Checking on the Boss

Posted on 26 Mar 2017 @ 2:50am by Commander Terry Walsh & Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale & Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler

3,404 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Endgame
Location: DS11 Sickbay
Timeline: MD 17 || 1700 Hours

Walking back to the doors to Sickbay, Allen looked over to Ricardo, "I'm glad that Lieutenant Di Pasquale's team made it to their destination. Otherwise, this could have been interesting. At any rate, I hope Lieutenant Corwin is doing better." It had been quite a while since Allen had been ushered out of Sickbay to stand guard and then to go around the station and aid in arresting the Consortium members.

"I really hope so, too," Ricardo said. "She's probably going to be mad at us for abandoning our mission, but man, I just couldn't leave her there to die. She's always told us, no one gets left behind. That applies to her, too." He stopped to ask a harried looking nurse who pointed them to a hallway that was lined with cots.

Maria Sanchez stood just outside the doors to sickbay with a cup of coffee in her hand. She was still dressed in her uniform, but her gear was on the floor next to her. The young woman had aided in taking the Consortium prisoner like most of the Security personnel on the ship. For now, she needed a few minutes to herself, and that was about all that could be spared.

She turned her green eyes to see Miller and Gutierrez making their way in her direction. She offered them both a smile. "Hey... come to see Lieutenant Corwin?"

A long sigh of breath escaped Ricardo when he saw Sanchez standing in front of Sickbay and he didn't know what to say. A dozen things went through his mind despite seeing her on a regular basis on the ship while on duty, but after the fight they had been through, she looked radiant to his eyes. An old song called Maria, Maria entered his mind and he had to resist the urge to burst into song. Stop it, esé he told himself as he approached. "Yes, if she's awake," he managed while suppressing the lyrics.

Allen smiled back at Sanchez and her bright green eyes. Man, she's hot, he thought. I wish I were that cup of coffee. He let out a long breath and shook his head. "How has she been," he asked the brunette.

"She is awake, and already trying to get herself discharged, but that doesn't sound unusual, does it?" Sanchez asked with a knowing smile. Despite joining the crew once the Chimera was scuttled, she'd come to learn a little about those she served with. "She's been okay. Still doesn't know if the Captain coming to see her was a dream or reality."

"The Captain came to see her?" Ricardo asked, a bit confused. "Why isn't he with the Black Hawk?" he asked a second later.

"He did. I literally ran into him when I went to go find some coffee. He was looking for her and Lieutenant Di Pasquale. I still don't know if he found the Chief or not," she said, taking another sip of her coffee. "As for why he isn't with the ship, I guess he isn't because we won."

"Now I like the sound of that," said Allen, "winning against the Consortium." After what he saw at her birthday party, part of him wasn't surprised that the Captain came to find her after they had won. "Well, let's hope she doesn't think we're figments of her imagination. If it comes to that, I'll twist Gutierrez's nose for her."

As much as he liked listening to Maria's voice and staring at her beautiful green eyes, Ricardo forced himself to admit that he and Allen had came there for a different reason. "Is the Lieutenant awake?" he asked.

Sanchez laughed at the mention of Allen twisting Ricardo's nose. These two were class acts, and she appreciated it, even when she was exhausted. "She's awake. When I left her just a little while ago, she was sitting up and drinking some water. She asked me to try to get in touch with Yeoman Rasputin, so that's where I'm off to once I finish my coffee. After that... I need to track down Shay. You two go on in."

Ricardo glared at Allen in a 'I'll get you for that later' look and smiled at Maria. "Good luck, Sanchez," he said. "You probably know more than we do about what's been happening off the station." With that, he headed into the room where his direct boss was.

"Lieutenant?" he asked softly in case she were asleep again.

Joey was still settled in bed, but at least now she had a PADD to help her pass the time. Once Maria found Mila for her, she'd be able to get the ball rolling. Springing herself would be the easy part. Everything else.. not so much. Pushing that thought from her mind, she looked toward the two men and offered them a bright smile. "Well... if it isn't my two guardian angels. Come... sit for a while," she said, shifting around a bit to make more room for them. "I owe you two so much for what you've done for me."

