you are being alive and that is important thing."
"Thankfully, I am," the taller woman said with a smile. "I've got a lot to live for these days."
"So I am hearing," Mila said with an enigmatic smile. "Harvey was telling me he kissed you. Were you to be slipping him the tongue, too?"
Joey blinked, then blushed. "I'm... not answering that question, but now... I see where Chow gets it." She couldn't help but laugh.
Mila laughed, a truly belly laugh that was filled with mirth and delight. "I am thinking answer is being yes with blush on cheeks. Da. Most definitely yes. I am seeing that song worked very well and I am most pleased."
"What song?" Joey asked, turning her attention to the belly laughing Yeoman. "And you can think what you want to. I'm not going to kiss and tell."
"I am not wanting to miss a thing," the shorter brunette said. "Is by band called Aerosmith. I am playing that for him before you are going on away mission to Chimera and I am now seeing results of it."
"A song... is what prompted him to come see me this morning?" she asked, wishing she could listen to it. But, without power, there was no way to make that happen. Now, Joey found herself wondering what else the sneaky Russian had a hand in, but she wouldn't dare ask. "Honestly... I was actually pretty surprised he showed up to see me, but now him saying 'I don't want to miss a thing' makes sense. I'm going to have to listen to this song."
"Nyet," Mila denied. "He is going to see you because he is needing you, Joey. You are good for him and he is being good for you. I am seeing how he looked at you after balloon fight. I am not stupid woman and I am responsible for Captain getting what he is needing and deciding upon importance of such. Is a very good song and you should listen at first opportunity."
"I hope that with time, he'll see that there's more to him than just an empty shell of a man. He's so much fun to be with, and the fact he's willing to try things he might not have batted an eye at in the past says a lot. It's hard to believe he was once a steely man, but then, I could kind of see it when I saw him Talons my first night on board," Joey said, rubbing Rico's belly when he offered it to her. "When we went to the holodeck, I kissed him before I left."
"I would not say Steely," the short woman said. "Distant, da. Unemotional as Vulcan, da. Steely? Nyet. More like a shell that moved because it had to move but nothing filling inside of it. He was like Matryoshka doll. Inside they are hollow, but are having smaller dolls which are hollow until they are too small to fit. He was like biggest one but had no smaller ones inside of him."
"Okay... steely was definitely not the right word to use then. Your explanation is far better, too," the taller woman said as she continued to stroke Rico's fur. "I just want to help him find himself again, and getting to be with him throughout the process makes it even better. I'm sure I sound like a complete sap, but you can't blame me. It's been years since I've been in any kind of relationship with anyone."
"You are not sounding like sap of any kind," Mila said. "Before I am getting with Aidan, it was nearly three years since I am being with someone. The last one..." she paused and shook her head. "It...he...nyet, it was being bad for me and I did not see it until it was was too late. I am hoping you are able to help Harvey to find himself and you are finding yourself with him, Sestra. You are needing each other."
"I'm glad you got away from him and found Aidan, then. You deserve to be happy, and I can tell he does," she said with a smile. "As for Harvey and I... he helped fill a void I didn't even know was missing, but we'll see what happens as time goes on. For now, I'm more than happy just getting to be with him... getting to know him... and helping him find himself again." She turned her attention to Mila. "And... thank you."
"There is no need to be thanking me," the short brunette said with a smile. "My thanks is seeing both of you happy."
Joey leaned over to hug Mila again. "I'm glad you're okay, Mila, and thank you for keeping Rico safe for me, too. I can't thank you, or Harvey, enough for that. Today's been rough, and I'm ready for it to be over."
Mila returned the hug. "You are welcome," she said. "I am just worried about Chow, but I am having no way or time to get down to quarters to check on him. With power out and everyone scrambling, I am being forced to remain here to try to set up some type of communication hub."
"If you can keep an eye on Rico a little longer, I could make my way down there to get him and bring him back to you," Joey offered, but that meant going back into the Jeffries tubes. She wanted to avoid doing that, but for Mila and the reason behind it, she'd do it without question. "I'm pretty sure, given the situation we're presently in, a Capuchin in the Administrative offices will be overlooked by just about anyone." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I should probably get with Hernandez, too, and make sure he and Pequeno are both okay after this."
