Missing

Posted on 01 Apr 2018 @ 3:41pm by Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler & Commodore Harvey Geisler & Master Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin

3,458 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Crossing Over
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: MD 36 || 1000 Hours

Mila checked the department head reports as she sat in Administration and frowned. Only three quarters of them were in and she saw that one of the missing ones were Intel. She knew that Joey had her memories back and that the woman hadn't messaged her back the night before and frowned. She decided it was a matter she had to take to the Captain and turned control of Administration over to another Ensign who had their memories restored before she marched out with the few PADDs that she did have for Harvey.

On the bridge, she paused to look for the Captain, then headed to the Science console where he seemed to be lost in thought. "I am having reports for you, Captain," she said. "But they are not all here. One of the reports not being turned in is being Lieutenant Geisler's."

Now that enough crew had memories enough to operate the specialized bridge equipment, Harvey was about to retreat to his ready room for a late breakfast and a cup of tea. At least, that's what he planned to do as of an hour ago. But, someone had got the external sensors realigned and was beginning to scan this side of the zone, and the results were of great interest to Harvey. After all, their only knowledge prior to entering was fragmented data from probes. This was any person's first real look since the zone was discovered.

When he heard Mila's voice behind him, not only was he snapped back to reality, but he also realized how hungry he was. The mention of his wife's name, however, wasn't exactly unsettling. "Let's talk in private," he suggested to Mila, gesturing for her to follow him to the ready room. Regardless of how long this conversation would be, at least he'd get something to eat.

Mila gave a nod as she headed to the ready room with him and waited until he was in and the door was closed. "Are you knowing if she is sending it directly to you? I am knowing she was heading to Intel last night when I was last speaking with her, but she did not contact me after that."

Harvey moved immediately over to the replicator. "Maple brown sugar oatmeal, and darjeeling tea, hot." As the replicator whirred to life, he asked Mila, "Would you like anything?" He would address her inquiry after her answer.

"A dozen copies of myself or memories for everyone," she said with just a little bit of irritated tiredness, but it wasn't directed at him.

The Captain moved the bowl of oatmeal to the desk, but kept the stainless steel mug with the Starfleet logo in his hands. Before taking a sip, he answered, "I'm honestly surprised you have reports of any kind after yesterday. Barely half the crew has their original minds back. As for Joey, she and I spoke last night, and I sent her home to rest. She's probably just getting to Intel country and getting the lay of the land."

"She came by to be seeing me, then said she was going to Intel and would be contacting me when she is going home," Mila told him. "But she is never contacting me before I went to bed and now there is being no report from her."

He looked up from taking a generous sip of his tea. Of course she wouldn't go straight back to their quarters after a day like yesterday. There was nothing like getting one's brain scrambled, then unscrambled, and then learning what your spouse has been hiding for the last two months. "That's odd," he muttered. "Computer, locate Lieutenant Geisler."

"Lieutenant Geisler is in the Intelligence Complex," the computer replied immediately.

There probably were a dozen reasons for why she didn't file a report. Here, Harvey was willing to overlook it all, but he could tell by Mila's remarks, and her demeanor, that this was something out of the ordinary. "All right," he said, feigning a sigh, "Let's go check on her."

"Be taking oatmeal and tea," the Yeoman said. "You can be eating on go. I will carry tea for you." She held her hand out for the tea so he could carry the oatmeal and eat it.

Reluctantly, he handed the tea to Mila. The reluctance wasn't because he felt embarrassed by it, but more that he was keener to leave the oatmeal behind and replicate a fresh batch later. But, he knew he needed something in his stomach besides liquid, so he picked up his oatmeal and led the way out of the room. On the way to the turbolift, he said, "So what did you two talk about last night? Or is it out of place for me to ask?"

Mila shrugged as she took the tea and headed out of the room. "Her time in command of ship, Chow slapping Engineer, her being sick in your chair," she said with a shrug, but had no plans to reveal the hint that Joey had given her about why Harvey was being the way he was being. "Nothing major. She is being stressed and I am encouraging her to be getting more rest."

