Wakey, Wakey

Posted on 07 Apr 2013 @ 9:35pm by Lieutenant Kiri Cho & Commander Andreus Kohl

3,416 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 3, Cho's Quarters
Timeline: MD4 - 0700

[ON]

Kiri had been awake for a little while already now, it was later than normal but they had both been up late. She normally was already working on setting up her day for the next twenty hours but right now she was hiding in the room. Already she'd showered and changed into a fresh uniform but she had been afarid of using the living room encause she woke up Kohl. He had been sleeping on her sofa all night and he was still there in the morning. Which meant it wasn't a dream, nothing had happened and he hadn't done anything strange. It was starting to get late though and she was starting to worry. Taking pains to move as silently as possible she crossed the room and looked down at him.

He was peaceful, she'd never watched someone else sleep before. It felt very calming, and rather voyeuristic. Guilt washed through her and forced a breath, she was acting weird. Looking at the display on the wall she shook her head, he was on duty in an hour as far as she knew. It would be irresponsible to just leave him. Kneeling down next to his head she lightly pushed his shoulder and then again, "Good morning," Her voice barely a whisper.

Suddenly, Kohl's head turned in the direction of the shove and the words. His eyes remained closed, hiding from the dim light. The rest of his frame --tangled in a blanket-- lay draped over the couch. He opened his mouth, as if to reply, but instead he drew in a long breath and let it out with a sigh. "Edias?" he asked, sounding befuddled and dry-mouthed.

Kiri frowned slightly, her expression dropping, "No, C, Kiri." He had come back, he wasn't with that person that only had a name. He had come back to see her, he stayed here. Lowering her hands to her lap she paused for a moment, conflicted.

Kohl swallowed hard and he opened his eyes with an effort that made it look painful, even in the near-dark. "Oh," he said in a tone buoyed by realization. "Oh, hello, Cho." He smiled vaguely and asked, "How are you?"

Their faces were quite close together, "I'm fine," Offering a small shy smile, "Would you like some breakfast?" She would have offered anyone breakfast but she wanted to make him happy more than anything else. Then he'd like her more.

Raising his arms behind his head, Kohl stretched out his frame across the small sofa. He held the stretch, waiting to really feel it. "Uhm, I don't know yet," Kohl said, blinking at Kiri as his eyes began to adjust to wakefulness. Once he relaxed his body, he said, "But, yes, breakfast sounds like something I should do now."

Slipping back and standing up Kiri brushed her front, "What would you like to have?" Generally she didn't stretch in front of people, it didn't seem very polite. Either he didn't think the same or felt comfortable doing so in her presence.

Shaking his head, Kohl didn't know how to answer at first. His first reaction was a kind of guttural irritation at her constant deference to his needs above her own. It reminded-- reminded him of-- of something from back home. He couldn't place it, but he didn't think of it for very long. As much as the behaviour irked him, Kohl couldn't judge Kiri for her socio-cultural upbringing. His second thought was of the ration bars Kiri had been surviving on when he first met her, but Kohl didn't know if those were still her meal of choice. With his legs still stretched out, he sat up on the sofa, and let the blanket slide down to his waist. Kohl cleared his throat and he said, "I'm not hungry yet. How about you make a little bit extra of whatever you normally replicate?"

"Okay," If he wanted anything at all it wasn't exactly extra effort for her to replicate it for her. Picking something slightly more elaborate than normal she walked to the replicator, selecting from her personal menu she'd been working on for the last few days. Holding a small tray she returned to the sofa and placed them on the small coffee table. There were two steaming bowls of ginger congree, thick rice porridge and sticks of fried bread for eating it with. The portions weren't that large but she was going to be moving around a lot in a little while. Normally she'd eat at her desk but that didn't seem very sociable.

Breathing in the ginger aroma, Kohl quickly shifted his posture to make it easier for him to eat the congee. He leaned forward to lift the bowl from the table and then sat back to rest the bowl on his lap. "Cho, this smells fantastic," Kohl said enthusiastically. "Thank you."

