Precious Cargo

Posted on Sun Aug 13th, 2017 @ 9:34pm by Commander Mal Xustos & Chief Warrant Officer Daytona Ral & Staff Warrant Officer Nexi

Mission: When Iconians Deserve to Die
Location: Med Center, Artan Fortress
Timeline: Current

Daytona sat by Nexi's bed as she slept and read quietly. Cato had been sitting up with her for a while and clearly needed a break. It took some convincing, but Daytona was able to convince the former MACO to at least go eat something and then close his eyes for a little while. That took more time than it should of because Daytona wasn't high on Cato's 'People I Trust' list at the moment. Finally Daytona's arguments won out, though the Rigelian had to suffer through a fair amount macho posturing on Cato's part before finally left to eat and sleep.

Daytona found himself dozing off so he put down his PaDD, stood up, and stretched. When he was done, he walked over to the side of Nexi's bed and watched her for a moment as she slept. He wished there was something he could do to ease her pain, but all he had to offer was his company. Daytona smiled. Nexi really didn't like him at the moment, so maybe his company wasn't really a good thing to offer her?

"Lotta testosterone in the air," Nexi suddenly mumbled, her eyes still closed. "Did you and Cato get into a pissing contest?" Her eyes finally opened and she looked at Daytona, and somehow she seemed less 'Nexi' now, like just knowing that she had this thing inside her was leaving her feeling defeated. But why shouldn't it? She had so much anger in her, even with the countermeasures Dedjoy had come up with, it was only a matter of time before this black blood took over.

Daytona smiled.

"Well," he said. "Cato did most of the pissing. That scent of ammonia in the air is from him marking his territory. Thankfully he only pissed and I was spared having to listen to him moan as well. He'll be back in a little while."

Daytona reached down and brushed a lock of hair out of Nexi's face, then pulled his hand away before she could protest.

"I'm wise enough never to tell a woman she looks like crap," Daytona said. "So let's compromise and I'll tell you that you look like you feel like crap. Would you like something to drink? I'd offer booze, but I think that might be ill advised at the moment, so you'll have to make do with water or maybe some juice or soda."

"Yeah, I do feel pretty shitty," Nexi said with a slight nod. "And Enalia said there's no replicators, you'll have to send someone to the kitchen, but I'm still feeling sluggish, I could use something to perk me up," she replied.

Daytona pressed a control on the side of the bed. A holonurse entered.

"You rang?" she asked pleasantly.

"Yes," Daytona said. "Thank you. Nexi would like something to drink and a little something to eat. I've got some water here, but maybe you could bring her some ginger ale if it's not too much trouble? In a cup with ice and a straw? I'll leave the food choice to you since you know what she can eat and what she can't."

"Of course, sir," the holonurse replied. "I'll be right back!"

"Thank you," Daytona said.

"You are welcome, Mister Ral," the holonurse said. She turned and left the room to fill Daytona's requests.

"Do you think you can sit up?" Daytona said. "I can bring up the head of the bed so you're in a sitting position, but you're going to want to skooch back a little or you'll be uncomfortable...well, more uncomfortable. I can help you if you'd like. I promise I'm not recording any of this to use as blackmail later."

Daytona grinned to let her know he was joking, but there was a bit of hollowness to his grin. Nexi really didn't look good and he was worried.

"Yeah, Enalia helped me sit up before," Nexi said, curling upright with a pained grunt, then as Daytona lifted the head of the bed, she scooted back to rest comfortably, rubbing at her sore shoulder as she relaxed. "Speaking of, she said light duty once I'm released. And we'll have to be careful 'cause apparently I got the devil in me and anger makes it worse."

"So I've heard," Daytona said. He poured her a glass of water and brought it over. "And I'm confident that we'll figure a way to get 'the devil' out of you. At least that's what I tell myself so I don't do anything rash, like threaten to create an interstellar incident by sharing the dirty little secrets of a number of 'important' people if they don't focus the entirety of the Federation's scientific and medical resources on making you well again. That...and I know there are already lots of people working on the problem, which takes me back to being confident that we'll figure out a way to make you better. Here. Are you steady enough to sip from the glass? Or would you like the straw."

"I'm good," Nexi assured him, then took the glass with her good hand to take a drink, just enough to wet her dry mouth then handed the glass back to him. "And I had no idea you cared so much, or were you simply threatening an interstellar incident because that Ferenia Commodore chick is infected too?"