"So am I," Harvey told her as he stepped into the turbolift. "Intel Complex," he instructed the computer. "I know you know this, but I used to be a doctor. No two pregnancies are typical, and even with modern medicine, twins are high risk. I can't order her to go on light duty, but she's more hard-headed than me. I didn't think I'd ever meet a person like that."

"Am I am being chopped liver?" she asked him. "But you are being right. You are both being thick headed like old beer made of roots I am seeing commercials for in old holo movie."

"Chopped liver it is," Harvey remarked between bites. "I'll have Lieutenant Adan change the nameplates in Administration this afternoon." He took another bite of the oatmeal, savoring it while he waited for the retort. He didn't know why he took advantage of the opportunity. Perhaps it was coming down off of two months of intense stress.

"I will be chopping liver to mix in with oatmeal," Mila muttered as the turbolift came to a halt and she stepped out, still holding his tea hostage. "Or maybe nice symbiont pate, da?"

Harvey shook his head, ending his short-lived mischievous streak. "Just needs some cinnamon," he said, following her out into the corridor, finishing the oatmeal as he strode beside her. Drinking and walking was a talent. Eating and walking was another matter entirely, and Harvey was glad that it was just oatmeal, and not a bowl of soup. It wasn't long before they arrived at the Intelligence office though. The door's sensors were disabled long ago, requiring all personnel to use a thumbprint to gain access, which Harvey graciously provided.

Once the doors opened to give them access inside, Joey was revealed to be sitting at one of the consoles, giving it nine kinds of hell. "Just tell me what I want to know before I beat you like a Klingon trying to woo a woman!" she snapped, not realizing she was no longer alone. Rico and Pequeno were still in her office sleeping soundly and avoiding the crazy.

The Captain's eyes widened, not by much. Just by looking at her, he could tell that she hadn't gone home like she'd promised. He set his empty bowl down on a nearby console and carefully approached the pregnant and dangerous one. "Joey," he spoke, his tone as gentle and as firm as could be.

Joey froze when she heard his voice and slowly turned toward him. Oh boy... Mila was with him. A two for one, and she couldn't even try to deny that she'd been there all night. Her appearance proved that. "Er... hi. What brings you by?"

"Oh, let me be counting," Mila said. "First, you are not contacting like last night. Second, you are not turning in report this morning, and third, turbolift." She set the tea down on a nearby table and crossed her arms.

"I told you I'd contact you when I went home, but I haven't been home yet," the taller woman said, giving a mental curse for ratting herself out. Oh well... there was no turning back now. "I've been... preoccupied."

"With what, exactly?" Harvey asked, approaching the station she occupied. The screen told all, revealing that the computer was attempting to crack a database procured from one of the ships that left the zone. A glance at the progress bar informed the captain that the attempt to crack lingered at a measly quarter of a percent. "Somehow, I don't think this will be completed in a timely manner."

His wife shook her head and pointed a finger at the console. "It goes well beyond that. This is the second time I'm running this," she said, trying not to sound crazy. "It should have been done before we crossed the barrier into the Zone, but it wasn't, and all the data is corrupted. I have every reason to believe someone is responsible for it."

"If you will be excusing me," Mila said. "I do not think I should be hearing this. Rico, Pequeno, do you wish to be walked?" she called to the dogs.

Both dogs came tearing out of the office upon hearing a particular word, then went to settle down by the door to look at the Russian woman expectantly. If she thought she'd be getting out of it now, she was sadly mistaken.

Harvey sighed, not taking his attention off of Joey. "Lest you forget, we crossed an interdimensional barrier, lost power, lost our memories, and more in the last twenty-four hours. We're lucky to still have a ship, or so my new Chief Engineer tells me. If you think someone is responsible for this, then... well..."

