Judgement – Quest for an excuse
by Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin
Post Details
Captain Tahir was striding the decks of the promenade with purpose, inspecting the repairs to the shops after the riot she had read about in the reports and was only now getting the chance to re-familiarise herself with the station and the civilian populous.
What she had not expected, was too see that in fact, very little had changed and those little differences were not for the worse.
There were still Starfleet personnel wandering the decks and utilising the various shops and services and she drew up to the bar she had been talking with the reporter Thomas Whitlock, just a few nights previously.
She pressed her nose up against the large glass window and peered inside.
There were a few customers inside, but it appeared darker than it had done in the evening and now it was well lit, at least station "daylight" made it appear so.
Inside the Box Of Delights, the mood was sombre. Following the visit from security late last night its owner had gone a charcoal grey, her hair a light-sucking funereal black, and stayed that way. Telling the rest of the staff what had happened to Klia had been even more horrible than hearing it from security.
Now she was trying, unsuccessfully, to get drunk. She was on her fourth Kanar, and it just wasn't having any effect. She was pouring her fifth when she spotted Captain Tahir peering through the windows. "Harry? Can you go tell the fleety that this is a private do?" she asked her doorman.
"Better not Boss," Pelin, her assistant bar tender said, "That's Captain Tahir. She runs the station.
"Okay, belay that, Harry." she called out to the Gorn heading for the door, and heaved herself off her stool, and went over to the door. "Captain Tahir?" She held out her hand for the human ritual. "I'm Yolanthe. Welcome to The Box Of Delights."
Tasha looked at the offered hand and smiled and was about to reach it when she heard a familiar Scottish voice followed by a hand upon her shoulder.
Just as Tasha was being invited in, Ed McBain was passing by and recognised a familiar face he hadn't seen for a long time.
"Captain?" The Scots Lead-Nurse went over to his CO oblivious of the fact that she was just disappearing into an establishment. "Welcome back, Ma'am." He took the liberty of putting a welcoming palm on Tasha's shoulder and patted it in a genuinely 'pleased to see you' manner.
This might not have been appropriate considering the Captain's rank but Ed was an older non-com who had been around for a full and rewarding lifetime. He didn't hold back, sometimes he should have done, but mostly his genuine honesty was much needed. He was never brutal with it and rarely offended anyone. In general he managed to make a difference quietly in the background and was much appreciated but rarely thanked. His action was not meant in disrespect, quite the contrary.
"Thank you Nurse McBain," She replied with a warmth in her smile before bringing herself back around to take the hand that was offered up originally by Yolanthe.
Noticing Yolanthe standing in the doorway to welcome the CO, Ed stood back. "Oh, I'm sorry!" he apologised, nodding an acknowledgement to the Box of Delights' owner politely.
Tasha looked into the serene eyes of the bar owner and could see that she although she offered a welcome to herself, not quite the same look was in her eye for the nurse.
"I think that Yolanthe took no offence." She misdirected her smile.
"None at all. Won't you both come in?" she stood aside, indicating the dimly lit interior of her establishment. She'd hoped to exchange pleasantries, or more likely un-pleasantries, given her partner had just turned up dead in a pile of rubbish on the Promenade, and get back to her bottle. The arrival of the nurse changed that, but she couldn't afford to turn them away. "Can I get you both a drink?" she asked as she led them towards a booth in a quiet corner.
"That's very civil of you, ma'am" Ed replied. "I'd be grateful for a spring water with ice please?"
Tasha shook her head as she moved into the corner seat. She could see that the lids beneath Yolanthes eyes were a little swollen and jumped to the assumption that she had been crying.
"If this is in any way inconvenient, I can call back or of you would care to join us?" Tasha offered and before Yolanthe could answer, she added, "with a cup of tea?"
"Not at all," she lied. She had found that it was always worth taking an invitation to a captain's table, even if she didn't feel like it. "What sort of tea?"
"I'm happy with whatever sort you choose." Ed said co-operatively.
She half smiled and gave a gracious half nod. "In that case, Darjeeling, served in a pot with china cups please Yolanthe."
