"The Morning After"
(Previous post: The Bosslady's 'Reports')
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Stardate: 60300.0730
Setting: USS ANUBIS, David's Quarters
The Chief Engineer of the ANUBIS grumbled as the chromoneter alerted him to the time. As he sat up, he was greeted by the holoimage of himself and Commander Sabrina Rikar.
"You really need to get rid of that" he said to himself as he stumbled off to the shower. After showering and donning his uniform, he sat at his desk with his Raktajino.
"Computer, any message?"
=/\=You have 3 messages. Start playback?=/\=
Sipping his drink, David leaned forward, "By all means."
His first message was a welcome one, it was from his brother.
=/\= Hiya Dave... been a while. Just where in the hell are you? I talked to Uncle Steve a couple weeks ago and he told me that the AVALON had been decommed and no one knows where you are... =/\=
That struck a nerve. No one knew where he was. The oh so top secret base and him under the command of the man that sent his parents to their graves. David's grip tightened around the mug as he listened to the rest of his brother's message.
=/\= ... now don't get me wrong big brother. With you not around, *I'm* the man. =/\=
David smiled and shook his head.
=/\= Anyway... thought I'd show you something =/\= he said pointing to his collar and David nodded. A silver bar.
=/\= Yep... marine first lieutenant. And I've been assigned to the MONASSES as the deputy marine CO. Honestly Dave, I'm scared. We don't have a MCO so I'm serving as the acting, but I have 50 plus marines under my belt. And some are ranked higher than me. Its odd telling a marine captain what to do and here I am a lowly first louie. But I know I can do it... I just never saw how you did. Geez Dave... where's my big brother when I need him. Oh well... I hope this message finds you and you'll contact me soon. I'll send your love to Steph and Aunt Marsha. =/\=
The screen went black and before he knew it, there was a seering pain rushing up his right arm from his hand.
"DAMMIT!" he bellowed and threw the twisted mug across the room. He looked to his hand. It was bleeding and slightly burned. He rose...
"Computer, send playback of 2 remaining messages to my commbadge" he said as he exited.
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Stardate: 60300.0738
Setting: Cooridor outside Sickbay
After listening to the two remaining messages, one from his assistant and the other from Mimi, David entered Sickbay and was greeted by a warm smile.
"Good morning..." Lea's voice trailed off as she looked at his hand, "Oh my God David... what happened?"
"My failed attempt to control my temper" the CEO said as Lea guided him toa biobed which he propped himself up against as she grabbed a tricorder.
"Well... deep lacerations... some traces of metal... metal?! How..." she said looking into his hazel eyes.
** God his eyes are *GOREGOUS!* ** she said to herself and shook her head. "How did you get pieces of metal..."
With his left hand, David slowly made a fist. "I was listening to a playback message from my brother."
"And?" the aCMO said.
"There were some things said that pissed me off. I was drinking my morning Raktajino when my temper got the better of me."
"Does your quarters look like the mug?" she asked with a grin.
"No... which is a good thing."
Lea shook her head as she got the dermal regenerator and swept back and forth over David's hand. Afterward, she gave him a hypo.
"That should relieve some of the pain, but the nanites are hard at work already. So... not a lot of squeezing with that hand for at least 24 hours. Doctors orders." she said with a warm smile.
"Hmmm... guess that rules out breakfast. I'm right handed you know." he said.
"Not on your life. Let's go. I'm famished."
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Stardate: 60300.0747
Setting: The Black Hole
David and Lea found a table after getting their food from the kitchen, a luxury the ANUBIS' crew enjoyed... real food not replicated. Lea looked at her breakfast, toast, eggs over easy, half a grapefruit and orange juice... and she looked at the mountain David had. A stack of pancakes, eggs scrambled hard, biscquits, steak fingers, and a bowl... from her vantage point, looked like porriage.
"David" she said nodding to the bowl, "what is that?"
David chuckled. "Grits."
"Grits? What the hell are grits?"
"Ground corn. Mostly hominy."
"OK.." Lea said sounding lost, "what's hominy?"
"A larger style of a corn kernal. From what I learned from my grandparents, my people grew, ate, sold, and traded hominy for weapons, medicines, etc."
"Not to sound like I'm a flunkie.." Lea said after sipping her juice.
"I'm 1/2 Cherokee Indian. A lot of my people are spread throughtout the galaxy."
"They originated from the Southern region of the old Unites States didn't they?"
"So you're not such a flunkie" David said with a mouth full of food as Lea laughed. But as if fate always seemed to find him...
=/\= Vasquez to Lieutenant Dawson. =/\=
"Dammit" David growled, tapping his badge, "Yes Commander."
=/\= You're late Mr. Dawson. You were to report me to at 0730. =/\=
David's face twisted into a scowl, "No Commander, you said 0830... I'll see you then Dawson out" and he closed the channel.