"Eh, we were just doing our job," said Allen, as he pulled up a stool next to the bio-bed. "But guardian angels?" he said. Allen smirked, "I think you might still be delirious or something. But seriously, it's good to see you awake, Lieutenant."

"Maybe a little bit," she joked. "It's good to be awake, too, and soon I'll be out of here. Don't know where I'm going after I handle a couple things, but I'll get that figured out. What about you two? We've got some time off now. Any plans?"

Ricardo actually blushed a bit at Joey's comment. "We couldn't have anyone else in your position, Lieutenant," he said. "As for plans, I think I'm going to go conquer part of Puerto Rico's population when I get home."

"I really don't have any 'plans,' per se," said Allen. "Other than finding a nice beach to relax on for two months. Maybe get a nice tan, hit on a few hundred women, run from a hundred boyfriends, that sort of thing." The blonde Petty Officer started laughing. Even in a post-battle Sickbay....

"Oh, well... I'm going back home, too, but it will be a little bit before they'll let any of us leave here," she said. And now, she knew Harvey visiting her wasn't a dream. "I don't think you guys know or not, but the Black Hawk crash landed. Everyone on board got off safely. No one knows what's going to happen after this, but once we're all cleared, you guys go and enjoy yourselves. I need to get out of here and get to the ship... try to make my way through it. I have things in there I refuse to leave behind."

Ricardo scratched his jaw and shook his head. "Man...the ship crash landed while we were here?" he echoed in disbelief. "That's unreal. I hope she gave as good as she got. I bet the Captain is tore up about it. Does he even know you're here?"

Joey nodded her head. "He's already been by to see me. That's how I know about the ship. He showed me pictures of it. Of course, I thought I dreamt all of that, but the nurse who brought the PADD to him confirmed he was really here as did Sanchez. I blame the medications."

Allen stood there for a few minutes. "Wow, it's gone...wow." He shook his head and looked at Joey. "Well, I'm glad the Captain made it off. So, the medications, huh. What have they got you on? Something you can share? Where's the hypospray?" He chuckled a little. It was his way of dealing with the news of the recent loss of home and belongings.

"Knock it off, Miller," Ricardo snapped before his expression softened. "Sorry, ese. I didn't mean to say it like that. This is some bad shit." He looked at Joey. "Do you know where the Chief is or anyone else?"

"Lieutenant Di Pasquale came by to see me earlier. She's not having an easy time of any of this just as the rest of us aren't," the brunette woman said as tears started forming in her eyes again. She still couldn't believe they were all homeless, and Harvey still hadn't come back to see her. That was fine, though. He was needed to figure things out now that the Consortium had been dealt with. "I sent Sanchez to find Senior Chief Rasputin for me so I can let her see I'm okay, then I'm going to the ship. No one knows I'm doing this but you two, so, keep it quiet, please."

Allen heard the rebuke and apologetic tone in Ricardo's voice. Everyone was on edge. "But, doesn't a doctor have to release you first? I mean, sure, the war is over, but you don't want to go down there so soon after the major reconstruction you went through. It'll take time to get used to using those muscles again."

"I can't wait for them to release me. There are important things I have to get out of our quarters," she said. "I don't know when, or if, Starfleet will be moving the ship from the planet. I'm not taking any changes."

"Still, you wouldn't spring yourself, would you Lieutenant?" Ricardo asked as he gave her a hairy eyeball look.

"Yes," Joey replied honestly. There were things she needed to do. Things that were important to her and to Harvey. Maybe she could have someone do it for her, but this was something she needed to do herself. "I'm okay now. Doctor Green made sure of that."

"You know what would happen if you got down there and re-injured yourself, don't ya?" asked Allen. Doc Green would have you sedated round the clock. And then your shore leave would be shorter while you completely healed. I don't think you, or anyone else, would want that."