Before she could hear more of things she wasn't cleared for, Mila exited with the boys and headed down the corridor. "Do you wish to be going to Arboretum? Come. Let us go."

He didn't believe her. Joey didn't know why, but that bothered her more than it should have. She shook her head and shoved her hands through her hair in frustration. "I've checked other scans, and they weren't corrupted. I'm willing to bet data from other departments aren't corrupt, either. I don't expect you, or anyone else, to believe me, Harvey, " she said, moving toward another console to access the database where she pulled something random up to prove her point. "There. See? Sadly... I can't prove my theory until the computer is running at maximum efficiency."

"Then why bother?" Harvey asked, taking immediate note that what she pulled up was a simple list of holodeck programs. "Give it a few days for the Operations department to get their memories and skills back so that they can give the computer core a solid and proper look. Until then, why torture yourself?"

"Because... if the scan was sabotaged... someone on the ship is responsible, and it happened before we even made it inside," she said softly, hoping he would believe her. "If it was a member of the crew, I've got obligations to keep the data in here safe. For all I know... one of my own people could be responsible."

Now he wished he'd destroyed that damn padd. "Dammit, Joey," Harvey spat with a frustrated sigh. "You are not thinking about this. You're grasping onto a straw that is just a figment of your imagination. Let it go."

Of course, Joey knew that he was probably right, but if there was a chance... even a small one... "And what were you doing for months before you even told me what was really going on?" she asked softly, unable to keep the hurt from her voice. That hurt stemming from her wanting him to believe there could even be the slimmest chance she might be right. Of course, if it turned out she was wrong about it all, she'd admit it just as she had in the past and would continue to do so in the future. "Maybe I am grasping at straws, and this is all a part of my imagination. Maybe I sound crazy, but I want to know for sure. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

He could not refute her statement. After all, he'd walled himself off to the entire crew, kept distance from those that were closest to him, and even kept his XO in the dark. That would all have to change after today, but one step at a time. "It's not too much to ask. But you said it yourself, the computer's not running at maximum efficiency. Until then, it's best to take a step back and wait for repairs to be finished."

"I will agree. As the Captain, will you grant me a couple days down time?" she asked. Joey wouldn't say it out loud, but that last day and a half really took it out of her, and now she was completely exhausted. A couple days off would do her some good if he allowed it. It would be at least that long until the computer was back completely.

Half the crew still didn't have their memories, and Joey's intelligence team was among the bottom of the list. They weren't repair technicians, nor were they critical to getting the ship back up and running, at least not at this juncture. Because of that, and because he loved her, Harvey granted her request. "Mila and I will take you home," he said. It was then that he noticed that Rico and Pequeno had been in the Intel Complex, judging by some random strips of cloth that appeared to have been replicated. "And the dogs too."

"Mila took the dogs to the Arboretum, but they couldn't have gone too far," Joey said, reaching up to rub her eyes. "Let's go find them."

Harvey put his arm around her and led her out of the intel complex. "As soon as this is settled, I'll talk to Lieutenant Adan about taking out the wall between our cabin and the empty one next door."

Joey slipped her arm around him and laid her head against his shoulder. "That would definitely give us the space we need for two kids and two dogs. Maybe I can use the next two days to start organizing what we have already. It will keep my mind occupied so I don't focus on things that don't need my attention right now," she said, meaning the scan, but their children were more important, and were the main reason she was going to take this time off and rest.

They still had several months, despite the fact that they were nearing the end of the second trimester. And, distracting her was exactly Harvey's plan. She was too much like him, something he learned in the months they'd been together, and she was equally his opposite. They brought out the best in each other, and this experience taught him that they could equally bring out the worst. He would have to be more careful in the future. Tearing down the wall and adding an extra room would give her something to focus on. His eyes wandered down, and he took note of her slightly swelling abdomen. For an average person, eighteen weeks into pregnancy wouldn't be much. There would be a visible bump, yes, but nothing too noticeable if you weren't focusing on it. Yet, her womb carried more than one soul, and her stomach was quite inflated. Harvey truly wondered if she could see her feet.

