Houston, We Have a Problem
Posted on Tue Dec 10th, 2019 @ 11:56pm by Lieutenant JG Eric Thornton & Lieutenant Commander Charlotte Hudson & Lieutenant JG Neza Glenn & Petty Officer, 1st Class T'Kal
1,847 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Mission 2 - Love ORION Mistaken
Location: Eric Thornton's Quarters
Dinner had always been prompt for Vivyra. The woman seemed to have an incredible appetite but never seemed to put on weight. She had promised dinner with Neza but she did not contact her. Based on recent history, Vivyra was at least two hours late.
Noticeably odd to Bec was that Cindy had not checked in with her by now. She knew that Cindy was going to play racquetball with Luke but before leaving, Cindy had not checked on Eric nor checked on Vivyra.
Neza had waited, longer than most probably would, for Eric and Vivyra to show up for dinner. Once she got to the point of pacing, she knew she had to figure out what was going on. "I shouldn't have left them together..." she mumbled to herself. But instead of marching right to Vivyra's quarters, she stopped at one of the com panels in the corridor. "Glenn to Hudson."
"Hudson here. What is it Neza?" Bec's voice came over the comm, sounding pretty flat. Not annoyed or upset, just flat, maybe even a little tired.
"You okay Bec?" There was worry in Neza's voice, but she knew also she had to get to the point. "I know I was pulled from checking on Vivyra duty, but Thornton and she agreed that I'd see them for dinner. She hasn't shown, and he hasn't been seen either since earlier."
"Fine, just tired," she said in response to the 'you ok?' part. Then she sighed heavily. "Have you used the computer to locate them? Could you have just missed them in the corridor or the mess?"
"Not yet but...she's normally pretty specific on her dinner time. I'm worried that she hasn't shown up to eat."
"I'm sure it's fine Neza. Thornton probably just made her change her schedule to match his own," Bec said. "He is pretty annoying until you agree to what he wants. Try to locate them, if you're still worried I can meet you somewhere to go check on them." What she didn't say was her belief that Neza was overreacting. She didn't want to say that out loud and hurt Neza's feelings. And she did her best to keep her tone neutral, so that wasn't conveyed in their conversation.
"I..I'll let you know, Bec. Glenn out." She rubbed her forehead and sighed.
By sheer coincidence, Nurse T'Kal was walking along the corridor to the mess hall and saw the slightly distressed Lieutenant Glenn. She knew that the Chief Science Officer was close with her superior, and had heard about her visiting with Vivyra. She stopped and waited for the comm conversation to end.
Looking over her shoulder once the comm conversation was done, Neza saw T'Kal. "Sorry, T'Kal, did you want something?"
"Pardon me, Lieutenant," the nurse answered. "I wished to check in on Vivyra and Mr. Thornton. I had provided the Lieutenant with some medical advice and wanted to follow up; ensure that he and Vivyra were well. And...I wish to, 'be there', as it were, for Doctor Sinclair. I assume you were also going to see them?"
Raising an eyebrow, Neza felt her heart drop. "Wait, he asked for medical advice...on what subject?"
"He asked for nothing," T'Kal explained. "We asked him to avoid coming into physical contact with her. Recommended he wear gloves. He implied that he had suitable handwear. I wish to see if he has managed to avoid physical contact, and if so whether he has experienced similar symptoms as Doctor Sinclair or the others aboard the ship."
"Err...he had gloves on. But..avoiding physical contact? I can't guarantee he avoided that. Is there a worry about physical contact and what is causing this? There is no way she's had contact with everyone on board that is acting strange." Neza didn't say anything about her most recent physical contact with Vivyra.
"If something is being spread by physical contact," said T'Kal, "then by limiting contact he should have no real effect. If it is airborne, then not touching her will do nothing. As for the others, it is possible that she has touched or hugged many people. And it is possible it is spread by contact between others too. We cannot be certain without more data. Perhaps we can go to see them right now, together?"
Neza blinked, "She's not afraid of physical contact. There's no saying that she didn't make it so there was physical contact..." She shook her head, "Yeah, we need to check on them, now. I knew it wasn't safe to leave them there alone together."
T’Kal nodded. “Let’s make haste.” She headed right for the turbolift, Neza close behind.
Nurse T’Kal reached across the door to the guest quarters and chimed the door, waiting for Vivyra or Mr. Thornton to let them in.
No answer was forthcoming; however, noises were coming from the other side of the door.
Frowning, Neza looked to T'Kal. "That...doesn't sound good." Worry filled her voice as she bit her lip. "I shouldn't have left them alone..."
T'Kal's brow furrowed. "Indeed. Computer, override door of VIP cabin one. Medical emergency. Authorization T'Kal five-one-gamma." The computer chimed and the door slid open. T'Kal went in first, as her concern that there might be a medical problem was sincere.