Joey grinned. "Who said I would re-injure myself? I'll have you two to do all the heavy lifting while I supervise."

Ricardo looked at Allen. "Gee, save someone's life and become their baggage carriers," he said jokingly. "So much for my plans to ascend the ranks in Security and promotion recommendations."

"Petty Officer Baggage Claim at your service, mistress," said Allen, with a chuckle. "Join Starfleet. See the galaxy. Carry your Assistant Chief's bags," he added.

"Well... if it's that big of a deal... I could do it myself..." she said, reaching up to rub the area she'd been shot. Playing on their sympathies would either work like a charm or backfire in a way she couldn't imagine.

Ricardo turned his attention back to her. "Whatever you need, but I get to call you Joey when we're not on duty. Fair?"

"I already told you you could do that... or I thought I did," she said, looking a bit confused. "Either way, deal. You can both call me Joey off duty."

"Umm...what did you want us to lift, anyway?" Ricardo asked, feeling as if he had signed a blank PADD.

Joey laughed, knowing exactly what he was thinking, so she decided to mess with them both a bit. "Well... I want to get the bed and other furniture from our quarters, so you'll have to get with base Engineering and get the proper tool kit. And even though the bridge is in bad shape, I want to get Harvey's chair so I can refurbish it."

Allen looked at Ricardo, to Joey, and then back to Ricardo. "Well Baby Face, you can get the furniture from their quarters. I'll take of his chair on the Bridge. Deck One...should be pretty easy to get to." He smirked at Ricardo and winked at Joey.

"I'll arm wrestle you for the chair, Miller Time," Ricardo said and made a show of flexing his impressive biceps. "I won't even need a lift to carry it. Can you say the same?"

Allen started laughing and looked at Joey. "See that, I just talked him into getting the one thing that is probably the hardest to remove. I've never seen a Captain's chair topple or anything, no matter how bad the ship was hit. That thing is probably still attached to the floor. So, the bed, huh. Yeah, I'll carry that out for ya, Joey."

She laughed again and shook her head. "I'm kidding, but it's nice to know what you two would do for me. It's mostly going to be a few trunks and maybe a couple other things. I'll be able to carry some of it."

Ricardo laughed and nudged Miller. "You were willing to throw me to the dogs, Miller Time. I'll get you for that," he swore. He looked back at Joey. "We'll help with whatever you need."

"Thank you. Both of you. For everything," she said as tears began to well in her eyes. With only the use of her one arm right now, she extended it and gestured for them to come in for a hug. "If it wasn't for the two of you, I wouldn't be here now. I'm not even mad that you didn't follow my orders."

Ricardo bent down and gave her a surprisingly gentle hug before he stepped aside for Allen. "No one gets left behind, isn't that what you say?"

Allen laughed when Ricardo made his comment, but stopped when Joey started talking. He moved in when Ricardo stepped back and leaned in to hug her. "Nope, no one at all, Joey," he said quietly, using her first name. "Like Ricardo said, we'll help. You don't need to be exerting yourself anyway. Even if you can get out."

Joey hugged them both in turn. "I do say that. In Security... we're a family, and nothing is ever going to change that, but I feel I should tell you two something. This is just something I'm giving thought to right now, so it's not definite. After what happened today, I think it may not be a bad idea if I stepped back for a while... reevaluate my life and my current position. This was a very close call."

"Well, considering the fact that we don't have a ship right now and we're probably going to be interrogated until I give up my Abuela's secret recipe for pastalejos, you'll have time," Ricardo said. "The entire crew has earned shore leave if there's any deserving on any ship in known space. You'll have time to think, Joey."

"Yeah," said Allen, "give it some time. I'm told all the time to think about my decisions...to not react emotionally and so on. Right now is a great big turbulent time for all of us." He settled himself back on the stool.

"Time will tell," she said with a sigh. Still, Joey was leaning toward hanging up her Security belt for good. Now wasn't the time to think about it. "So... I need you two to create a distraction so I can get out of here."

