Reuniting and Organizing

Posted on 27 Mar 2017 @ 3:21am by Senior Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin & Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler & Ensign Aidan Crehan

3,193 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Endgame
Location: New Bajor/Deep Space 11
Timeline: MD 17 || 1800 Hours

It had taken Maria hours to hunt Yeoman Rasputin down after receiving the request from Lieutenant Corwin. After seeing what happened to the Assistant Chief, she found herself wanting to comply with anything the officer asked. No matter how obscure that request might have been. But still... this search seemed impossible considering how scattered the crew was.

Once down on the surface of the planet after being cleared, she looked at the tricorder in her hands that she used to pick up Mila's combadge signal, then began to make her way in that direction.

On the ground in a small encampment of Starfleet personnel and civilians who had been on the Black Hawk before abandoning it in the shuttle, it was in for a penny, in for a pound as an old human expression said. What that meant, Mila had no idea but she had found herself to be one of the senior officers in charge and being the one with the most administrative experience, she had set about bringing order to the chaos and determining the needs of everyone there.

Her first order of business had been to distribute the ration packs and survival gear that came standard in a shuttle, then had the replicator on the shuttle checked. It was still good, so she had crewman replicating things that were required and set up a PADD with a request list that she would go over when she had a chance to see if it was a luxury or a need. She had no idea when they would be rescued and with most of the cities in flames and hundreds of thousands of people displaced, it could be a while before their rescue.

It was still hard to believe that the ship had gone down and she wondered if she would ever see Joey or Harvey again or the other few friends she had managed to make on the Black Hawk. She had just ordered a crewman to initiate the locator beacon on the shuttle when a sharp barking from Rico caught her attention and she looked up, half expecting Chow to be annoying the K9 but instead saw a shuttle coming their way.

The shuttle landed and after a few moments, the hatch opened and Petty Officer Sanchez stepped out of it near the camp. "Senior Chief Rasputin," she called out, looking around.

"Da?" Mila asked as she headed for the shuttle and the gold uniformed officer. The others were curious and some started to head with her before she held up one hand without looking back. "How am I to be helping you, Petty Officer?" she asked when she was close enough to see the rank tab on the exotic looking woman's collar.

"Sanchez. Maria Sanchez," the green eyed woman said. "I was on Lieutenant Corwin's team on DS11. She asked me to come find you, and that definitely was not an easy task."

Mila blinked. "You are not being here to rescue everyone?" she asked as she motioned towards the others. "Is Joey being okay?"

"I can only take so many of you with me, but I have your coordinates now and can have the shuttle come back for everyone else, though... things on DS11 aren't much better than they are down here," the Puerto Rican woman said with a frown. "Lieutenant Corwin is okay. I think it may be best if she tells you what happened."

"What can she be wanting to tell me?" Mila asked before she glanced over to where Aidan was with the others and back to the woman. "I am taking it that operation on DS11 was being success, da?"

Maria blew a stray lock of hair out of her face and nodded. She didn't want to tell Mila herself, but it didn't look like she was going to get out of it. "Lieutenant Di Pasquale and her team were successful. We were not. We lost a member of our team, then shortly after, Lieutenant Corwin went down. We lost her for a while, but Miller and Gutierrez were able to get her back. She's in sickbay right now, and is expected to make a full recovery."

Aidan had watched the shuttle land with everyone else and was headed over there with them. When Mila held up her hand, he held back with them. It would be best if he continued where she left off. He picked up the PADD she had been going over and scanned it. Ah, luxury versus necessity... As Aidan continued to go over the list, he purposely strolled through the small encampment. He could hear bits and pieces of speculation as to why there was a shuttle there, when were they getting what they requested, and even why a Cadet was playing second fiddle to a Senior Chief. The El-Aurian smiled at that last bit. He knew exactly why. Mila had more Starfleet experience than him. And even if he were an Ensign, he would be foolish to not utilize it.

As he walked by a group, he over heard them talking about who would go first if it was indeed a rescue. That struck him and he scanned the PADD looking for any notes that Mila might have made. Finding none, he started to make some notes of his own. First, civilians. Starfleet personnel were trained for situations like this, civilians weren't. So they were first on his list along with any children. He made another notation and then turned to where Mila and the newcomer were still talking. He was hoping that the woman would be able to take some of them back, too. If for nothing else, it would spread their rations out.

"Lost? Sickbay? Recovery?" The words left Mila's mouth in rapid fire. "Speak, or I am to be commandeering shutting and flying to Deep Space Eleven myself," she demanded.

"She was taken by surprise and shot. Her injury was pretty serious, and her heart stopped beating. Allen and Ricardo brought her back, and we made a mad dash to get her to the nearest sickbay. Doctor Green fixed her up, and said she would make a full recovery," Maria responded, hoping that would be a suitable response.