Eric was lying face up on his bed. His gloved hands appeared to his side, with Vivyra lying on his right side. Neither he, nor she were clothed. Eric complained, "My, my! Did you want to join in? I thought we were entitled to privacy on this ship. We were having a delightful time improving Federation - Orion relations."
Neza swore under her breath and quickly grabbed a blanket, "Vivyra!" She motioned for the Orion to come over. This was exactly why she hadn't wanted to leave them alone.
T'Kal could only raise an eyebrow. "This was...unexpected. I believed we had controlled for this possibility by requesting Mr. Thornton for this role. Lieutenant Glenn, I believe we should call the Captain and First Officer. This has become...more complicated."
Still holding the blanket for Vivyra, Neza moved over to the comm panel, "Glenn to Jackson and Hudson."
"Hudson here," Bec said as though she'd been waiting for the call. "Found them, Nez?"
"Yeah, we found them Bec...did you not tell Thornton to also keep his clothes on? He...kept the gloves on..."
Vivyra did not obey Neza. "What?" she asked Neza innocently. "And why are you covering me? I was quite comfortable!"
Neza went over and wrapped the blanket around Vivyra before helping her sit up, "Because, this isn't how Federation - Orion relations are meant to be. They are meant to be about talking." She sighed, "I did warn you...."
"He is still wearing the gloves," T'Kal said, echoing Neza. "Fascinating." She approached the naked PR officer and activated her medical tricorder, scanning him thoroughly while waiting for command staff. "Definite and thorough physical contact. Exchange of sweat, saliva, and other fluids. He is effectively covered in particulate from Ms. Vivyra. Except for his hands and forearms." She deactivated the tricorder. "Mr. Thornton...why?"
Eric protested, "Oh, we talked quite a bit, Lieutenant Glenn. Vivyra is quite a fascinating woman. I've never met anyone like her, in fact. We're quite the pair, don't you think?"
He then looked at T'Kal and asked, "Why what?"
Vivyra squiggled uncomfortably against the blanket. "Stop that, Neza. I really can't stand being so enclosed."
T’Kal reopened her tricorder and showed the readout to Eric. “Mr. Thornton, there is Orion sweat covering most of your skin. Orion saliva on your face, neck, chest, and genitals. Orion vaginal fluid on your genitals, thighs, face, and the exterior of your gloves.” She pointed to the various findings, making it impossible for him to deny any of her results. “Mr. Thornton, I will be blunt. One of the reasons you were tasked with this was because sexual relations with Vivyra would not interest you.”
Neza loosened the blanket and had it just wrapped around Vivyra so that it would be more comfortable, but led her away from Thornton. "Seems the assumption was wrong, T'Kal."
"I did not say that the only thing we did is talk, Nurse," he replied with a dumb, satisfied smirk on his face. "And, can I help that Vivyra was so beautiful that I had to make an exception?"
Vivyra smiled at Eric and said to Neza, "He says the sweetest things...."
T’Kal raised an eyebrow again. “Kindly cover up, Lieutenant. The Captain and First Officer are on their way.” She turned her tricorder to Vivyra. “Human sweat on most of her skin. Human saliva on her face, chest, and genitals. Human seminal fluid, um, in multiple places. Lieutenant Glenn, it is my assessment that sexual relations represent the bulk of their activity since his arrival. Despite medical instructions to the contrary.”
Walking Vivyra back to the main area of the room, Neza shook her head, "Vivyra, I need you to focus, please? What about Jane? The woman who loves you?" She hoped this would snap the Orion out of the trance she seemed to be in. It was hard enough having the physical contact with her, but she kept it together. "Relations with another species in the way Thornton was supposed to means talking, learning about each other, but not physically. Not sexual encounters."
Eric laughed juvenilely, "She said bulk!" and started giggling more.
Vivyra turned to Neza and shrugged. "But it was fun and I wanted it. Now I know what it is like to be with a male... Though, some of it felt very familiar...."
Sighing softly, Neza rubbed Vivyra's arm. "We will...figure this out." She looked to T'Kal. "I'm going to take her to get cleaned up, but I'm thinking here might not be the best place." Before T'Kal could protest, she put up a hand, "Promise, just to get her cleaned up and into fresh clothing. I'll bring her to my quarters, and you are welcome to come check on us later. I just feel she isn't in the best place right now."
T’Kal nodded. “I will stay with Mr. Thornton and run additional scans. Until such time as I can convince him to dress and come with me to sickbay.” She gave him a sideways glance.
Eric complained, "I assure you, I've never felt better. Vivyra is the cure. I do not need you, nurse. Just let me have that beautiful woman back." He rose from the bed and started moving for Vivyra.
Neza moved Vivyra towards the door after making sure she was covered properly to be able to walk through the corridors. "No no, Thornton. She's safer with me." She gave T'Kal a nod and headed out the door before Eric could get too close.
Eric protested that he would be more than able to take care of Vivyra but she was out the door along with Neza and T'Kal before he could catch any of them.
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