"One Captain's Mast is enough for my career, Joey," Ricardo said. "It's not that I wouldn't in a heartbeat, but you are here because you need time to heal and rest."

"Be that as it may, I have more important things to deal with presently," Joey said, carefully sitting up and pushing the covers aside. "Harvey will understand."

"Umm, he might understand," said Allen, "but I don't think the doctors will."

"Okay, okay. You both win," she said with a sigh, settling back on the bed. Joey wanted to get back to the ship, but it didn't look like that was going to happen any time soon. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought about the things she could end up losing forever. "Thank you guys for coming to visit, but I think I want to be alone for a while."

"Tell you what, Joey," Ricardo said. "I'll go bribe the nurse and we'll get you out of here, but you'll have to be on our terms. Which is namely, let us do the heavy work while you give us orders."

Joey sniffled and looked up to Gutierrez. "How? They're not going to let me go."

"Beds are needed," Ricardo said simply before he headed out to find a nurse or doctor.

Allen nodded to his buddy. "Go ahead, I'll hang out here and keep Joey company." He turned to face her, "You know, that thing with the first name off duty...I am so going to be doing that. Joey."

Joey couldn't help but laugh as she wiped moisture from her face. She'd been doing a lot of crying lately. "It's all good, Allen."

Near one of the cots containing a wounded patient, a nurse stood checking his vitals. As Ricardo approached, she turned her attention to him. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm checking about the release of Lieutenant Corwin," Ricardo said as he approached the nurse with one of his best smiles. "She's ready to be checked out. I serve...served...on the USS Black Hawk with her and I know you could use the extra beds."

"Be that as it may, her heart stopped for over a minute," the nurse said, turning to the bed on the other side of the unconscious man to check the vitals of that patient as well. "I'm sorry to hear what happened to your ship, but we can't release her yet. It's in her best interest that she remain here to be monitored. While we don't expect there to be any complications, there is always the chance something could happen. She needs to remain with us for the next twenty-four hours at least."

"I know," Ricardo said. "I was one of the two people who helped save her life and brought her here. She's made out of tough stuff and a fighter on top of it."

"I understand that," the nurse said, watching the tricorder as she scanned the woman on the bed. "But, I would also like for you to understand that this is for her own safety. If I were to approve her discharge, and something were to happen, I could be brought up on charges."

Ricardo sighed and nodded. "I understand. If you can send a doctor in later to check, I'd appreciate it."

The nurse nodded her head and offered him a sympathetic smile. "I will. As long as she does well tonight, I'm sure she'll be released tomorrow. Just try to bear with us. Things are a bit hectic right now."

"Thanks," he said before he headed back into the room. "No dice, Joey," he said. "I tried, but the nurse wasn't having it. Tomorrow looks like the earliest they'll let you go."

"It was worth a shot, and thanks for trying. I'm probably better off staying here anyway," she said, feeling a bit defeated.

"It's not that bad," said Allen. "Sure, it's Sickbay and doctors and nurses and so on. But you've got us to keep you company for a while. And I bet you've still got lots people that are wondering where you're at and will come to see you." He leaned in and gave her a gentle, serious hug.

"We'll keep you company, Joey," Ricardo assured her. "They'll need some serious explosives to get us away from you."

"Well... since you guys want to hang out, you should go see if you an find something to eat, then come back. I won't be going anywhere. I promise," she assured them.

"You want something to eat, too?" Ricardo asked. "I know what hospital food is like."

Allen had paused by the doors, waiting for an answer. "He's got a point, you know. The food here is probably pretty bad. I mean the base was just attacked."

"If you're able to find something aside from ration bars, I'll take something. If not, I don't mind waiting," Joey said with a smile at them. "I'll see you both in a little bit."

Allen nodded, "Sounds good, then. We'll be back shortly with some good eats." Allen followed Ricardo out the doors as the two of them began their search for something other than ration bars.

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