"Actually," Daytona said, taking the glass from Nexi. "I'd forgotten about her. I suppose we should help her, as well. No, this is because I care about you, Nexi. I'm not even entirely sure why. You're often rude, crude, and a tremendous pain in the ass. Maybe you remind me a little of me. Maybe I'm just taking my responsibilities as your immediate superior too seriously. Regardless, I do seem to care about you so you're stuck with me."

"Uhhh, thanks?" Nexi said with uncertainty. "Wait, what do you mean I remind you of you?" she asked.

Daytona laughed softly.

"I don't suppose I've told you that after growing up on a farm, I joined a monastery?" he said. He laughed again. "Don't look at me like that! It was a Rigelian monastery! I wasn't expected to be celibate! Anyway, that's where I learned to do this, among other things."

Daytona held his hands up in front of him, palms facing each other about eight inches apart. First there were a few sparks and then there was a steady, visible, and powerful electrical current flowing between his hands, like the electricity flowing between two towers of a Van der Graaf generator. Slowly, Daytona powered down.

"And this," he picked up her water glass. He let go of the glass and it remained suspended in midair. Then what could only be described as balls of water rose up out of the glass. Is less than a second they were solid ice. Daytona let them fall back into the glass and he handed the glass to Nexi.

"And," he said. "One more trick..."

He looked around the room for something...there! There was a plant and some of it's leaves had died and fallen off. He picked some of them up and held them in the palm of his hand in front of Nexi. The leaves began to smoke and caught on fire and soon burned to ash. Daytona cleaned his hands by brushing them against each other.

"That's the parlor tricks version of what I can do when I literally put my mind to the task," Dayonta said. "Electro-Kinesis, Telekinesis, Hydro-Kinesis, and both cryo and pyrokinesis, which I sort of lump into 'thermokinesis'. I can achieve more impressive results if I really get to it. My people are an off-shoot of ancient Vulcans. We kept their more deadly mind arts, but, sadly, we seem to have lost any talent at telepathy."

"Okay..." Nexi replied with a quirk of her brow. "So you've got some fancy tricks, big deal. You forget I was born being able to do that first one, right? Now what's all that got to do with how I'm some sort of reminder?"

"I'm getting there," Daytona replied. "And for the record, I was born with the potential to do all of that stuff, too, but if no one had taught me how to use that potential, I might have never been able to use those abilities...or I could have really hurt everyone around me. I was taught as a child in the beginning, a few times a week. When I became an adult, I decided I wanted to really focus my studies. However, I made a terrible monk, so I left and joined the army. Cold drink?"

Daytona not only handed Nexi the glass of water with the ice cubes he'd made in it, but as a special touch, frosted the glass.

"Showoff" Nexi remarked with a grin, but took the glass for another sip then returned it.

"I was a nice enough kid when I joined the military," he went on, the sound of his voice and his word choice becoming rough. "I was just under forty, so real young. I started then to toughen up. It wasn't immediate, but before too long I was sort of a badass. Then I went on to Intelligence. More of the same, only I used my wits as much if not more than my fists. Then I became a cop and that's when I started becoming a loner. It became clear almost immediately that I couldn't trust anyone. So I did my own thing, went my own way. Somehow I still managed to get promoted, but still, I was damned cynical by then. My daughter's death..."

Daytona closed his eyes a moment, then opened them. When he spoke, his voice was more refined.

"I'd been headed down a dark path for a long time by the time I encountered you on Selen VI," he said. "When Deshok was killed, remember I didn't know I'd done it at that time, I had nowhere to direct that anger. I'd burned all of my bridges at home and I had nowhere to go. I got passage out of there with a Yridian information broker. We traveled together a while, but the darkness inside me at the time...he wasn't comfortable with the chances I was taking...or the body count. I spent the next fifty years tough as nails, trusting no one, taking crazy risks, spitting in the face of authority, and hiring myself out to fight for any cause that would have me. Sound like anyone you know? I know, I know, you've grown a lot since you joined this crew, everyone says so. But still, you remind me a little of me. So, unless it bothers you to have me in your corner..."