"She what?!" Mila practically yelled as she headed for the woman's runabout. "Why are you not starting runabout?" She looked over her shoulder. "Limewitz, you are being in charge while I am gone. Aidan, could you please bring Pequeno and Rico?" She gave a sharp whistle and Chow came bounding across the open ground to scramble up her side to perch on her shoulder. "Anyone who wishes to come may do so, but I am being told station is not in much better shape. I will be bringing fresh supplies."

Maria nodded and turned toward the craft once more, then settled in while she waited for the others to board. She gave the pilot the go ahead to fire up the shuttle once again thinking it would have been better for Joey to have told her what happened herself.

Mila boarded the shuttle with half a dozen others who wanted to be off the planet and she waited for Aidan to bring Joey's boys. "I am sorry to have pressed you, but I have been worried for her."

"It's okay, Miss Rasputin, really. I may have done the same thing if I was in your position," Maria said, offering her a smile.

Aidan had found Limewitz and handed him the PADD he'd been working on. He then whistled for Rico and Pequeno, hoping that they would come. Mila had said that Rico responded only to Joey's commands. But a whistle...it just might work. The two dogs came bounding towards him and slowed to a stop before they hit him. Well, Rico did. Pequeno didn't stop in time and rolled right between Aidan's feet. He laughed and picked up the pup while leading Rico.

Aidan found an empty seat for him and the dogs and waited for Mila.

The shuttle lifted off the ground and made its way to the planetary base. Maria hoped Mila wouldn't be too hard on Joey for what happened, because it wasn't her fault. "She really is doing well. Doctor Green did a great job patching her up."

"You are first person from the ship I have talked to other than crew who came in shuttle I was on," Mila said. "I have not heard from Captain or anyone else." She settled Chow who gave a creel and sighed. "I am getting to be too old for this."

"Captain Geisler is already on DS11. He's been by to see Lieutenant Corwin already, so you can rest assured that he's safe," Sanchez said. "I had no idea they were a couple, but that was pretty clear the moment they saw one another. It was very sweet, but I didn't stick around long. Privacy and all."

Mila breathed a sigh of relief. "I am being very glad and yes, is true. I have done much work in keeping rumor mill quashed of any talk about it."

"Then you've done an amazing job, because I had no idea," Maria said.

"That is why I am being Captain's Yeoman," Mila said simply.

"I can see why," Maria said as she turned to look at the dogs. "I'm glad you were able to get Lieutenant Corwin's dogs off of the ship. She loves them, and would have been quite devastated if anything happened to them. I bet they go crazy when they see her."

"I am being more than certain," Mila said as she watched the ground fall away. "Captain Geisler was telling me to get them before ship was even being in serious danger," she said quietly. "I am thinking that he was knowing it would not survive battle."

"There is no one who knew that ship as well as he did, so I wouldn't doubt it," Maria said as they began to dock. "I'm not sure they'll let the dogs in sickbay or not, but I've got a feeling they won't care about the rules."

"They are to be kissing where sun does not shine if they are trying to stop me," Mila declared before she looked at Aidan. "Are you being ready?"

Aidan laughed. "I pity the fool that crosses her path. Yes, I am ready." He picked the little puffball and patted Rico on the head. "Shall we?"

The two dogs bolted out of the shuttle just after Maria did. Joey was going to be so happy to see them, and that brought a smile to her face. "It shouldn't take us too long to get where we need to go. Follow me," she said, heading out and down one of the corridors.

"Rico! Pequeno!" Mila called, hoping they'd listen. Chow gave a inquiring hoot and pointed after them and the Russian woman shook her head and started after her and the dogs. "I had not expected this," she said to Aidan. "But is being work out, da?"

"Yes, and quite the good one, I might add," replied Aidan. "Those are slippery dogs."

Maria led the group straight to sickbay, and just as she'd predicted, the two dogs sniffed their human Mama out and took off in her direction with happy tails wagging. Rico sailed onto the bed, but Pequeno required a bit of help, which resulted in Joey reaching down to help him get onto the bed with her. She had to alternate between living on the two of them and couldn't help but laugh when they began to show their own affection in the form of kisses.

Mila came in behind the boys. "Sestra!" she exclaimed as she went over and waited her turn to give Joey a kiss on her cheek, then made a face as she got dog slobber on her lips.

"Mila!" Joey said, unable to contain her excitement when she saw the Russian woman. The moment she leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek, she wrapped her good arm around Mila to hug her. "I didn't think Maria would be able to find you all, but I'm so glad she did. I'm even happier you both were able to make it off the ship." She looked to Aidan and smiled at him. "It's great to see you again."

"And it is great to see you, as well," he said, smiling. He watched as the two friends, nay, sestras, reunited. It was good, for them and for him to see this.