Tasha felt a little nervous. She had enjoyed it in here a few nights back with the stations new reporter, with the bustle of the off duty and the help of the evening mode seemed to give the bar character. Now it felt cool, lonely and though she didn't feel it was the correct word to orate, it felt desolate.
She turned her head to look around the bar and she still felt that Yolanthe wanted solitude, as besides themselves, no other persons occupied the bar. She swallowed, feeling a touch of guilt. This was not going to be an opportune time to broach the question of Yolanthes plans or what she intended to do to bring the reputation of this new establishment up from the reports she had read, but given that since she had come back to the station, the bar had given rise to no complaints.
The silence between them was deafening as they waited for the tea to be delivered and now, she started to think of excuses to leave and prayed that her comm would chirp, her presence required elsewhere and urgently.
The bartender returned a few minutes later with a steaming pot, and a tray of porcelain cups. Pouring a cup for Tahir, she forced a smile on to her face, "So Captain, what brings you to my humble establishment?"
Before Tasha could reply Chelsea's head appeared round the doorway of the Box. She waved to Ed and approached the table. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?" she asked.
Tasha turned as Chelsea spoke and shook her head as she smiled back to the doctor. "Please, take a chair." She said as her hand signalled to the vacant seat opposite, half tempted to push her cup towards Chelsea. "Tea?" She enquired, "It's darjeeling." She added as if to make a point.
"I was just trying to catch up with Ed, I'd love to join you if you're sure you don't mind, we can talk medical 'shop' later." Chelsea replied.
"oh-OH!" Ed laughed. "Sounds like I'm in trouble!"
"Nooooo! Not at all. Can't I catch up with my friends without having an ulterior motive?" Chelsea laughed back.
"Probably not?" Ed questioned with mock seriousness.
"Wretch! Of *course* I can!" Chelsea protested, still smiling broadly. "..... and on the subject of catching up with friends.... Welcome back Captain. It's good to have you home." she looked as Tasha and squeezed her hand.
"Glad to be back." She grinned, covering her own guilt. Everybody welcomed her back so freely, if only they knew the struggle that was going on behind the scenes between the Federation and the Romulan governments.
She leant towards Yolanthe and lowered her voice to barely a whisper.
"I am sorry. I did call in for a private chat, but I do seem to gather a lot of attention when I am out and about. Are you OK?" There was a slight pause before Tasha's personal question, but covered by Eds laughter so as not to attract too much attention.
The taller woman nodded, "Please, don't worry about the attention, Doctor Adams and her staff are always welcome here. As are you." she ignored the question about whether she was okay, "And I'm more than happy to talk to you with them here." She held up the cream pot with a charcoal grey hand. "Milk and sugar?"
When Tasha had replied and Yolanthe provided the preferred additions, Ed gestured to Chelsea to choose next. "Thanks" She acknowledged his manners "Both please." she inclined her head towards the milk and sugar and held up her cup to receive them.
Once the ladies were served, Ed chose milk but no sugar and accepted his tea and returned to pleasant conversation. "How have you settled back in Captain? I imagine there must have been a lot of work awaiting your return, although Commander Davies seemed very efficient." He offered.
Tasha shrugged her shoulders as she lifted the cup to her nose and took in the aroma.
"I wouldn't say settled per se, just getting back into the routine and as for Commander Davies, he did a fine job whilst I was on Earth." She sipped her tea and closed her eyes as she did so, savouring the flavour. Brewed tea had a different taste to replicated and though this was better, she didn't want to get a taste for it. Making tea was a chore that usurped time she sometimes did not have the luxury of.
"I like David." Chelsea commented gently. "Will he stay do you think?"
Tasha had not yet seen his personal side and could not judge. "I am not sure, though he is listed as a temporary commander, that would be his decision." She said with a softness to her own tone.
"I suppose it would be difficult to step down from Commanding Officer, even when it's a temporary post, and then accept something else. By nature that 'something else' would have to be a lower position but in the case of this station, we already have a efficient and popular XO whose record is unblemished. She couldn't be asked to step down in favour of David and the only vacancy then would be that of Second Officer." Chelsea continued, thinking out loud and trying to guess the position that Commander Davies would find himself in now.
