A delivery [Backpost]

Posted on 01 Apr 2024 @ 11:54pm by 1st Lieutenant Maria Zamorano & Captain Patrick Jackson
Edited on on 02 Apr 2024 @ 6:48pm

3,080 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: General Sim Postings
Location: SB 51
Timeline: During Shore Leave

1st LT Maria Zamorano had been on that mission with the marines. The cleaning out the areas that had been taken over by the pirates. It was a rough one, Maria having had taken some injuries, but got patched up. She had heard rumors that Captain Jackson was awake and at home. Even though she'd not met him personally except for a passing introduction when she arrived, Maria decided that now was as good a time as any, to make his acquaintance.

She had in a bag two meals along with a six pack of beer bottles. Inside the bag was two steaks cooked on the rare to medium rare side of things with the side dishes to go with it. Corn on the cob, mashed potatoes with gravy. She stopped at the door and rang the chime, hoping the Captain wouldn't mind an unexpected visit.

Patrick sat on his couch. His exoskeleton was in the corner charging and doing a data sync with medical. He sat doing his best to color and stay between the lines. He was never very good at art so he couldn't tell if it was his motor function still off or he was just bad. This was supposed to help build his fine motor control, or so they told him. He was focusing intently on his strokes and heard the door chime. "Come in. Mind the gravity, it is only 2/3rds normal."

Maria felt herself lifting upwards when she stepped foot inside, giving a slight yikes. "Okay I was not expecting that. Hello Captain Jackson, got a moment or two for some dinner? Its honest to goodness beef, real beef. Not the replicated bull pucky that is served using the replicator. Granted... it keeps a person alive but I have been spoiled eating real meat." Maria moving over to set the food on a nearby table. "Hope you're hungry"

Patrick paused his coloring. His hand shaking gently at rest. He glanced up from the table to see a pair of legs. Legs that connected to a well formed body that connected to a pretty face. He tried to think but could not come up with a name. He recognized her as a marine, but that was about it.

"Thank you for the meal. I'm sorry, my brain is still in rehab as well. You are who?" He said putting the book aside. He wondered where the recruiters keep finding these attractive women. Like they signed on a whole modeling agency, not that he was complaining at all.

Maria set down the bottles of beer onto the table the bottles giving a slight clink when she did so. She turned around, "Oh, I am Maria Zamorano, 1st Lieutenant one of the marines." giving a smile then proceeded to set up the table, she looked in the cupboards to find dishes to make the table look nice. "Sorry for being snoopy. I know I'm just invading your life but hey don't want the steaks to get cold and boy is my mouth watering at the scent." Maria rambled on as the table was quickly transformed into a setting for two people, complete with a candle in a jar, the flame dancing. Dark blue table cloth along with cloth napkins.

She walked over towards Patrick, "Ready to eat sir?" holding out a hand towards him. "We'll have to replicate a dessert as I didn't know what you would like there." flashing a smile.

"That is just fine. Thank you Maria." Patrick answered. He would normally have been concerned about this direct approach but he was not in much condition to object, he was also still relieved of duty for the moment. Still, it was real steak and that would forgive a lot of sins. "How did you manage to get your hands on real beef here? Not complaining, just curious. "

"Star bases have to get supplies from other areas, not always be dependant upon replicator supplies. What if we are too dependant and the supply of replicator matter or even the energy to run this station runs out. People will starve. Its a bit of a commerce place out there. So got to make certain to help out the economy. And I've got some connections as well. There are restaurants here that serve real meat." She took a seat after Patrick did.

"I apologize, Captain for just storming in here like I did. I at times tend to take charge of things to get things done so, I overstep at times. I should have seen if you were up for company." a worried furrow becoming evident.

"That's fine Lieutenant. I don't mind company. Before the ships got back my company was all Medical. Not overly enjoyable at the time." He said and motioned to the food. "Thank you for this, and call me Patrick. I'm still temporary relieved of duty. Should get the all clear for partial duty by the time the refit is done on the Tomcat." Or at least that was the hope.

"Fine Patrick it is, as long as you call me Maria." a full blown smile became evident the warm genuine smile reaching all the way to her eyes and lighting them up." And you are welcome." Maria picking up her fork and knife to cut into her steak. "I hope you will be back at least to partial duty, just having you there will be quite the morale booster. You've got that aspect that the other marines feel... happy to see you and hopefully back in command. They have felt a bit unsettled when news of your illness spread like wildfire."

