"Muscles and Other Attributes"
[Previous post: "It's Not The Size That Matters"]
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Stardate: 60325.2120
"How are you doing Captain?" Nico asked of Captain Arlington. It was strange to see someone as large and robust as a Naussicaan display genuine concern for someone, but as strange at it may have been Uxtar shared in these concerns. The man on the biobed was after all their CO.
"I'm doing fine thanks to the efforts of the Medical staff and the rescue of my crew," the Captain said patting the Naussican on the arm. "I heard people talking about two members of my crew who helped the Marines in taking care of business down on the planet, I can only imagine that they were speaking of you two since they described these helpers as overly 'large' and 'ugly'."
"Guilty as charged, sir," the Hirogen Ensign said snapping to attention. This had not been the first time their CO had referred to the two of them separately or together as being 'large' and 'ugly', two terms that Uxtar and Nico had rapidly learned to accept as terms of endearment.
"How is the rest of the crew doing?" The MERCURY's CO asked falling back into his role as the person in charge for his crew's wellbeing.
"We lost a few good men, sir," Nico replied, the Naussicaan actually sounding saddened by his own words, "but everyone else is present and accounted for, and is being taking care of by this ship's medical staff."
"What about the prison?" Arlington asked with great loathing for the place in question. There would be many nightmare filled night yet to come thanks to that place but the MERCURY's CO would find some amount of peace in knowing that it would not be used to inflict more pain and suffering on any other crew.
"The Marines were thorough," Uxtar replied, smiling in a way that would have made most people take several steps back. Seeing a Hirogen smile in this way could only spell bad news, depending on which side of the fence you were on. "In addition to destabilizing the energy core, anti-matter explosive charges were set in almost every corridor. I doubt that anything of that structure has been left standing or even salvageable."
"Glad to hear it," Arlington said letting the full weight of his head drop on the pillow. 'That will be one place I will not be sorry to see vanish into oblivion. I might be able to get some rest now that I know it has been blown to bits."
"We will leave you to rest captain," Uxtar said, ready to turn around and leave the MERCURY's CO in peace.
"Sir, permission to remain by your side and see to your continued protection," the Naussican said in all seriousness. Nico had allowed his CO to be without his protection once and was bent on not letting this happen again.
"Ensign Rostov," the captain grinned, "I am in the Sickbay of a Federation ship, what are you planning on protecting me from? I'll be fine and will be able to get a lot more rest without you or anyone else standing next to me like some sort of watchdog. Take Uxtar and go check on the others, or even better yet find a quiet spot somewhere and get some rest."
Left with no other choice Uxtar and Nico left Sickbay to explore the ship that had come to their rescue.
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Mark Hutchings {h172mark16@fastmail.us}
Ensign Uxtar
Former Flight Control Officer 2005 post #376
USS MERCURY