"Yes, leapfrogging upwards is one thing, but downwards does seem pretty harsh!" Ed replied, adding his thoughts to the conjecture.
"Second officer?" Tasha queried as a recent conversation with Karen pricked her memory. "Actually, that was something that is on the agenda, but not for Commander Davies." She pondered for a moment, deciding whether or not this would be an opportune moment, in a civilian area but shrugged her shoulders yet again and thought 'Why not?'.
"Commander Villiers was talking about the position of 'First officer, while she has to judge the upcoming trial," She made a mental note to see Gabriel, "and we think that the most suitable person to stand in, would be Davies, but as he is not permanent, we believe it would be prudent, to promote from within the current command staff." She looked at Chelsea. "Doctor, we think you would be an ideal candidate." And again lifted the cup to her mouth watching Chelsea.
Chelsea's mouth dropped open and her cup tilted precariously. "I... but... " at first she was speechless, then she blushed and looked down suddenly at her cup, rescuing the alarming angle just in time before the half-drunk tea was tipped out.
"Captain, I'm flattered. I'd be honoured..... " she thought of something and frowned. "I... I never did take the Bridge Officers' Exam though - I ... er... I *did* start the course on my last ship, but i just left before the finals." She lowered her head. "I realise that sounds like i didn't have the commitment for it but my fiancé of the time left me for my best friend the day before the exam and i just needed to get off that ship. I really *do* have the staying power to do it." she felt the need to explain that.
Ed looked amazed. Chelsea had never mentioned that, although she did shy away from talking about her time on her previous ship. He too straightened his teacup but unlike her he didn't put it down, he just raised his to his lips and smiled from behind it.
Yolanthe slid away from the table, and returned just a few moments later with a bottle, and a handful of slender glasses. "Congratulations, Doctor." With an expert twist, she had the Champagne open with barely a pop, and poured out three glasses.
Tasha chuckled as the sparkling perry frothed in the glasses. "Well, here's a first, just after lunch and already the bubbly is flowing. Thank you Ms Ibalin, the gesture is duly noted." She reached for a glass, "Are you not joining us?" She enquired to Yolanthe.
"Oh *please* do!" Chelsea begged Yolanthe, tugging gently at her hand as she put the champagne down into the ice bucket she had brought.
The bokkai looked uncertainly at the bottle. In her experience Kanar and bubbly did not mix. Then again, it might bring blessed oblivion a little step closer. "If you insist, Doctor." She gave a weak smile and went back for another glass.
You will have plenty of time to sit the exam, but not before we get you used to the Ops." Tasha said to Chelsea, holding her glass central to the table. "Cheers" She remarked.
"Thank you Captain" Chelsea replied, pink cheeked and beaming. She accepted a glass and raised it to chink softly against that which Ed held aloft and then in turn with Tasha and Yolanthe too.
~I can't wait to tell Rick~ was her first thought, followed quickly by: ~oh Crap.... um.... what do i do now? Ops?? OPS? Keep calm. Doctors always remain calm in the face of a crisis... just imagine it like an Operating Theatre... ~ she meant to take a deep breath but had just raised her glass to her lips and instead of sipping the champagne she drew in a full swig, choking herself.
"Oh... sorry!" she spluttered, embarrassed. "That's.... no... " she was trying to lighten the situation by saying it was no way to treat champagne but she was too busy trying to swallow and breathe, preferably separately.
Ed laughed out loud and slapped her on the back. "Steady ohn!" he guffawed, his scots accent thickened by his laughter. "Ye've nay cause tae rush!"
Chelsea's face reddened more as she gulped in air and flinched under the well meant blows that were working to clear her windpipe.
"Sorry" she recovered and held up her hand to block the refill of her glass. "Nooooo thank you. No more for me. I couldn't possibly... literally" her smile returned and her colour settled as she returned to normal. "I'm sticking to tea in future" she joked, semi-serious.