As much as the Russian wanted to say yes, she had to shake her head. "Nyet. Is too many decks and he is good boy. I am always leaving out extra treats for him and he is knowing where they are. Is not first time I am having to leave him alone for longer than normal." However, it was one of the first times during a battle situation where she wasn't able to send a verbal message over the comm system to her quarters to reassure the tiny Capuchin to let him know she was okay. "Go. Find out what is happening with Security. I will be okay, Sestra."
Joey looked down at Rico. The K-9 officer was still laying across her lap. He showed no signs of letting her get up any time soon. "I couldn't bring him with me, and I can't go in there right now anyway. That section is off limits presently."
Mila suddenly stopped what she was about to do and got up to retrieve a PADD on her desk and quickly sorted through it before she stopped. The name that Joey had said triggered a memory in all the chaos and she hadn't had time to get any casualty reports to the Captain or anyone else yet. She went to the taller woman and sank down to her knees. "Sestra," she said, her voice sad as she reached out a free hand to place on top of Joey's.
"What?" she asked, eyeing Mila when she came to kneel in front of her. Joey didn't like the tone in her voice. The day had already been a horrible one, and it was clear to her she was about to get even more terrible news. Was it ever going to end? Were any of them ever going to finally catch a break? The crew was bruised and beaten... the ship was in shambles... it was just one hit right after another. "What is it, Mila? What's wrong?"
The petite brunette took a breath as she glanced down at the PADD and back to Joey. "Ensign Xavier Hernandez was killed while repelling boarders on deck sixteen almost two hours ago," she said. There was no easy to way to break the news and the look in Joey's eyes told her that it wasn't the right time to break the news, but she couldn't lie and hated having to be the one to deliver the news personally.
That... wasn't what Joey was expecting to hear. Xavier was young... he still had his entire career... his entire life ahead of him. How was any of that fair? Tears welled up in her eyes. If she wasn't already settled on the floor, she would have ended up there from the shock of the news she was just given. In her exhausted state, so many different emotions surged through her.
Anger. Rage. She'd looked over his personnel file. He was only twenty-three years old, and it happened to be that the Black Hawk was his first assignment, and now he would never have another one. His life was cut short, and for what reason? So, the Consortium bastards could hope to someday wipe out the Federation. As far as she was concerned, every last one of them deserved the slowest, most painful death anyone could ever think up. And, right now, she had a few in mind.
Guilt. A huge part of Joey felt incredibly guilty. She was still on the Black Hawk when the boarders first appeared. If she'd just gone with her gut and gone after them like she'd wanted to, then maybe the needless loss to life might not have happened.
She closed her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek, lowering her head before it could be seen. "Where's Pequeno now?" she asked so softly, she almost had to strain to hear her own question. Joey hadn't been on board long, but she was just beginning to get to know the young K-9 handler, and now... it was never going to happen.
The PADD fell from Mila's other hand as she saw the tears form in Joey's eyes and she took the other woman in her arms. "I am assuming in kennel," she said, honestly not knowing. "I am getting no reports from departments at moment until runners are returning. I am sorry that I am being one to have to tell you this, Joey, but I am here for you."
Joey sniffled and wiped the moisture from her eyes. "Can you keep an eye on Rico for a little longer for me?" she asked, rubbing the canine's side before she urged him off of her lap so she could get to her feet.
"Da," Mila said. "But what are you to be doing?"
"I'm going to get Pequeno. He shouldn't have to be stuck inside a kennel any longer than necessary. I'll get back here as soon as I can," she said, rubbing Rico's head before she moved in to hug Mila.
The short brunette returned the hug, then thought for a moment. She released Joey and went to her desk to get another PADD and quickly studied it. "Go to access panel six zero one four," she said. "Jeffries tube leads directly up to four faster."
Joey canted her head and crouched down to kiss the top of Rico's head. "I'll try not to be gone too long, but the ship is currently in a state of chaos. I just... I just don't have it in me to be useful right now. I know I should be, but... I'm physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted." And now, she felt pretty worthless, too.
"I am understanding," Mila said. "You are going above and beyond call of duty. No one would be saying anything if you are to be taking break."
"I'm sure there are people who will have something to say about it," the taller brunette said as she straightened up again. "For now, I'm on a search and rescue mission of one fluffy little black pup that's been on his own for too long already. After I have him, I'll be back." She gave Mila a hug, then made her way out of the office, leaving a very confused Rico behind as well. He let out a low whine and settled down with his head on his paws.
Mila returned the hug and got to her feet once more before she looked down at Rico. "You are not to be worrying, either," she told him. "For now, I am having things to put straight." With that, she headed back into the chaos of administration.