"Fucking time travel..." Nexi grumbled at the mention of Selen VI and Deshok. But there was a change in her eyes and the way she looked at him. "I was a slave," she admitted with great reluctance. "Only ever told Enalia and Aewia, ain't worked up the nerve to tell Cato yet... My boss, Liquidator Grek of the Ferengi Commerce Authority, was actually my owner, he acquired me when he absorbed my mother's debt when she died. I was just a dumb kid and.... he put a lot of fear and anger in me, and I felt helpless because he made me wear this... collar, it nullified my natural immunity to my own current, so if I tried to use it against him I'd hurt myself. And then this guy, a bounty hunter who did a lot of work for Grek, offered to train me in the trade, negotiated a deal so I could work off my mother's debt. Honestly, he wasn't much better than Grek, and he wouldna done it had I not gone back in time to open an account that would pay out big time; that's how Enalia got all the money she's been burning through, if you were at all curious." Nexi laughed, then winced as pain shot through her shoulder, and she continued talking as she rubbed at her shoulder. "Anyway, he taught me to use that anger, it's been a big part of who I am for so long, it's kept me alive, but now it could kill me, and I don't know how to do what I do without that anger."

Daytona put the glass of water down on the table again and took Nexi's hand.

"I know that wasn't easy for you to say," Daytona said. "Especially to me. So, thank you. I appreciate your trust. And I know this situation must be, now don't punch me, frightening for you. I'm guessing you feel like you're being asked to cut off your dominant arm."

"I don't have a dominant arm," Nexi said, and she didn't, she use both hands with equal dexterity. "Really, I feel defenseless, like I'm wearing a collar again, only this one will be around my waist and it may never be able to come off. How am I supposed to live like that?"

"People like you and I do what we need to do, Nexi," Daytona said. "Always have, always will. And you won't be alone. You have Cato. I'll see if I can help you pull his head out of his ass so he can be there for you more completely. He was going on about this somehow being his fault, how he wasn't there for you when you needed him, he'd let you down, etc, etc. I tried to explain that he needed to focus on you and not his own feelings of inadequacy, but I'm not sure if I got through to him. Nonetheless...have you ever noticed that only truly pompous asses use the phrase 'nonetheless'? Anyway, he'll be there for you in his own brooding way. And I will, too. Whatever you need. And Enalia...and Aewia...and so on and so forth. Unlike when you were a slave, you have people who love and care for you here. Perhaps that is even more frightening for you? The thought of having that terrified me for decades, though I didn't really understand that was what I was scared of."

"Oh I know it terrifies me," Nexi admitted candidly. "First time I was on a team with the Hera, we lost people to the Master's Borg-zombie dog-things, and it hit me harder than I thought it would. I've lost partners on jobs before, but I never cared, you know... But this, it's like when you start caring, then everything hurts. Still does..."

The holonurse entered the room carrying a tray with a steaming bowl of clam chowder, a can of ginger ale, and a glass filled with ice. Daytona moved the table so that it was across the bed over Nexi's legs. The nurse set the tray down on the table.

"Thank you," Daytona said.

"Of course, Mister Ral," the nurse said. "Miss Nexi, I'll be back around in a little while to check your vitals and clear that tray. If you get done before I get back and you'd like the tray cleared, just hit the call button."

"Got it, thanks," Nexi said with a nod and pulled everything closer.

"Here," Daytona said. "I hardly get to use my abilities anymore. Too flashy, too recognizable. Allow me to make your drink more enjoyable."

Daytona picked up her drink and frosted the can, then picked up the glass and frosted that. He opened the ginger ale and, tilting the glass to the side to cut down on the foam, poured the soda into the glass. He set the drink and the can back down on the tray in front of Nexi.

"Weirdo," Nexi replied with a shake of her head, then started eating, quite rapidly as she was very hungry.

Daytona chuckled, then smiled at Nexi as he watched her eat.

"You're right," Daytona said. "When you start caring for the first time, everything does hurt, because that's the feeling that stands out, the one you focus on, the one you were expecting to feel. You believe caring hurts, so when you care and it hurts, you feel validated and sometimes when that happens you ignore the positives. But I bet, if you're mindful of what you've been feeling and of what feelings you encounter as you go forward from here, you'll find that caring, and being cared for, can also make you feel happy, joyful, adored, perhaps even safe."

"Nah, I never felt 'validated', I wasn't really expecting the hurt because I hadn't really thought I cared until those first Officers were gone," Nexi replied in between mouthfuls of soup. "And ever since then, I can't shake the guilt I feel; I know I'm not responsible, but I always wonder if there was more I coulda done to save them."

