All About a Sweater-Part 2

Posted on Mon Apr 7th, 2025 @ 10:10pm by Captain Liam Grimaldi-Ral & Lieutenant Haz Mondo PsyD & Reittan Ral & Lieutenant Tequila Dreik
Edited on on Mon Apr 7th, 2025 @ 10:11pm

Mission: 01-A Change
Location: Deep Space K-17- Medical Bay
Timeline: MD01-0830

Liam strolled over to the nearest biobed and, with an effortless ease, hopped onto it. Settling in, he swung his legs slightly, the motion almost boyish in contrast to his usual composed demeanor. “All set, Doc,” he announced with a playful grin, his tone light but expectant.

Reittan followed with his characteristic grace, moving with an effortless air that made his presence feel both natural and deliberate. He came to a stop near his husband, arms loosely crossed as he observed with quiet amusement, the corners of his mouth twitching as if suppressing a smirk.

Tiki sighed heavily and pushed herself away from the counter she had been leaning against. In truth, all she wanted was to return to her quarters, take her boots off and curl up on the couch with a trashy book and a pint of ice cream, but that also likely meant dealing with Skot, and, well, that alone made the thought of two onboarding medicals a whole lot more palatable.

Taking a medical tricorder, she closed the distance to the biobed and started to scan Liam, remaining silent for a moment before asking, "Any changes since your last physical?"

Liam shook his head with a small, amused smile. "No changes at all." He paused for dramatic effect before leaning in slightly, lowering his voice to a loud, conspiratorial whisper. "Unless, of course, you count prolonged exposure to my mother-in-law?" His eyes twinkled with playful exasperation, as if recalling a particularly exhausting interaction. He let out a mock sigh, shaking his head again as if the mere thought of it required some level of recovery.

"There are any number of treatments I can recommend for that," Tiki replied without hesitation. "The side effects can be rather permanent so I suggest discretion when applying it to the other party... just remember... always do it in the heat of the moment, otherwise they start throwing around words like premeditated and it becomes a whole big thing... and it's only really murder if they find the body. Until then, it's just a missing person. Again, I recommend deck 27, section L43."

Amused, Liam's lips curled into a sly smile as he regarded the other person with a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Captain Kaz was right about you," he mused, his tone carrying an unmistakable warmth. "You've got a sharp wit and a fun sense of humor." He let the words linger for a moment before adding a playful wink, his demeanor easygoing yet engaged.

"I imagine he had to be polite, even in departure. I'm sure 'heinous bitch from hell' wouldn't have scored him any brownie points anywhere." The corner of her mouth quirked up slightly.

Was that a hint of a smile?

"There's a few inoculations you're going to need, and, well, this is DSK17. I strongly recommend a tetanus booster as well. Medically speaking, you should probably space them out, but hey, if you feel like spending forty eight to seventy two hours worshipping a porcelain deity just so you don't have to see me again, I'm not gonna judge. You do you boo boo."

Liam flashed an amused smile as he settled into a relaxed stance. His tone was light, but there was an unmistakable sincerity in his words. “Hit me with whatever I need, Doc,” he said, his voice carrying the ease of someone who had been through this routine more times than he could count.

He folded his arms loosely across his chest, watching the doctor with a mix of curiosity and patience. “I assume this isn’t going to involve anything too invasive?” he added with a raised brow, though the humor in his voice made it clear he wasn’t too worried—yet.

"Am I going to make you bend over and cough?" Tiki asked, corners of her mouth shifting slightly again. "You're cute, but not that cute."

Picking up a hypo, the medical officer paused for a moment before plucking a cartridge out of the drawer and loading it. "So who'd you piss off to end up here?" she asked as she pressed it into his neck.

Liam smirked, mischief glinting in his eyes. "What makes you think I'd piss someone off?" he asked, his tone dripping with playful innocence. He punctuated the question with a wink before leaning back slightly, exuding an easy confidence as he rubbed the injection site on his neck.