"You are welcome," Kiri took her own bowl and sat down next to him. Taking one of the bread sticks she scoped up a mouthful, "What do you have planned for today?" The bread was sweet and put her in a better mood, not that it was bad before.

"I'm assigned to the orbital survey of Rojar I," Kohl replied, and he hoped the topic might excite Kiri after the dreadful state he found her in last night. He watched the way she ate her breakfast, and he mimicked her movements. He used the sweet bread to scoop up the congee and took a big bite. After a satisfying swallow, he said, "I don't believe medical personnel will be assigned to every away team... I'm hoping I haven't completely forgotten everything I learned from planetary science classes at the academy."

"I'll be on the ship, if you need any help you can contact me," Kiri really was happy to answer any question he might have and she'd be helping the mission anyway. Falling silent for a moment she kept eating, glad he was enjoying it.

"Thank you. Yes, I'd appreciate that," Kohl said enthusiastically. He forgot about his meal momentarily as his focus locked on Kiri. "What should I-- what should I do, and prioritize, in a planetary survey?"

"If you are focusing on the biological, then look for signs and conditions for life. Oxygen levels, toxins, oxygen exchange, moving heat signatures, calcium deposits in strange places, biomasses like shoals of fish." Pausing for a moment she thought a little more, she did so much on automatic that it was a little hard to put it into words, "It can be harder when life isn't carbon based but just look for patterns in material, most life follows the same ideas."

"I've done some studying on non-carbon-based life," Kohl said with certainty until he winced. "But that feels like a long time ago..." He shook his head, as he idly stirred his congee with his bread. "What do you think Lieuteant Panne will be expecting from a fellow teal-collar on a mission like this?" Kohl asked, probably sounding more insecure than Kiri had ever heard Kohl.

"She is likely to have read your file, she will know what you have done before and when you last did something like this." Shifting ever so slightly on the sofa she smiled, "Focus on what you can do and if you find something strange, just ask. If she didn't think you had the skills, she wouldn't have put you on the mission team." At least Kiri wouldn't have done, though she couldn't speak for Meanad completely. She didn't want him to worry though, or feel anything negative.

Kohl nodded at her words thoughtfully, and thanked Kiri for the advice. He tucked into his congee, scooping up large mouthfuls and finishing off a couple of the fried bread sticks. After a companionable silence of not too long, Kohl asked, "What do you expect to be working on today?"

"I'll be reviewing and calculating the data from your away mission as well as other sensor readings from the ship as well as organising the department and further away missions," Kiri was enjoying talking about this, even if it was about work.

"Are you enjoying that side of it?" Kohl asked, genuinely curious about it. "Is it satisfying to organize away missions and departmental tasks?"

"Yes," A bigger smile flashed across her face, organising was actually something she found fantastically fun. It was a problem with solutions that required knowing lots of different factors. Each one felt great when she found what she felt was the best solution, "It's, fun."

"Something to look forward to, then," Kohl remarked. "After my own promotion," he added, since he had been on shore leave ever since he had been made a junior grade lieutenant and the Assistant Chief Medical Officer. Sitting there on the couch, in his uniform trousers and open tunic, Kohl finished off the last of his breakfast. After placing his bowl on the coffee table, he sat back and stretched his arms again.

"If you need any help," Kiri couldn't really do anything about the medical side but the planning and team management she had started gaining a lot of experience in. "I'd be happy to do so," He seemed so relaxed about her, yet she was so tense around him.

"Thank you, Cho," replied Kohl. A smile brightened his face as he said it. "I might end up contacting you as soon as I get to Sickbay," he said, making fun of his own abilities, or lack thereof. "...I really should take a shower and start heading that way."

Finishing her own bowl, she never seemed to finish first, Kiri smiled back. He couldn't be that bad at it if he was chosen for the job, there was always training and advice open to him, just as it was to her. The last part though, since this was a new situation she didn't know what to expect. Thinking hard for a moment she bit her lip, "I can clean your uniform for you if you want." Her assumption was he meant to have a shower here, rather than walking the corridors in a day old uniform and unshowered.