"Hmm..." Daytona said. "Well, that's normal. We all wonder if there was more we could have done. That's not as bad as wondering if you could have done something different, because of course you could have done something different. Would it have mattered? Who knows? The only thing you can do is try to make the best decision possible and then live with the consequences...which is harder when people you were responsible for didn't live to live with the consequences of your decision."

"Yeah, I think you meant for that to be more encouraging than it came out," Nexi said bluntly. "And I get it, I do, I've questioned myself before, but it never hurt like it does now. Just not used to caring... I mean I like it, I kinda miss who I was before but I don't regret this change, I like knowing I have people I care about and who care about me, I'm just not used to it yet."

Daytona nodded.

"Well," he said. "We're going to start repeating ourselves any minute now. Would you like me to stay while you finish your meal. I have something to read if you just want some quiet company. Or would you like some time to yourself? Or I could let Cato know you're awake and 'suggest' he come and see you. Or I could get your sister. I sent her home to rest as well, but she went more willingly and earlier than Cato did. Or I could get them both for you. What do you say?"

Nexi chuckled, then once again winced. "Some silence would be nice. You can stay if it would make you feel better," she replied, then continued eating, not that she had much left at this point, but damn did it feel good to have a nice warm meal in her stomach!

Daytona heard the distinct sound of Mal's hooves in the corridor headed towards Nexi's room. He picked up Mal's voice, as well as Hermes.

"I think you might need to wait to have some silence," he said. "You're about to have a couple of visitors."

As if on cue, the door opened and Mal stuck his impressively horned head into the room.

"Can we come in and say hello?" he asked. "Hermes and I have have been anxious to see how you were doing!"

"Uhh, yeah, come on in," Nexi said, trying to sit up straighter. "I'm uh... I'm alright, I guess, or I will be. They've been filling me back up with blood, so I'm better," she rambled, a little excited to see Hermes; she still couldn't believe Bodie was the guy they had been looking for!

Mal entered followed by Hermes. The two men went immediately to Nexi's bedside. Mal had been informed of her situation, but had waited until she'd had some time to rest before coming to visit her.

"Well," Mal said. "You look better than you did when we brought you in."

"I think you look just as lovely as ever!" Hermes said with a grin. "Say the word and I'll kick Lyra out and you and I can go explore the galaxy together! Or all three of us could go exploring together, if you're into that kind of thing. She said you flirted with her when she waited on you. I can't believe you tried to pick up my girlfriend!"

Mal shook his head and chuckled.

"Hey, I didn't know she was yours, and I do that with anyone who looks like they might have trouble dealing with a rough crowd, it helps to form contacts wherever I go," Nexi said in her defense. "Anyway, I can't exactly jump ship to go party with you, I got responsibilities now!" she continued, shuddering at the thought of her being 'responsible', it was just so odd! "And I'm kinda sorta seeing someone, so you'll just have to wait in line..." Then she grinned. "I still can't believe you're the guy we were looking for! Can I call you Bodie or do you prefer Hermes?"

Hermes thought about that for a moment.

"I think I'd like it if you called me Hermes," he said. "Bodie was a mask I wore to hide myself from who I am. A pretense. It's difficult for a pretense to be a friend, and I value your friendship. Hermes...well, it's not really my name, but you'd never be able to pronounce my real name. Our language is...well...it's awful. We don't even like using it. It sounds awful, it looks awful, it's confusing. No, I think Hermes will do nicely. Though, you may want to introduce me as 'Bodie' to anyone not in the inner circle of this defense we're mustering. My people...well, godly pretenses aside, our technology doesn't make us exactly all knowing and all seeing, but but we do have highly advanced surveillance equipment. I won't be able to stay here too long for that reason. I don't want to draw them here."

He walked up and took Nexi's hand.

"I hear you've got an affliction of some kind," he said. "Something you picked up on a mission?"

Nexi nodded at his explanation, and she understood well the need to hide who he was outside the circle, she did the same thing... But when he mentioned her 'affliction', her disposition couldn't help but sour somewhat. "Uhh, yeah... Not this mission, but we've been hunting this guy, the Master, he makes these monstrosities in labs scattered all over the place, and apparently he's a Vulcan that remembers when the Romulans split off, and yet his blood says he's Iconian... There was another woman, the only thing we know to call her is a demon, she used her black blood to do some crazy shit, something about summoning hell hounds. The Master had it too, I fought him and we got a bit bloody, I thought I was being careful but whatever this black blood is, it's in me now and anger makes it spread faster. Have you ever heard of this, or know of any way of fighting it, curing it?" she asked.