Tasha dabbed her hand downwards at some of the splatterings that had found their way to her tunic. "I concur." She remarked with a flippancy as she set her glass back down onto the table and stood. "I think you should remain in blue, Commander."
~ I am sure that an extra pip on there would not go amiss either. ~ She added the thought to her self, as she did not want Chelsea drowning the nurse or herself any further and possibly causing some damage to herself in the interim. "If you're not busy later, come to my office and I'll draw up some guidance notes on you may find of use."
She gave a warm smile to the present company and the sadness in Yolanthe's eyes did not pass Tasha own scrutiny, but she didn't know the owner well enough to pass comment or judgement, but she knew now was not the right time to question her on the events of the night of the riot.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Yolanthe, I will make a point of calling again." She turned to Ed and Chelsea. "Excuse me." She said simply and tilted her head as she made for the exit.
"Thank you Captain" was all Chelsea seemed able to get out. She made a mental note to drop by the CO's office as bidden and smiled at the idea of remaining clad in her beloved Medical Teal. In fact, the smile remained there as she thought through *all* of the conversation that had just happened.
Still more than a little surprised, Chelsea had to admit when she thought about it more, that it was a very flattering and generous concept. Her mind went off down some of the many new roads she was going to have to negotiate from here on but a comment of congratulations from Ed brought her back to the moment and she thanked him warmly.
"I'm afraid I seem to have monopolised the conversation, I am sorry guys." she added, tilting her head in apology. "Thank you for the tea, Yolanthe. We have kept you too long." She rose to leave and Ed did the same.
As they started towards the door, Chelsea allowed Ed to get ahead of her and took the opportunity to turn to Yolanthe, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I didn't get an opportunity to say how sorry I am for your loss. If there is *anything* I can do, please don't hesitate... I MEAN that!" she insisted quietly with a gentle squeeze of reassurance that she actually *did*.
tag}
OFF?
A JP Between:
Captain Tasha Tahir
CO: DS5
&
Lt Cmdr Chelsea Adams
CMO (& 2XO) - DS5
&
Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner, The Box of Delights
&
CPO Ed McBain
Lead Specialist Nurse (NPC)
by Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin
Post Details
| Title | Quest for an excuse | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin | |
| Posted | Fri Oct 29, 2010 @ 7:02pm | |
| Location | Promenade | |
| Timeline | SD35 12:25 |
What she had not expected, was too see that in fact, very little had changed and those little differences were not for the worse.
There were still Starfleet personnel wandering the decks and utilising the various shops and services and she drew up to the bar she had been talking with the reporter Thomas Whitlock, just a few nights previously.
She pressed her nose up against the large glass window and peered inside.
There were a few customers inside, but it appeared darker than it had done in the evening and now it was well lit, at least station "daylight" made it appear so.
Inside the Box Of Delights, the mood was sombre. Following the visit from security late last night its owner had gone a charcoal grey, her hair a light-sucking funereal black, and stayed that way. Telling the rest of the staff what had happened to Klia had been even more horrible than hearing it from security.
Now she was trying, unsuccessfully, to get drunk. She was on her fourth Kanar, and it just wasn't having any effect. She was pouring her fifth when she spotted Captain Tahir peering through the windows. "Harry? Can you go tell the fleety that this is a private do?" she asked her doorman.
"Better not Boss," Pelin, her assistant bar tender said, "That's Captain Tahir. She runs the station.
"Okay, belay that, Harry." she called out to the Gorn heading for the door, and heaved herself off her stool, and went over to the door. "Captain Tahir?" She held out her hand for the human ritual. "I'm Yolanthe. Welcome to The Box Of Delights."
Tasha looked at the offered hand and smiled and was about to reach it when she heard a familiar Scottish voice followed by a hand upon her shoulder.
Just as Tasha was being invited in, Ed McBain was passing by and recognised a familiar face he hadn't seen for a long time.
"Captain?" The Scots Lead-Nurse went over to his CO oblivious of the fact that she was just disappearing into an establishment. "Welcome back, Ma'am." He took the liberty of putting a welcoming palm on Tasha's shoulder and patted it in a genuinely 'pleased to see you' manner.