"Thank you," Kohl said and he immediately shrugged his way out of his turtleneck tunic. Getting to his feet, Kohl began to loosen his trousers. "You are going to use a replicator, yeah?" Kohl asked. "You don't have cleaning facilities in your quarters do you?"

That was not what she was expecting, looking shocked for a second she focused extremely hard on her knees. She dare not look at his body, or anything else, it was meant to be private. Kiri didn't want anyone to look at her body so it wasn't right she look at him. Speaking very softly she answered, "Yes, um, the replicator." Why would she need anything else, the replicator could clean things in a few seconds.

Shame or propriety about the naked body was one social norm Kohl never managed to pick up at the Academy. It certainly wasn't something he had ever thought about on Argelius II. He puttered around Kiri's quarters in search of his black and grey jacket, which he found crumpled behind the sofa. Striding in the direction of the sonic shower, Kohl piled his uniform --underwear and all-- on a desk chair near the replicator. He proceeded to pad away into the sonic shower.

Tense Kiri didn't move, she didn't dare to even breath in case she inhaled the nakedness. At he reached the door, part of her, the curious part wanted to look up. He was on the other side of the room, she wouldn't see anything. It was an invasion of his privacy though, yet she felt. Tilting her head at the bathroom door hissed open, her eyes stayed firmly shut until she heard it close. Breathing deep to catch her breath, she stood up. Pacing back and forth, she had to do something. Emotions in every direction were whirling her around. Without thinking she folding the uniform and placed it in the replicator, once that was done she put it all back and retreated into the bedroom.

Some time later, Kohl shuffled out of the washroom. He began to walk the perimeter of the compartment, hunting around for where Kiri had left his uniform, until he ended up finding it in the same place he had left it. "Cho," he called out loud enough for his voice to carry into the bedroom, "What are you hoping we might find out there?" As he spoke, he unfolded his underwear and stepped one leg into it.

His voice was muffled by the door she sat up from her bed, uncertain if it was safe to come out or not. Starting to pace slightly again Kiri answered, "The number of moons means that its possible there is life here, or was here. It might be nice to discover a new sentient race." It was different from looking out at the stars. Planets had life though, plants had ground and planets could be explored.

In the living room, Kohl skeptically asked, "You're saying life is a genuine possibility here?" Once he pulled the underwear up to his waist, Kohl sat on the chair where his uniform was piled. He nearly swooned at the thought of it. Life, truly undiscovered life, was a staggering thought. Teasingly, he called out, "You science-types aren't snickering behind our backs while the rest of us hope for new life?"

"It is still unlikely, but not impossible." Kiri wasn't sure what he meant by his other comments, she didn't make fun of anyone. Pausing for a moment she added, "There are conditions that are conducive to life, as well as a lot of moons, it is possible." She couldn't really hear much of anything on the other side of the door, was he finished? Kiri dressed and changed clothes at warp speed, was he the same?

"It's selfish, but I haven't been able to think about any of that," Kohl said. He was starting to sound annoyed at still having to speak at a raised voice through a closed door. He got to his feet, and he said, "Pola and I had a shouting match in the morgue before I left. I don't know-- I'm worried about what it's going to be like when I go back to Sickbay. She was on the Bridge when I reported to my post last night."

"What, exactly happened?" Kiri walked right up to the bedroom door. She hadn't heard anything about this but she had never really had an argument before. The seemed rather terrible from what she knew. Reaching the edge of where the door sensor was she raised up onto her toes.

Wincing at the memory of what they had said, Kohl picked up his trousers, but he just held onto them and stared at the floor. He said, "She said, something like, I'm not committed because I didn't remain at my post through shore leave. She criticized my value as a healthcare provider because I made mistakes... Really bad mistakes..."

