Together again

Posted on 22 Jan 2024 @ 12:39pm by Captain Patrick Jackson & Captain Mazal Falk
Edited on on 22 Jan 2024 @ 10:18pm

2,122 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: General Sim Postings
Location: Patrick's Quarters
Timeline: Shortly after docking

[ON]

It had been some time since Patrick had donned the green Marine uniform. The exact date and time still eluded him, but then again, he had been in cryo for most of that time, so it only felt like a few weeks when in fact, many months had gone by. He smoothed the creases out of the uniform and hung it back up. He had tried it on to check the fit before he got released back to light duty. Most would be concerned that it would be too snug from weight gain, his was the opposite, loose from weight loss, specifically muscle atrophy. It would come back, but only once his nervous system was back at full.

He hung the uniform back up. "Forward progress." Patrick reminded himself as he listened to the soft hum of his exoskeleton as it helped him move and stay stable. He could operate without the skeleton at 65% gravity, he was just shaking during that time, which was getting better. The exoskeleton was helping to retrain his nervous system and he could see the slow improvement now. He was aware that his once muscle shirt now looked normal on him and that his tactical pants sat loose on his hips with his belt tightened. "One step at a time." He told himself picking up his beer as he made his way back into the living space.

Mazal was disappointed when she saw the Tomcat hadn't arrived yet, her thoughts were of Ze, having hoped to see him. Once the Roosevelt had docked, though, Mazal had raced for her quarters. There was someone else she needed to check on as well.

She had barely taken time to toss her gear into her quarters, taken a quick shower and slipped into some civvies before she was out the door again. Her outfit consisted of black active-wear pants, a blue tee shirt and a pair of runners. Her dark hair was loose and free-flowing, with a touch of natural curl. She had to see Patrick, to see him with her own two eyes. There Mazal stood, in front of his door, her hand reaching out to press the chime. When the door opened Mazal stepped inside, her gaze zeroing in on Patrick.

"Hi there, I'm back!" Mazal flashed a slightly watery smile.

Patrick watched the woman glide into his room. He set his beer down and let a smile fill his face. It had been a while since that smile came up. Dark times, cloudy thoughts, and even the exoskeleton disappeared from his mind when she came in. It was a good surprise, he did not know which ship she was on. Being off duty made him blind to the secret dealings of all his people, including his homeship.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." He commented and made his way across the living space. His gait was more or less stable but appeared stiff in the normal gravity. He reached out to give her a big hug, a moment he realized he had been waiting for since he realized he had been thawed out from cryo.

That warm embrace from Patrick, caused some tears to fall. Mazal wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. "I'm so glad to see you, in person," she murmured, her words muffled slightly against his shoulder. "I-I" Mazal's words failed her, in her trying to convey how much she had missed Patrick.

Mazal wanted to tell Patrick about how much her heart ached when he took ill. And that fear that he could be lost forever. All she could do was try to convey that in her embrace, and the tears that were causing his shirt to get a bit damp.

He held her silently, lightly aware of the wet spot on his shirt. He ignored it. What could he say anyway? She thought him dead. Leaves a mission sick and then goes MIA. Nearly a year later he resurfaces out of nowhere, worse for wear, but back. There was nothing he could say really. He raised a hand to the back of her head to let her be.

Mazal finally raised her head, realizing that she had kept Patrick standing. She moved away slightly taking him by the hand and led him over towards the sofa so they could both sit down and be a bit more comfortable. Mazal wiped her tears away with one hand, while with the other she kept hold of his hand.

"Sorry for that emotional storm," Mazal said apologetically her eyelashes still wet from her tears. "I hoped and I prayed that you'd come back."

"It's ok." He said sitting down and adjusting some to get comfortable. "Prayers are answered it seems." He said opening his arms a little wide as a show. "Truth be told, you had it far worse than me. You had to go through all the things, fill in my shoes when I went MIA. Going a year with questions. I start feeling hot one day, medical gives me a hypo and I wake up a good chunk of a year later."

He gave her a smile and a one-shouldered shrug. "Sorry, I left you in that state. Things just...happened."

"I know, I know. Everything that happened though, yes it was difficult, just that seems to be fading away, just sitting here with you talking to you, face to face." then she gave a slight laugh. "Are you allowed to drink alcohol? I think I see that basket which has a bottle of wine still in the corner where I left it, so long ago it seems." Pointing towards it, the basket seemed to have been placed there behind a chair. Where she had put it last. "That bottle I had brought along the first time I visited you, to meet you."