This might not have been appropriate considering the Captain's rank but Ed was an older non-com who had been around for a full and rewarding lifetime. He didn't hold back, sometimes he should have done, but mostly his genuine honesty was much needed. He was never brutal with it and rarely offended anyone. In general he managed to make a difference quietly in the background and was much appreciated but rarely thanked. His action was not meant in disrespect, quite the contrary.
"Thank you Nurse McBain," She replied with a warmth in her smile before bringing herself back around to take the hand that was offered up originally by Yolanthe.
Noticing Yolanthe standing in the doorway to welcome the CO, Ed stood back. "Oh, I'm sorry!" he apologised, nodding an acknowledgement to the Box of Delights' owner politely.
Tasha looked into the serene eyes of the bar owner and could see that she although she offered a welcome to herself, not quite the same look was in her eye for the nurse.
"I think that Yolanthe took no offence." She misdirected her smile.
"None at all. Won't you both come in?" she stood aside, indicating the dimly lit interior of her establishment. She'd hoped to exchange pleasantries, or more likely un-pleasantries, given her partner had just turned up dead in a pile of rubbish on the Promenade, and get back to her bottle. The arrival of the nurse changed that, but she couldn't afford to turn them away. "Can I get you both a drink?" she asked as she led them towards a booth in a quiet corner.
"That's very civil of you, ma'am" Ed replied. "I'd be grateful for a spring water with ice please?"
Tasha shook her head as she moved into the corner seat. She could see that the lids beneath Yolanthes eyes were a little swollen and jumped to the assumption that she had been crying.
"If this is in any way inconvenient, I can call back or of you would care to join us?" Tasha offered and before Yolanthe could answer, she added, "with a cup of tea?"
"Not at all," she lied. She had found that it was always worth taking an invitation to a captain's table, even if she didn't feel like it. "What sort of tea?"
"I'm happy with whatever sort you choose." Ed said co-operatively.
She half smiled and gave a gracious half nod. "In that case, Darjeeling, served in a pot with china cups please Yolanthe."
Tasha felt a little nervous. She had enjoyed it in here a few nights back with the stations new reporter, with the bustle of the off duty and the help of the evening mode seemed to give the bar character. Now it felt cool, lonely and though she didn't feel it was the correct word to orate, it felt desolate.
She turned her head to look around the bar and she still felt that Yolanthe wanted solitude, as besides themselves, no other persons occupied the bar. She swallowed, feeling a touch of guilt. This was not going to be an opportune time to broach the question of Yolanthes plans or what she intended to do to bring the reputation of this new establishment up from the reports she had read, but given that since she had come back to the station, the bar had given rise to no complaints.
The silence between them was deafening as they waited for the tea to be delivered and now, she started to think of excuses to leave and prayed that her comm would chirp, her presence required elsewhere and urgently.
The bartender returned a few minutes later with a steaming pot, and a tray of porcelain cups. Pouring a cup for Tahir, she forced a smile on to her face, "So Captain, what brings you to my humble establishment?"
Before Tasha could reply Chelsea's head appeared round the doorway of the Box. She waved to Ed and approached the table. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?" she asked.
Tasha turned as Chelsea spoke and shook her head as she smiled back to the doctor. "Please, take a chair." She said as her hand signalled to the vacant seat opposite, half tempted to push her cup towards Chelsea. "Tea?" She enquired, "It's darjeeling." She added as if to make a point.
"I was just trying to catch up with Ed, I'd love to join you if you're sure you don't mind, we can talk medical 'shop' later." Chelsea replied.
"oh-OH!" Ed laughed. "Sounds like I'm in trouble!"
"Nooooo! Not at all. Can't I catch up with my friends without having an ulterior motive?" Chelsea laughed back.
"Probably not?" Ed questioned with mock seriousness.
"Wretch! Of *course* I can!" Chelsea protested, still smiling broadly. "..... and on the subject of catching up with friends.... Welcome back Captain. It's good to have you home." she looked as Tasha and squeezed her hand.
"Glad to be back." She grinned, covering her own guilt. Everybody welcomed her back so freely, if only they knew the struggle that was going on behind the scenes between the Federation and the Romulan governments.