Chow hopped off of Mila's shoulder and curled by by Joey's head, reaching out to pat her hair. Mila hugged her back and stifled a sob. "Is being very good to be seeing you, too. I was being worried for you."

Joey smiled at Chow and reached up to scratch him while her dogs snuggled up against her. "I'm beyond thrilled to see you all, too. When Harvey told me what happened, panic set in. As for me... I'm okay. Quite sore and very ready to get out of here, but they won't let me. Ricardo tried," she said, fighting back a frown. "I need to get some of our things from the ship, and I'm afraid the longer it takes to do it, the less likely I'll be able to get it done."

"Then we will be organizing search," Mila said as if she had no doubt she could do it. "I will speak to several crew and we will be getting things that we are wanting. I have yet to see ship, but I am knowing strong backs and determined people. I will organize while you are healing, da?"

"Allen and Ricardo said they would help out, but there are certain things I want to get out of there. Harvey's trunk, his books..." Joey said, continuing to name off some other things such as the Hawaiian print blanket her grandmother made her, the figure her grandfather carved, the heirloom Harvey had given her along with some other things. "Those are things that are impossible to replace, and they mean a lot to us."

"They are being good men," Mila said. "We will put together list when I am able to get PADD and then organize search into ship. I am not looking forward to be seeing her, though."

Joey frowned. "I've seen pictures. Harvey showed them to me when he was here earlier. He took the PADD with him, though. I guess he didn't want me to see them anymore than the one time. I'm not even sure where he is right now. Undoubtedly helping out with arrangements for displaced personnel."

"I am not even knowing where she is," Mila said, thinking of her nesting dolls and several other things that had gone down with the ship. "Are you even knowing where he is being?"

Joey shook her head. "I don't. All I know is that he's here somewhere, but I don't even know how to get ahold of him."

"I will try to find out when I am leaving later," Mila said. "I am having friends here in administration. If there is one thing I am learning in eleven years of serving, it is that if you are wishing to find someone or something, you are to be finding Yeoman in charge."

"It's okay. I know he's busy right now, and I have no doubt he'll be back before the night is over," Joey said. "I really do appreciate you wanting to hunt him down, though, but I'd rather him stay busy so he doesn't have a whole lot of time to think about what happened."

"Still, he is needing people that he is knowing by his side," Mila pointed out. "If I did not have Aidan, I would be here with you around clock."

Joey looked thoughtful after hearing Mila speak. She was right. "Why don't you two see if you can find him, then? I'm sure he'd feel a bit more at ease of he had his Yeoman with him. Rico and Pequeno would have to go, too, but I've got a feeling they're not going to want to."

"He is probably being very busy with reports, but I will be busy organizing search for ship and be getting more help for what you are wanting," Mila said.

"Maybe, but I know I don't want to bother him right now," the taller brunette said, snuggling her dogs. Despite what she said earlier, they weren't going anywhere. They were both going to stay with her. "The ship went down in the Valley of Abnorath. If you can talk to someone who is familiar to the planet, they'll be able to tell you exactly where you can find her."

Mila made a mental note of the location, which was far easier to remember than the extensive list of things that Joey wanted from the ship. While the Yeoman had an eidetic memory, it was still easier to get things down on a PADD so she could pass out various assignments to others. "I am not to be bothering him, but I do wish to be letting him know I am being alive," she said.

"I can understand that. If you want to hang out for a bit, I've got a feeling he'll be making his way back here soon enough. You can let him know that way," Joey offered as she sat up carefully to make more room for herself and the three animals. She had to admit that Chow was quite adorable when he wasn't trying to molest her. "I sent Ricardo and Allen to find something to eat. Why don't you two do the same?"

"I will be seeing if Bad is still being aboard station," Mila said. "If anyone is to be finding someone good, it is Bad."

"Bad, huh?" Joey asked with a laugh. "I can imagine growing up with that name was fun."

Mila giggled. "I am being sorry. He is Bolian and full name is being Bad Lynamin."

Joey continued to pet her dogs, and occasionally reached over to give Chow some love. "Go ahead. We'll all be fine here. If you've got some pistachios, though, I'd like to formally request that you leave some with me so he doesn't decide to go hunting again."

"We are just coming up from New Bajor, but I am not knowing where I am to be finding them," Mila said. "I am able to get yogurt and grapes, but pistachios seem to be custom thing around here. I am having no problem with leaving him here with you as long has he is not causing problems."

"I think we'll be okay," Joey said.

"Then we will be seeing you in a bit," Mila said as she placed another kiss on Joey's cheek.

"I'll see you both soon," Joey said, returning the kiss to Mila's cheek and gesturing for Aidan to give her a hug.

Aidan walked up to the side of the bed where her good arm was and leaned down. "Take care of yourself, Joey." He leaned down and gently hugged her.

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