"Thank you Maria." Patrick said and cut a piece of steak. "I appreciate having the Marines as a family. Makes things easier. I'm on duty for the Awards ceremony and then off until the Tomcat is refit. Once we push off I'll be back to some form of duty. Just got to be able to handle a full shift at standard gravity. Getting plenty of practice in low gravity maneuvering though." He took a bite of the steak. "Great find Maria. This is pretty premium stuff."

"I do know my cuts of meat." having a pleased smile. Maria started cutting in her steak, and took a bite, her eyes closing with sheer pleasure at the flavors. "Oh this is so good!" she exclaimed. "I took a chance, as I've not eaten at the restaurant before. However the nose , knows, and so far it hasn't steered me wrong." Another bite, washing it down with a sip of beer. "So, Patrick, do you have a physio buddy to work with you on getting back up to par?"

He shook his head. "Just the usual therapist that was assigned. See him twice a week and then push myself the rest of the time." He said taking another bite. "Not a total problem though. If I'm too sore to do regular gravity exercises, I just go through some zero-g combat training. Helps with range of motion and improve another set of skills." He thought for a second chewing the tender meat. "Gives me a feeling of flying, I think that's why I don't mind that."

He looked over at her. "This is a good cut. Which restaurant did you get this from? Going to need to swing by wherever it is. Haven't been much outside of deck 45 and 46. Didn't have time before the illness and stuck here after."

"Its a homey sort of place called Mamies. Its got great looking sandwiches, country fried steaks. Made from scratch soups." Maria gave a sigh as she remembered the scents and the sights of what food was available there. "I got the chance to see the menu, and it was making my mouth water." She cut another bite of steak and placed it into her mouth. "Gosh this is good. Anyway back to the physio partner question, do you want one? I'm volunteering if you'd like."

"Yes, I'd like that." Patrick nodded and replied between mouthfuls. "The medical staff is great, but they are pretty by the book when it comes to physical rehab. Everything is singular purpose. Wouldn't mind the company either to push me a little harder."

"Great its a plan then. I could do with a littl bit of physio as well. Need to get myself up to full par as well. Most times when it is shore leave, I don't do a whole lot of things except for some routine exercises, to keep myself in shape or keep in practice with my rope tricks." Maria flashing a smile. "I am fairly good at using a lasso"

"That could be useful." Patrick replied with a little smirk. "We could use that in training the new boots. Someone not performing, lasso out of nowhere and a jerk. Can you hogtie?" He chuckled to himself, it had been a while since his imagination took flight but it was a fun thought. Also, useful to keep more senior marines on their toes.

"Oh I am really good at hogtying." Maria giving a smirk and eyebrows waggling in a comedic way. Though it was the truth, "I have been on cattle drives so have roped steers and cows, when needed." working on the last few bites of her steak. "I've even lassoed a couple of wanna be rustlers. They got the treatment, of something they didn't want. Nothing like dragging them through a deep mudhole." she looked up from her steak towards Patrick.

"Sounds like a useful skill. With some ranch time, it probably helped make bootcamp a lot easier. I know during my time there where a lot of soft ones needing some shaping." He said and looked over to her. "What made you pick the Marines? Seems like you had a lot of opportunity for other things instead of this." He asked genuinely interested.

After she chewed her bite of steak and drank some beer, Maria responded. "I joined because of my grand-dad. He was a marine and well, just something about being one hit right here." placing her hand over her heart. "Besides with my not so genteel ways, I am not cut out for polite company." grinning ear to ear. "Sure I clean up decently, I can wear a dress and walk in heels. Still though, not my cup of java." giving a laugh. "I am a rough and tumble woman, maybe with some polite ways, I do have discipline. Just not cut out to be in Star Fleet proper."

Patrick nodded. "I can do professional, but polite company is still beyond me. Rather people who would put a fist to your face than a knife to your back." He said taking a drink. "Glad to to have someone on board that is sturdy. Marines need strong officers. We have good NCO's, but need a strong top to keep it working."

"So, where to you hail from Patrick? And I just remembered I'd not said exactly where I am from." Maria giving a slight chuckle. "I'm from Jackson Hole, Wyoming." another bite from her steak realizing that it was almost gone. She was certainly enjoying this meal immensely and talking with Patrick.

"Earth." He shrugged. "Apart from that, I was all over the North American states. Bounced from foster family to foster family. Never really stayed in place long. Part of why I do not mind the Marine life. Always on the go." He said and took a drink. "Don't think I made it to the mid west part of the country. Coast to coast but just flew over the middle." He thought a moment and looked over to her. "Did I miss anything?"

"I think so, wide open spaces, mountains that are topped with snow, fresh air, Meeting a good friendly bunch of hard working people. Room to roam and grow. See the stars from Earth's surface a different perspective from being amongst them. Sitting under the stars, at the side of a crackling fire and just listening to the peaceful sounds of nature. Feeling the breeze just gently caress your hair. Even the scent of a summer rain upon the ground, it being welcome." her eyes went slightly distant as Maria called to mind memories of doing such.