Patrick laughed a little. "I can drink. Actually on minimal medication right now, just on a long recovery. If it starts making problems for the exoskeleton, I'll lower the gravity and take it off." He said and watched her open the bottle. He remembered her giving him the basket, the first time they met in his office. "You'll have to thank, was it your Uncle? For the wine. I forgot who it was. It feels like that was a lifetime ago and a blink of an eye all at the same time."

"Yes, it was my uncle." Mazal gave a happy smile after handing Patrick a glass, then took one of her own. "I agree, it seems so long ago." She took a sip of the wine, enjoying the flavour of it. "I never thought we'd be enjoying this right now, as a welcome back from our... trials."

"Yeah," Patrick said agreeing. He knew her mission went far from smooth, and that was never easy. "You did what you had to do and what you could do. It's all anyone can ask." He said and raised his glass a little. "Gone but never forgotten." He took a drink. It was indeed good, very good in fact, he didn't even like wine and it was good. "Wow." He said eyes opening up. "This is good. This is top shelf."

"Gone but never forgotten, "Mazal repeated after Patrick raised her glass in return. Another sunny smile broke forth after Mazal took a drink of the wine. "Oh, this is good! Okay, my uncle certainly gave me the good stuff to bring out with me." taking another sip, feeling the warmth and flavour cross her tongue and go downward to her belly, giving her a sense of comfort, and a taste of home as well.

"He sure knows how to make Marines happy." He chuckled watching her get a little lost in the flavour and good memories. "So catch me up. What did I miss while I was on ice?" He asked with another sip. It felt a little weird asking. For him, it was being gone a month and asking what did you do while he was gone, but he knew for her, it was a sizable time. Hard to ask someone about a time you didn't even know was missing.

"Well if you recall right he is married to a marine, my aunt." Giving a slight giggle. "As for what has happened while you slept." she thought for a moment, "Um we were somewhat successful on our mission to that weird planet. Arth, it... was really strange. Almost got caught up in a ritualistic ceremony to make women and men more charged up to procreate. Kinda strange being undercover so to speak and need to not blow the cover of the Prime Directive when someone had done so, some bugs were artificial keeping an eye on things. A civilization that shouldn't have had that sort of knowledge and access to tech."

Patrick shook his head. "The one time I get sick I miss a Pon Farr for humans. Some people get all the breaks." He said with a grin and winked at her. "Sounds like a lot of activity in a relatively short amount of time." He said and took a sip. "Thinking of your Uncle, how are they doing? Had a chance to message them?"

"No I've not spoken to them as of yet, I came here first to check on you. I do need to contact them though." Mazal replied. "And I will be certain to give my uncle your thanks." taking another drink from her glass. "As for the human Pon farr, it certainly had some interesting effects on those who were a part of it. The society we came across was matriarchal. We had to leave before the mission was finished. I am wondering if we will be going back." she mused. "if we do I am certainly going to get a shot created by Jane before she left the ship, to combat whatever that... water was, it heightening the sexual drive. They even had a hut that had eels of some sort which helped the men. Twas very strange and I felt it was time to get our people out of there."

Patrick shook his head. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I don't want to know what the eels were used for. From the context, I can make a few guesses and none of them are pleasant for the male." He gave a small cringe and then took a sip of wine. "I'm glad to have you back Mazal. Very glad you all got out of that in one piece and dignity in tackt. Thinking of it, I should probably try to get into the tailor before the ceremony. I need to make sure my dress uniform can fit over my skeleton. Those things don't like to flex much."

Mazal gave a bit of a nod. "That sounds like a good idea. Once more I am glad to see you again, and I'll meet you at the awards ceremony. I had better go get myself ready as well. Making myself presentable as best as I can." giving a slight wink at Patrick. She moved over to give Patrick an embrace, holding onto him for a few long moments; as if to assure herself she wasn't dreaming that he was awake. Releasing Patrick, Mazal rose from the sofa. "See you in a few."

He let the hug linger. It was nice to be embraced by more than his mechanical supports. The warmth of another person, a friend, was a support that no skeleton, cryopod or even doctor could provide. He realized he had missed more than just time in the cryopod, he missed life as well. The road to recovery would be long, but he had more life to live, and he was looking forward to what this next life will bring.

"I'll be there. I'll even save you a seat."

"Okay, that would be great!" Mazal exclaimed with a wide smile. "I'll see you in a heartbeat, then." with a wave Mazal left Patrick's and left the half-full bottle of wine on the table.

Patrick smiled as she left. It was good to see her again. He felt bad leaving at such short notice, but she had stepped in and done the hard things. He was proud of her and it made him glad to see his Marines in capable hands. He eased back into the couch. "Computer, reduce gravity to one-half standard." It was time to peel out of this frame and recharge it.

[OFF]

 

RSS Feed