More Info & Putting it Together

 More Info

Month 15 Day 2

1122 Hours

Tall Bear

 The intercom buzzed, and Tall Bear rolled over, wondering how many times it had buzzed. As an Apache brave, he had been trained to awaken instantly at any such noise, but it was hard to keep that training tuned. Especially on a spaceship, where mid-sleep interruptions weren't normal. He slapped the intercom button. "Tall Bear."

The person on the other end seemed caught off guard. "Oh, uh, this is Smythe."

"Yes, sir. What can I do for you?"

"Well, are you busy? I thought we might have a little talk."

Bear knew a pinch of annoyance that the man hadn't checked his schedule, but let it slide away. "Mr Smythe, this is the middle of my sleep cycle."

"Oh, then, I'll just ask my question and let you get back to it. It's my understanding that last night. Lt Bugalu asked you to go to Lt MacDowell's quarters and transfer the sleeping Colleen, er, MacDowell, from the sofa to her bed."

"That's right. He said he barely managed to get her to her quarters from the mess hall, and that was with her half-way functional. When I got there, she was sound asleep, and almost too much for me to handle, since she was a dead weight. Don't get me wrong. I can bench-press her weight, but weights are symmetrical. She's not." Technically, she is symmetrical, but not as a weight to be carried. He hoped his meaning got through anyway.

"What was she doing in the mess hall?"

I thought he only had one question? "That, I don't know. I would assume she was hungry. Any other questions?"

"What? Oh. No. Thank you, lieutenant. Sorry to have disturbed you." The intercom went silent.

I used to think Bugalu was paranoid about Mr Smythe. Now, I hope I made it sound as innocent as it was. He adjusted his blanket and settled back to sleep.

 

 

Putting It Together

Month 15 Day 2

1204 Hours

Smitty

Smitty slowed when he saw Bugalu already seated at a table in the mess hall. He stopped following MacGregor and made his way to Bugalu's table. "Lt Bugalu," he said softly.

Bugalu looked up and jumped to his feet. "Yes, sir!"

"I understand you helped Colleen get to her quarters last night, after her encounter with the healing ray." He fought to keep his voice even, without any jealousy to taint it.

"Yes, sir," Bugalu agreed blandly.

"Well, I just want to... to thank you for doing that. For her."

Surprise widened Bugalu's eyes. "Thank you, sir. I mean, you're welcome. Or, she's welcome."

"Yes, I think I understand," he said, nodded, and moved off. He sat down at the captain's chosen table only a moment behind MacGregor.

"What was that about?" Jane asked.

Smitty shrugged, trying to pretend it was no big deal. "He did a favor for Colleen. I wanted to acknowledge it." He arranged his salad in front of him on the tray, then fixed a stare on MacGregor. "On the other hand, I've got a bone to pick with you."

Drake sighed. "What have I done?"

"Apparently, Colleen was released from sick bay yesterday without receiving the quart of augmented orange juice that one is supposed to get after a dose with the healing ray."

"It's not a real quart, you’re exaggerating..." he started, then frowned and put his fork down. "What makes you say that?"

"I talked to her!" Smitty ticked items off on his fingers. "First, she doesn't remember getting anything to drink before she was dismissed. Second, upon being released, she was so famished, she forced herself to come to the mess hall, where she ate a full breakfast and lunch before she tried to go home to sleep. If it weren't for Bugalu, she wouldn't have made it home."

"Duck, that sounds like a serious allegation," Jane stated.

"It is serious," Drake agreed. "If she'd gotten that drink, she wouldn't have been starving, and should have gone straight home and to bed. Didn't anybody accompany her when she was dismissed? As bad as her thigh was, somebody should have kept an eye on her."

Smitty shook his head. "She didn't mention any escort from sick bay."

"Didn't she have physical therapy after the healing ray?" Jane asked. " With back to back sessions like that, perhaps wires got crossed, miscommunications, that sort of thing."

"Not in my sick bay," Drake declared. "And if it did, then we'd better figure out exactly what happened, so it doesn't happen again!" He turned back to Smitty. "If she didn't get the after-drink, why didn't she ask for it?"

Smitty looked up angrily. "Don't make this her mistake! Her first time with a healing ray. If nobody even mentioned an after-drink, how would she have known to ask about it?"

"No, you're right. It's not Mac's fault. Space it, now I've got to go back to sick bay and start an investigation!"

"I think you can wait until after you've eaten your lunch," Jane told him. "After all, your star witness will be there this afternoon, undergoing physical therapy, is my understanding."

"Good point," Drake agreed. "First, I should talk to Mac, find out exactly what happened, as best she can remember it." He picked up his silverware to begin eating. "Obviously, you've talked to Mac this morning, Smitty. How is she feeling after a good night's sleep?"

"She reports her leg feels much better and hasn't given out on her today."

"Good!"

"She suggested she might ask for some healing ray for her shoulder."

Drake frowned a little. "Well, it's not recommended on consecutive days. But I'll know more after I've scanned her today. We can talk about it, if she really wants to put herself through that again so soon."

"Yes, well, I wouldn't mind getting her back to full duty," Smitty said, and nonchalantly waited for Drake to respond. And yet he doesn't. Not even a grimace or a frown to indicate there might be something he's not telling me. Yet with all this time they've been devoting to her these last few days, surely they would have noticed her being pregnant!