His gaze drifted beyond their immediate surroundings, and he lazily gestured outward with one hand. "You know, K-17’s reputation has changed quite a bit out there," he mused, his voice carrying a note of amusement. "Once upon a time, it was the butt of every joke in Starfleet—somewhere careers went to stall out. Now?" He let the word hang for a beat, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "People are starting to pay attention. And not just the ones who wanted to see you fail." He pushed himself up to a standing position, giving Reittan room to slip into his spot.

Tiki pondered on this for a moment as the two exchanged places. "Let's hope that attention translates into supplies and assistance," she murmured softly.

Reittan had never had an issue with doctors—in fact, he typically found medical professionals to be rather fascinating. However, there was something about Doctor Dreik that gave him pause, a subtle unease he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Was it the doctor's demeanor? The way she spoke? Or perhaps something deeper, something instinctual?

Letting out a measured exhale, he shifted his gaze to Liam, catching his eye for the briefest moment before turning back to Dreik. A wry smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he squared his shoulders.

"Well, I guess it's my turn, Doc," he said, his voice carrying a mix of resignation and reluctant amusement.

"Don't worry I don't..." her words were interrupted by a sudden gasp as she leaned against the bio bed, pressing her hand against the side of her stomach for a moment, waiting for the sharp pain to subside before looking back at her new patient. "As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, Don't worry, I don't bite... hard..." She flashed a faint smile before grabbing the medical tricorder again and resetting it, synching it for the new patient information.

Reittan’s dark eyes followed Tiki’s every movement with quiet scrutiny. He took in the way she moved, the precision of her hands as she guided the scanner over him. But more than that, he noted her conspicuous lack of a uniform—something Liam would undoubtedly comment on the moment they stepped out of the medical bay. His face, no doubt, looked rather concentrated and distant as he focused on the rhythmic hum of the scanner.

Nearby, Haz leaned casually against the bulkhead, arms crossed over his chest. His vivid blue hair fell into his eyes as he shifted his weight, watching the interaction with mild curiosity. "I never received any files from the last counselor," he remarked, his tone casual but edged with a hint of expectation. "I was hoping I could get them before I start seeing patients." He lifted his eyebrows slightly, his gaze flicking between the Captain and Tiki, hoping one of them would have the answer he was looking for.

Tiki cast a glance at Haz while the tricorder beeped away doing its thing. "You might be waiting a while," she replied, a forced calmness to her voice. "We weren't deemed important enough for a counselor. For the most part a bottle of aldebaran whiskey did the trick." She shrugged before turning her attention back to her patient and the tricorder. "Most of your vitals are within parameters, but your blood pressure is a touch higher than previously reported. Feeling a touch tense are we?"

"A bit," the Betazoid admitted, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He shifted slightly, the sterile scent of the medbay making him more eager to leave. Without waiting for further discussion, he slid off the biobed, landing lightly on his feet. His posture was composed, but there was an undeniable tension in his shoulders.

"If that's all..." he said, his voice even, though there was a distinct undercurrent of discomfort. His dark eyes flickered toward the doctor, hoping there would be no further probing, physical or otherwise.

"You're going to need the same inoculations," Tiki said quietly, reaching for the hypospray and reloading it with a fresh cartridge from the drawer. "And I want to see you back tomorrow to check your blood pressure again. If it is still high I'll give you something to help bring it down just a touch." She pressed the hypo to his neck and administered the dose of the vaccine. "You'll both be on the same vaccination schedule, so your next shot will be in five days."

Reittan nodded once, offering a polite but subdued smile. “Thank you, Doctor,” he said, his voice measured. He took a few steps forward, absently rubbing the spot on his arm where the hypospray had been administered. The sensation lingered—a dull pressure rather than pain—but it was enough to draw his focus as he stepped through the doors of Sickbay and into the corridor beyond.

As he passed, Liam reached out, giving Reittan’s arm a brief but reassuring squeeze. It was a small gesture, but one heavy with meaning—an anchor, a silent acknowledgment of whatever thoughts were circling behind Reittan’s composed exterior.

Liam’s gaze flicked toward Counselor Mondo, his expression unreadable but deliberate. No words were spoken, but the message was clear. The Counselor hesitated for only a moment before inclining his head in understanding. Without protest, he pivoted on his heel and moved further into Sickbay, disappearing into the sterile white recesses of the medical bay.

TO BE CONTINUED