"It's still hard to believe we're nearing the halfway point. Things have been so busy that I don't even realize I'm pregnant half the time," Joey spoke as they moved down the corridor. "I can feel them kicking now, so that's a pretty good reminder every once in a while."

"Just think," Harvey mused, "yesterday, you thought they were lizards." For a day without memories, that certainly was a point he'd never forget.

Joey laughed. That was something she'd never live down, and if their roles were reversed, he wouldn't either. "In my defense, I didn't know I was pregnant, so lizards seemed feasible. Of course, I didn't know what those were, either. Oh!" She suddenly went a little pale. "There were webs in my office, and I remember that little creature on the bridge yesterday. Someone needs to find it and do something with it before I really do move into a workbee on the hull of the ship."

Meanwhile, Mila exited the Arboretum with two much relieved dogs and looked around. "I am thinking we should be getting you something to eat," she said. "But I am not knowing what you prefer. Come, let us go to mess hall to be seeing what is getting your interest."

Before he could answer Joey, Harvey turned a corner to find Mila departing the arbortetum just in time. "Ah, Mila," he called out. Then to Joey, he replied, "No workbees, no living on the hull. I'm sure they'll figure things out as the ship gets put back together."

"Mila, we were just looking for you," Joey said, offering the other woman a smile. The second the two dogs saw her, they started to jump around and try to get her attention, but after a one word command from her, they were sitting down and waiting patiently with their tails thumping against the floor beneath them. "That's better." She reached out to pet both of them.

Mila stopped and smiled when she saw her sestra and Harvey before she saw the dogs take off towards her. She followed them over and looked the two humans over for a moment. Finally, she was satisfied that their body language wasn't filled with tension and gave a nod. "I am not being hard to find," she said. "I was just taking boys to get something to eat."

"Food sounds amazing right now," Joey said, looking between Harvey and Mila. "Have you two eaten yet? We could have a late breakfast together before I start my rest and relaxation."

"If you count the bowl of oatmeal I left on a console in the Intel complex," Harvey said, "then yes, I've eaten. Besides, I do need to get back to the bridge. Half the ship is still without sorts, and I can't step away until more of the senior staff have their marbles."

"I am not having time for breakfast," the Yeoman said. "Unless you are counting Raktajino as breakfast."

Joey managed to remain from frowning, but she nodded. They were both busy, and needed to get back to their respective areas. "Okay. I'll take the boys home and get something there once I've peeled this uniform off of myself and taken a shower," she said, leaning in to kiss Harvey. "I hope to see you at dinner at the very least, and if you need my help for anything, you know where you can find me." Then she turned toward Mila and leaned in to hug her. "The same goes for you. I make a great couch ornament if you need company."

That was something Harvey would have taken advantage of in his Ready Room would he not have to remain on the bridge for the majority of the day. "I'll be there for dinner, even if I have to hand off command to a crewman for a short while." In fact, Harvey hoped to get a solid night of sleep tonight. It had been weeks since he had one.

Mila returned the hug. "I will be seeing you at lunch, da?" she asked Joey.

"I'll see you at lunch," she said to Mila with a smile, then turned toward Harvey. "And I'll see you at dinner. Try not to work too hard, okay? I know you didn't sleep last night, either."

"I'll try," Harvey said with fake confidence. Truthfully, he could not promise anything, not until they were out of this forsaken place.

Joey knew, that as a Captain, Harvey had no choice but to work hard. Still, saying it made her feet better, and she had hope that once all the crew had their memories back, things would be easier. With a smile and a wave, she took the leashes of the two dogs, kissed her husband, then began to walk toward the nearest turbolift. While the Intel Chief still had the scan on her mind, there were far more important things for her to tend to presently, and that was seeing to the well-being of her children.

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