"Oh," That one Kiri said softly. This wasn't a conversation that should be taking place through a door, he must be dressed by now right? Pouncing forwards from her tiptoes she staggered through the door, "Oh," That one much louder. Turning bright red from ears to toes she turned around, "I'm sorry, I just, oh." Facing back to the wall and frozen on the spot she closed her eyes still. "I um, well, what exactly, happened, mistakes? I can leave, if you want," She really felt that she should but this problem was also a pressing matter.

Standing there in only his underwear, Kohl watched Kiri's flustered reaction. He studied the colour that came to her face and the sweep of her gaze. He didn't move, except to scratch an itch on his chest. Kohl's body was classically athletic, but he didn't starve himself enough, or worship weightlifting enough, to give his swelled musculature much chiseled definition. "We don't-- we don't have to talk about it if you don't want," Kohl said, misunderstanding her offer to leave. Unfolding his black trousers, Kohl began to step into each of the legs. "Pola was affected badly by the Sienna process," Kohl said, "Maybe she didn't mean all her words... but then that wasn't the first time she has been harshly critical of me."

Still facing the other ways Kiri fiddled with her fingers, "I had, um when I talk to Pola as a doctor. She was critical of how I lived, but, I think she just wanted the best for me." She had given her gifts and been nice outside of sickbay. "I don't really know about these sort of things, maybe if you talk to her? I could come with you, if you want?" It was easier doing things like this other people right? Maenad wasn't critical of her but in the short time they were together Lieutenant Barel had been critical of her personality.

"...No," Kohl said, but he didn't sound terribly sure of it. He began threading his arms in through the sleeves of his tunic and then his jacket. "No, I like Pola as an incipient friend. I'm struggling with Pola as my leader. ...I can't bring my friends to work with me."

Kiri did her best to keep her social life separate but lately the lines seemed to be blurring more and more. It was nice that he was talking to her about this though, no one else seemed to trust her with their problems. It made her happy, "Sometimes you need to keep things at a distance while working, or, um, is there something more specific? I mean," Not knowing the actual events or problems made it harder but she really wanted to help, "Sorry."

"It's-- No, it's okay," Kohl said vaguely. He finished off closing the front of his uniform and he affixed his combadge to his chest. As he shifted his weight from foot to foot, he said, "Thank you for letting me stay here last night..."

"It was nice," It was weird talking to the wall but there wasn't any other way she could imagine doing it, "You can stay any time you want." It made everything warmer having him here, having their private but social breakfast. Knowing that there was someone that might like her, that she liked too.

"Thank you, Cho," said Kohl, as he wandered about the room, looking for his boots. His search was slowed down by his regular glances over at Kiri to see if she was looking at him yet. Once he found his boots, he stepped into each of them. "I really mean it," he said.

Hearing the sound of boots she turned around, holding her hands in her lap, "You are welcome." Kiri didn't feel she could actually ask him to come again but she wanted him to want to. Meeting his eyes for a moment she blushed, "Can, we do something together again soon?"

"We will. There's no question about it," Kohl said in reply. Thoughts of Pola and Sickbay tugging at him, Kohl moved towards the doorway. "Enjoy reading over the information you get back from the away teams," he said, "I'll be sure to send back something fascinating."

"Thank you," Following him towards the door she smiled before it struck her. If anyone saw him leaving at this time, what would they think? What would they say? Quickening her pace slightly she went on, "Be careful when you are out there, just in case."

The doors parted for Kohl and he stepped out into the passageway. He chuckled softly at what she had said. "Oh, I'm never careful," Kohl replied, "but I'll be just fine."

"Okay," Kiri walked just behind him as the door opened, peering out as he left. There wasn't any one to see, that just left her to smile at his laugh and his worlds. To bite her lip and find herself almost reaching after him as he left. It was weird, she felt great, giddy, like she wanted to run around in circles. Whisper now she added, "Bye," Too quiet to hear. Watching a little more she shook her head, there was her own work to do as well.

[OFF]

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Andreus Kohl
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant (JG) Kiri Cho
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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