Joey made her way up the Jeffries tube Mila told her to take and opened the hatch to climb out. She was taking a chance since the entire section had been flooded with anesthizine gas, but as luck would have it, there was no threat of her falling unconscious like anyone else that managed to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The place was... she didn't really have the right words to describe what she was actually able to see.
Shaking her head, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. This was going to have to wait. Without power, there wasn't a whole lot she could do as far as clean up, and right now, she was on a rescue mission. Part of her feared what she might find once she reached the kennels. Pequeno was still just a puppy... a tiny little ball of black fur that had zero idea the life he knew only hours ago was going to change forever. Thankfully, it was the fact he was still just a puppy that was going to work out. He'd be able to adjust to a knew life easier than an old dog might.
It didn't take long for her to reach the area where the kennels were kept, and she found her heart to be in her throat. She listened, hoping to hear any sign of life from inside the room, but all that greeted her was deafening silence. Her nerves were already shot, and this wasn't helping matters in the least, but she wasn't just going to stand there. If Pequeno was in here, she needed to get him out.
Joey swallowed back another lump in her throat and moved to the first kennel to open the door, reaching inside to feel around. Nothing. It was empty. Her pulse sped up as she moved to the next open, reaching in once the door was opened. Like the first... it was empty, too. There was only one left to go before she'd run out of places to look, and if he wasn't in there...
Tears began to well up in her eyes once again as she came to stand in front of the last kennel. Slowly, she opened the door and crouched down, reaching inside to feel around. Her hand ended up touching nothing, until... What was that? Joey could have let out a shout of pure joy when she felt fur. He was in the last kennel, but he wasn't moving or making any noise. She quickly slipped her hand beneath his little body and pulled him out, then hugged him to her chest as she sank to the ground with tears rolling down her cheeks. Pequeno was alive, just knocked out from the gas that'd been pumped in.
Joey was sure how long she'd been sitting there with Pequeno cradled against her chest, but it couldn't have been that long. She quickly rose to her feet and made her way back to the hatch she'd originally come out of. Carefully tucking the little guy into her jacket and zipping it up, she moved through the hatch and headed back down to deck six where she went back to Mila's office.
Meanwhile, Mila had organized the rest of Administration until it looked like a well-organized hive again, despite being illuminated in emergency lighting. She stood behind the main desk passing out PADD's to personnel in various colored uniforms and giving orders. "Sanchez, get these to Engineering. Milo, take these to Operations and make sure that whoever is in charge knows this is critical. T'Pral, get this down to Science; the backup power supply units aren't going to last forever and they need to get any projects under lockdown as soon as possible if they're Category Four or higher."
When the last runner went out, she looked up and realized that Joey had been standing in the office the entire time and that she now looked pregnant. "Joey! I am pleased to see you are coming back, but what is to be wrong with stomach?"
"Nothing," she replied, using one hand to hold the lump in place as she unzipped her jacket to reveal the little canine. Carefully, she pulled him free and looked around before turning her attention back to Mila. "Is the accent just for show, or do you lose it when you're angry?"
"Is a puppy!" Mila exclaimed, then looked embarrassed when she realized that Joey had heard her speaking perfect Standard. "Um...accent is faked when I am on duty," she said. "I am not back planet Russian native, but I enjoy speaking with those I am close to as I did when I was living at home. Is harder for others to get syntax when I am on duty, so I am having to rearrange for sake of others."
"That... makes sense," Joey said, shifting the little ball of fur in her arms. "This is Pequeno, Xavier's K-9." Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke, but she cleared her throat. "He was in Security, but the gas got him. If he doesn't wake up soon, I'm going to take him to sickbay and have one of the doctors look him over."
"He is being cute puppy," the short brunette said. "Perhaps you are to be taking him anyway. Is not good for small animal to be gassed with human levels of medication."
"You're right. I need to take him to be seen. I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise," the taller woman said, tucking Pequeno back into her jacket before she zipped it back up. Today was hell as far as Jeffries tubes went, and if she had a say about it in the future, she never planned to go back into another one as long as she lived. Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked back out again.
Mila watched her go and settled down for a moment and looked at Rico. "Is being long day, da?" Of course, the white German Shepherd didn't respond, but she didn't expect him to. A few minutes later, the Senior Chief came to her feet again and once more headed out to see what news had came in that needed to go back out.
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