"David... can I ask you something?" Lea asked.
"Shoot" the CEO replied.
"Why do you have problems with people in command authority?"
David looked at her. "I don't have a problem with people in command authority."
"Admiral Koneki, Commander Enaii, Commander Foley, Lieutenant Commander Vasquez... I can go on and on..."
David sighed, "Let's see... as far as the rank goes, I have no problem. The question you should have asked is what *personal* problems I have with *certain* people in command authority."
Lea's brow went up her forehead. "I don't follow."
"You remember our arrival here? How I almost choked Admiral Koneki?"
"Yes" the aCMO replied.
"Outside of my father being the Starfleet officer he was, I blame Koneki for my parents' death. But I have since gotten over that."
"And the rest?" Lea asked.
"Enaii... well... its obvious." the CEO replied dryly.
"Because of her relationship with Commander Rikar."
"Marriage I'd call it" the CEO said after swallowing his food, "But another one I've gotten over."
"Commander Foley?" she asked next.
"Now there's someone I don't have a problem with. Matter of fact, it was Commander Foley who suggested to me that if I wanted to make a name for myself that I step out of my father's shadow. He's one of the reasons why I'm a engineer today."
"And Commander Vasquez?"
David's stomach turned almost with the mentioning of her name. "Let's not go there shall we?"
"Well... there has to be something for her to have acted like she did."
"Other than being a bitch?" David asked.
"David!" Lea exclaimed, "that's not nice."
"Its the truth." the CEO replied.
"Careful" she said holding a finger to her lips, "the wall have ears."
"Like I give a damn" he said wiping his mouth.
Lea laughed, "For the comsummate officer that you are, you sure act like you can't stand the uniform."
"I *live* for this uniform" David said leaning on the table and looking into Lea's eyes.
**Warm... inviting... almost like...** David shook his head, **what the *HELL* are you thining?!**
"Yes?" Lea said.
"I have the upmost respect for those in this uniform. Fleeters and Marines alike, *but* there are some who I'd shoot out the first torpedo tube. But in saying that, one has to know where to end it. SO I leave those thoughts right here" David said tapping his temple.
"But enough about me... I hate one saided conversations."
"Well... I sure can listen to your voice all day. Its so... calming when you aren't pissed, yelling, or arguing with me." she said with a smile.
David thought back to their training exercises before coming aboard the ANUBIS and the head butts he had with Lea back then.
"You sure have changed since then." David said.
"I'm the same woman then as I am now."
"No... you're not a bitch like you were back then." he said with a grin and Lea threw her linen at his face.
"You go to hell David!" she said laughing.
"Now there's the Lea I remember."
Just then, two security officers approached. One Ensign and one junior grade lieutenant.
"Excuse me, Lieutenant Dawson?"
David glared and slowly rose. There was a feeling of joy as he watched both the men's eyes follow him to the full extent of his height.
**Thanks Pop** David said to himself.
"What?" the CEO said.
"Um... we're here to escort you to main engineering on the base sir."
David unzipped his tunic and reached for his pockerwatch and frowned, then looked at them.
"You go back and tell Commander Vasquez that 0830 means 0830... not 0800 or 0815. Dismissed."
"But..."
"I said... dismissed. I'm not on the clock yet, so leave me the hell alone!" he growled.
Both security officers left. The senior of the two reached for his badge just outside of earshot and David sat.
"That wasn't wise. It seems you're doing that to piss her off intentionally."
David looked at her. "So I should just jump and run when she calls?"
"She's our superior David. We have to."
"Bullshit" David replied, "she said 0830..."
Lea took his hand, "Just remember, superiors like it when you show up early."
David showed her his pocketwatch.
"Its beautiful." she said.
"Thanks, but the point is this... its 0810. I have 20 minutes... I'll get there when I get there. Now... we were discussuing your change in attitude."
=/\= NGuma to Ensign Summers, =/\= Lea's badge bleeped.
"Go ahead Doctor."
=/\= Lea, I need you In Sickbay ASAP. =/\=
"On my way, Summers out." and she rose, "maybe next time."
"How about lunch?" David said... a little too quickly, but Lea smiled.
"2 meals with you in one day? Can I take it?"
David smirked.
"You're on... and I pick the place this time."
"On the station?" David asked.
"I'll find you" she said as she walked off.
David caught himself tracing the lines of Lea's curves as she left the lounge. A light grin turned the corners of his mouth up, but he shook his head.
**Nope... not again** his mind said as he stood to leave and enter the hell.
"Another day in hell with the mistress" he grumbled as he headed for the engineering deck.
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Julian Knight (d_dawson_1@yahoo.com)
as
Lieutenant David Dawson
Chief Engineer
USS ANUBIS NCC 18501
"A Starfleet officer...that's all I am and that's all I'll ever be." 2005 post #060
- Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko,
Commanding Officer of the Federation Spacestation Deep Space 9