"I love going camping as well, it can be such a way to allow the mind to destress from all that we do see, in our line of work."Her hand reaching out of its own accord towards his and giving one of his a squeeze. "When we get you back into shape, wanna go camping?"

His mind drifted into her word picture. Camping, he knew she meant recreational camping, which was a novel idea he had never tried. He in a way had done a lot of "camping" in his life. From living on the streets of the cities he was in to sleeping on the dirt of multiple foreign worlds on maneuvers or in an operation from bootcamp or his early years in deployment. All of which was just a method of survival, he remembered many cold nights either alone or in a harsh climate on some world the Federation needed boots on. Camping with a warm fire, warm bed, some hot food and company sounded like a far cry from what he had done previously.

He was thinking about the comparisons and did not notice her hand moving to his. He returned the squeeze without thinking, his mind still contemplating the camping idea and the world's he had slept on. "That sounds good." He said at last. "Good motivation to outgrow the hardware." He became aware of his hand holding Maria's. It was nice to have human touch instead of one or more forms of metal. His hand began to tremble ever so slightly. He was not sure if it was his emotional nerves or physical telling him it was time to put his skeleton back on. He slowly withdrew his hand, letting the contact stay as long as he thought was OK. "Must be time for my skeleton therapy." He said looking over at the brace. "Can't be dependant on that thing forever."

"How much longer will you need to use that and do you sleep with that on?" nodding towards the frame work. Maria was curious about this, she'd not run into anyone who has had to use something like this.

Patrick stood up, keeping a hand on the side of the couch to keep himself steady and then walked over to the device, his gait still a little shaky but solid enough to walk unassisted in the lower gravity.
"Not sure how long. The muscle fatigue is repairing faster than the nervous system. Part of why I can be out of this thing in lower gravity. I'm up to 70% standard gravity without it at the moment. Might be a couple months for full gravity but is a for sure thing. The nervous system is the other side of the coin." He said taking the skeleton off the charging station.
"Couple more of the nano treatments left. They are confident I'll have full function again but as to how steady I'll be, we won't know till it's all done."

Patrick strapped part to each leg and moved up to his waist, securing the lower portion at his hips then connecting a morion rod from his waist to knees. "Don't need this to sleep long as I'm in lower gravity. If I don't while in regular gravity, I'll probably crash on the floor if I wake up to hit the head." He chuckled. "Otherwise, sleep, shower, operate as normal in lower gravity, just with the shakes."

"And be bored out of your mind while recuperating." Maria added, "I'd be bored being stuck doing just recuperating. So have you ever utilized acupuncture to help heal you? The oriental sort of healing does work wonders"

He shook his head. "Not unless you count the needles they stuck in my muscles after cryo. Haven't tried any of that yet. Pretty much just stick to quarters and the med bay right now. May hit the holodeck sometime though, know that can lower gravity. Still need this contraption to be out and about." He said hooking the frame to his back and connecting it to his waist motor.

"Not opposed to trying it though. Sooner I recover, the sooner back to regular duty." He said sliding his arm through the frame like a jacket and his hand rods like a glove.

"I'll go check with Fina to see if she's got some recommendations. Fina herself knows how to do accupressure, and massage therapy. So there is a resource for you to try. Josephina Macapuno. I probably should get out of your hair for now. However let me know when you want to start the physical therapy, and also go to the holodeck." Maria feeling that she'd intruded on Patrick enough.

Patrick nodded. "Thank you for the help Maria, and the meal." He said, hesitated one second, then added "and the company. I didn't realize how much I needed it." He gave her a smile and walked her to the door. "Thanks again, and mind the gravity when you leave, goes back to standard outside."

"I enjoyed the company as well, Patrick. It made this shoreleave a lot better. Well, talk to you soon I hope and us getting you back to tip top condition." As she stepped outside of his quarters, Maria was more prepared, thanks to Patrick's warning. Her feet did feel a lot heavier once her shoes hit the floor. Maria turned and gave Patrick a warm smile. "Thank you once again." her eyes taking in the man on the other side of the door. It was truly lovely to have eaten a meal with Patrick and she would love to do so again. Maria was glad she actually had the courage to approach him, and was certainly glad he didn't toss her out on her ear.

Her eyes were soft as Maria looked into his eyes, containing a gaze of interest. "I'll uh see you later on." Marie finally breaking her eye contact. With that, Maria turned around and headed down the corridor.




MCapt Jackson

 

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