She leant towards Yolanthe and lowered her voice to barely a whisper.
"I am sorry. I did call in for a private chat, but I do seem to gather a lot of attention when I am out and about. Are you OK?" There was a slight pause before Tasha's personal question, but covered by Eds laughter so as not to attract too much attention.
The taller woman nodded, "Please, don't worry about the attention, Doctor Adams and her staff are always welcome here. As are you." she ignored the question about whether she was okay, "And I'm more than happy to talk to you with them here." She held up the cream pot with a charcoal grey hand. "Milk and sugar?"
When Tasha had replied and Yolanthe provided the preferred additions, Ed gestured to Chelsea to choose next. "Thanks" She acknowledged his manners "Both please." she inclined her head towards the milk and sugar and held up her cup to receive them.
Once the ladies were served, Ed chose milk but no sugar and accepted his tea and returned to pleasant conversation. "How have you settled back in Captain? I imagine there must have been a lot of work awaiting your return, although Commander Davies seemed very efficient." He offered.
Tasha shrugged her shoulders as she lifted the cup to her nose and took in the aroma.
"I wouldn't say settled per se, just getting back into the routine and as for Commander Davies, he did a fine job whilst I was on Earth." She sipped her tea and closed her eyes as she did so, savouring the flavour. Brewed tea had a different taste to replicated and though this was better, she didn't want to get a taste for it. Making tea was a chore that usurped time she sometimes did not have the luxury of.
"I like David." Chelsea commented gently. "Will he stay do you think?"
Tasha had not yet seen his personal side and could not judge. "I am not sure, though he is listed as a temporary commander, that would be his decision." She said with a softness to her own tone.
"I suppose it would be difficult to step down from Commanding Officer, even when it's a temporary post, and then accept something else. By nature that 'something else' would have to be a lower position but in the case of this station, we already have a efficient and popular XO whose record is unblemished. She couldn't be asked to step down in favour of David and the only vacancy then would be that of Second Officer." Chelsea continued, thinking out loud and trying to guess the position that Commander Davies would find himself in now.
"Yes, leapfrogging upwards is one thing, but downwards does seem pretty harsh!" Ed replied, adding his thoughts to the conjecture.
"Second officer?" Tasha queried as a recent conversation with Karen pricked her memory. "Actually, that was something that is on the agenda, but not for Commander Davies." She pondered for a moment, deciding whether or not this would be an opportune moment, in a civilian area but shrugged her shoulders yet again and thought 'Why not?'.
"Commander Villiers was talking about the position of 'First officer, while she has to judge the upcoming trial," She made a mental note to see Gabriel, "and we think that the most suitable person to stand in, would be Davies, but as he is not permanent, we believe it would be prudent, to promote from within the current command staff." She looked at Chelsea. "Doctor, we think you would be an ideal candidate." And again lifted the cup to her mouth watching Chelsea.
Chelsea's mouth dropped open and her cup tilted precariously. "I... but... " at first she was speechless, then she blushed and looked down suddenly at her cup, rescuing the alarming angle just in time before the half-drunk tea was tipped out.
"Captain, I'm flattered. I'd be honoured..... " she thought of something and frowned. "I... I never did take the Bridge Officers' Exam though - I ... er... I *did* start the course on my last ship, but i just left before the finals." She lowered her head. "I realise that sounds like i didn't have the commitment for it but my fiancé of the time left me for my best friend the day before the exam and i just needed to get off that ship. I really *do* have the staying power to do it." she felt the need to explain that.
Ed looked amazed. Chelsea had never mentioned that, although she did shy away from talking about her time on her previous ship. He too straightened his teacup but unlike her he didn't put it down, he just raised his to his lips and smiled from behind it.
Yolanthe slid away from the table, and returned just a few moments later with a bottle, and a handful of slender glasses. "Congratulations, Doctor." With an expert twist, she had the Champagne open with barely a pop, and poured out three glasses.