Hermes frowned.

"Just as we took on the form and figure of gods," he said. "So have others taken the form of demons. It sounds like he's done something to himself, genetically. Either he was Iconian and masqueraded as a Vulcan, or he's a Vulcan who messed around using Iconian DNA. I don't remember the Iconians being 'demonic' though. Never mind that. We need to get you well. With your permission, I will take all of your medical information and everything your people have on this 'black blood' and seek out Asklepios. He is the son of Apollo and was the Greek god of Medicine, or if I can't find him, then perhaps his teacher, the Centaur Chiron. Between the two of them exists more medical knowledge than is contained in all of the Alpha Quadrant. Convincing them to use their knowledge...well, you're not Human, so you have that going for you. Humans turned their backs on us. Neither Asklepios or Chiron would be eager to help a Human, but they may feel more inclined to help you. Just leave it to me. I'll convince them!"

"Well, you have my permission, but some of the information is classified, so Mal or Enalia would have to release those bits to you. I hate having to call in my favors on something like this... probably wouldn't if you hadn't asked, but... I don't want to be whatever this Master guy is; I don't scare easily, but this terrifies me," Nexi admitted. "Thank you," she then added softly, giving his hand a weak squeeze.

"Of course, my dear," Hermes said. He supposed he didn't really sound like the man he was when he'd first met Nexi, but as he had stated, that was a charade. This was the real him. Among other things, Hermes was the god of tricksters. Faking being Bodie came easily to him. Lying came easily to him. But he wasn't lying to Nexi. He would find a way to help her if he could. "I really must go. Be well, little one. If I find any information that can help you, I will inform your doctors immediately."

Again Nexi nodded. "Hey, before you go, I gotta ask... If the Amazons hadn't busted in and blown your cover, would you have arranged a meeting to, well, meet you?" she asked curiously.

Hermes grinned.

"I don't really know," he said. "I knew they were after me and I was going to run. I was just working up the liquid courage to ask Lyra to join me. I only agreed to meet with you because of our history...and maybe because I was more than a little drunk. So...Maybe? Eventually? Maybe this experience will make me a better man than I've been this last millennium or so. Farewell, Nexi. I'll see you again soon."

Hermes turned to leave.

"I'll be right there," Mal said. Hermes nodded and left the room. Daytona looked at Mal and Nexi for a moment, then walked over to Nexi and, knowing she would hate it and need it at the same time, gave her a kiss on the forehead before leaving her alone with Mal, who spoke once the others had left. "I'm very proud of you, Nexi. You handled the mission on Selen VI well, despite unplanned for events, and we would have failed without your contacts and your experience. So...thank you."

"You better watch yourself on the practice mats, because as soon as I get out of here, your ass is mine," Nexi said bluntly to Daytona when he kissed her on the forehead. She brought up her good arm to try to wipe the kiss away, but it didn't make that feeling of weakness go away. Then Mal spoke and she gave him her full attention. "Uhh, you're welcome?" she said with uncertainty; she wasn't used to having her skills being so appreciated; or at least appreciated with words and gratitude instead of latinum. "I, uhh, I'm just glad it paid off; it was a lucky break, a weird stroke of chance that my contact was Hermes. Doubt we'll ever get that lucky again, but we keep trying, right?"

"Of course," Mal said. "Nexi, I've got to go, but I want you to know that everyone is pulling out all of the stops to find a way to help you. I'm betting Daytona probably didn't say anything about this, but he's been pulling on nearly every string he knows about, from the legitimate to the shady, to try and find a way to make you better. So is Enalia, and now Hermes. We will find a way to make you better."

Mal chuckled.

"Don't be too mad at Daytona for that kiss on the forehead," he said. "Rigelians are very physically affectionate. He meant no offense. He cares for you, and, though he probably won't admit it, I think he feels bad for springing that surprise on you during the Selen VI mission."

Mal looked at his chronometer.

"I've got to go, but if there's anything you need, while you're going through this or after you're better, don't hesitate to ask."

"I'll just be glad when when the nurses ain't sticking me for blood samples every hour," Nexi admitted. "But thanks, I'll... I'm getting better at asking for help," she added with a weak grin.

Mal smiled.

"You're doing fine," Mal said. "I'll check in on you later."

Mal left Nexi to get some peace and quiet.