Tasha chuckled as the sparkling perry frothed in the glasses. "Well, here's a first, just after lunch and already the bubbly is flowing. Thank you Ms Ibalin, the gesture is duly noted." She reached for a glass, "Are you not joining us?" She enquired to Yolanthe.
"Oh *please* do!" Chelsea begged Yolanthe, tugging gently at her hand as she put the champagne down into the ice bucket she had brought.
The bokkai looked uncertainly at the bottle. In her experience Kanar and bubbly did not mix. Then again, it might bring blessed oblivion a little step closer. "If you insist, Doctor." She gave a weak smile and went back for another glass.
You will have plenty of time to sit the exam, but not before we get you used to the Ops." Tasha said to Chelsea, holding her glass central to the table. "Cheers" She remarked.
"Thank you Captain" Chelsea replied, pink cheeked and beaming. She accepted a glass and raised it to chink softly against that which Ed held aloft and then in turn with Tasha and Yolanthe too.
~I can't wait to tell Rick~ was her first thought, followed quickly by: ~oh Crap.... um.... what do i do now? Ops?? OPS? Keep calm. Doctors always remain calm in the face of a crisis... just imagine it like an Operating Theatre... ~ she meant to take a deep breath but had just raised her glass to her lips and instead of sipping the champagne she drew in a full swig, choking herself.
"Oh... sorry!" she spluttered, embarrassed. "That's.... no... " she was trying to lighten the situation by saying it was no way to treat champagne but she was too busy trying to swallow and breathe, preferably separately.
Ed laughed out loud and slapped her on the back. "Steady ohn!" he guffawed, his scots accent thickened by his laughter. "Ye've nay cause tae rush!"
Chelsea's face reddened more as she gulped in air and flinched under the well meant blows that were working to clear her windpipe.
"Sorry" she recovered and held up her hand to block the refill of her glass. "Nooooo thank you. No more for me. I couldn't possibly... literally" her smile returned and her colour settled as she returned to normal. "I'm sticking to tea in future" she joked, semi-serious.
Tasha dabbed her hand downwards at some of the splatterings that had found their way to her tunic. "I concur." She remarked with a flippancy as she set her glass back down onto the table and stood. "I think you should remain in blue, Commander."
~ I am sure that an extra pip on there would not go amiss either. ~ She added the thought to her self, as she did not want Chelsea drowning the nurse or herself any further and possibly causing some damage to herself in the interim. "If you're not busy later, come to my office and I'll draw up some guidance notes on you may find of use."
She gave a warm smile to the present company and the sadness in Yolanthe's eyes did not pass Tasha own scrutiny, but she didn't know the owner well enough to pass comment or judgement, but she knew now was not the right time to question her on the events of the night of the riot.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Yolanthe, I will make a point of calling again." She turned to Ed and Chelsea. "Excuse me." She said simply and tilted her head as she made for the exit.
"Thank you Captain" was all Chelsea seemed able to get out. She made a mental note to drop by the CO's office as bidden and smiled at the idea of remaining clad in her beloved Medical Teal. In fact, the smile remained there as she thought through *all* of the conversation that had just happened.
Still more than a little surprised, Chelsea had to admit when she thought about it more, that it was a very flattering and generous concept. Her mind went off down some of the many new roads she was going to have to negotiate from here on but a comment of congratulations from Ed brought her back to the moment and she thanked him warmly.
"I'm afraid I seem to have monopolised the conversation, I am sorry guys." she added, tilting her head in apology. "Thank you for the tea, Yolanthe. We have kept you too long." She rose to leave and Ed did the same.
As they started towards the door, Chelsea allowed Ed to get ahead of her and took the opportunity to turn to Yolanthe, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I didn't get an opportunity to say how sorry I am for your loss. If there is *anything* I can do, please don't hesitate... I MEAN that!" she insisted quietly with a gentle squeeze of reassurance that she actually *did*.
tag}
OFF?
A JP Between:
Captain Tasha Tahir
CO: DS5
&
Lt Cmdr Chelsea Adams
CMO (& 2XO) - DS5
&
Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner, The Box of Delights
&
CPO Ed McBain
Lead Specialist Nurse (NPC)