Absolution

Posted on Sun Feb 26th, 2017 @ 1:22am by Warrant Officer Cato West & Lieutenant Commander Eneas Clio
Edited on on Sun Feb 26th, 2017 @ 6:23am

Mission: Cardassian Mayhem
Location: E-Deck, Intel Labs
Timeline: After Meeting with Enalia

Cato had wrapped up his meeting with Enalia earlier in the day, then reported back to sickbay. After being poked and prodded by Doctors for who knows how long, he hobbled his way over to make amends with Clio. "Computer, locate Commander Eneas." the computer replied "Lieutenant Commander Eneas is on E-Deck". But before he went charging into E-Deck with the intentions of peace, he made a detour to his quarters to snag a 'white flag'. His prized bottle of Mortlach 70 and two glasses, only sixty bottles were released every 70 years. Soon enough, he had hobbled his way to E-Deck via the turbo lift. Limping down the corridor to one of the intel labs where she was probably busy going over recovered data from the away mission. Cato entered his code into the keypad, the doors swooshed open. He rested his right shoulder against the arch of the doorway as held up the bottle. He smiled "Don't make me drink alone."

"I'm not certain you should be drinking in your condition. Shouldn't you be in sickbay?" Clio looked over her shoulder at him, not quite recognizing the bottle he carried other than being able to tell it carried something alcoholic. "Sit down before you fall over."

Cato took a seat, more like plopped down. "I consider this alternative pain medication." He smirked, handing her an empty glass before removing the top of the tear-drop shaped bottle. "As for sickbay, not really my kind of place." he grinned as he poured her a glass, then himself before recapping the bottle and setting it out of the way on the floor. "To a job well done." he raised his glass to clink with hers.

"You and I have different ideas of 'well done'." Picking up the offered glass and gently clinking it against West's, Clio smelled the liquid before taking a sip.

He took a sip, something about 70-year old whiskey just burned so good. "No, we don't..." His voice trailed off, and he paused by taking another sip. "You know, it's been five years since I was in a cluster fuck of chaos like that..." He continued "Who knew that tritanium bullets or 18mm airburst rounds wouldn't work against un-armored, un-shielded biological targets. I didn't, did anyone?" he perked a brow.

"About that... don't do that in enclosed spaces anymore. I still can't hear out of my left ear." It was a reprimand, but a gentle one. Clio didn't approve of reckless - or boneheaded - MACO behavior, but she was trying to be nice about it.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." he lowered his head slightly, with a sigh. An apology from someone like Cato was almost as rare as the whiskey they were drinking. He was serious and sincere when he said sorry "I've got my balls in a sling for the next thirty days for unjustifiable force." he took a deep breath before leaning back in his chair slightly. "Usually there would be brig time, so I'm assuming you went to bat for me. Which means you don't hate me as much as I originally thought you did."

"I told Telvan that you are undeniably insane, utterly reckless, and a stupid brainwashed jarhead. But also that you are my stupid brainwashed jarhead in my department and I will handle you as I see fit. That being said, you're restricted from away team duty until cleared by medical anyway. And I will personally decide which missions to turn you loose on. Sometimes that spirit might come in handy." Clio was nothing if not honest, and she saw no point in keeping secrets of her opinions in this matter. "You're not a bad person, West. Damaged and a little reckless, sure. But not bad. And believe me... I know when someone's bad."

He smiled at what she said followed with an "I believe you." he nodded in agreement, taking a sip. "Look, all bullshit aside I'm not here to rank-up or put a check mark on my service record. I'm here to fight the fuckin' enemy, just point me in the right direction and let me loose." he added "I work better alone because I've mostly worked alone. I'm going to take the next thirty and get myself strong, both ways." he said, polishing off his glass. Going for the bottle on the floor, he popped the top off and refilled his glass.

"You'll have to learn how to function as part of a team. Nexi's a lone wolf too, so you can support each other's education in that matter." Clio paused for a moment. "I don't send anyone in alone. That's how people end up getting killed."

He moved to top off her glass before recapping the bottle and placing it on the floor again. He smiled at the mention of Nexi after her visit in sickbay "I'll look into spending some time with her." he said with a quick addition of "Training wise I mean." he took another sip before continuing "Anyway, did we get anything useful from that station?"

"I'm not really sure yet. We barely got forty percent of the data, and I wasn't on the original mission so I don't know how much of it is useful." Beyond figuring out that the two facilities were somehow connected, Clio wasn't exactly certain what they'd really uncovered, other than some extremely twisted people doing highly illegal experiments.

"Well, I'm not fantastic at analyzing data but since I'm off my feet. If I be of use, let me know." Cato said polishing off his glass. "I'm short a melee weapon, I asked Nexi to find something that was once mine a long time ago. Do we have a intel armory onboard?" Cato inquired.

"Not exactly." There was no hiding the fact that the Hera had some unusual weapons on board, seeing as how West had seen the energized mek'leths in the field already. But Clio also wasn't eager to round up the necessary people to go back into the Section 31 armory. That place made her feel uneasy in more ways than one. "If Nexi can't find what you're looking for, we may have it. But the location of our special armory is somewhat secretive, and it requires my command code plus two others to open. It's a very short list of who's allowed inside, so you'll have to speak with Captain Telvan about that."

"Fair enough." He paused and took another sip from his glass. "How would you feel about pulling a couple of my boys in to take over additional personnel requirements from security?" he asked openly. "I still know where a few of them are, they're... More normal than me, if that helps." he winked at Clio before taking another sip.

"I'm fine with it as long as Lieutenant Jordan doesn't mind." More normal than West didn't mean much, but Clio did smile a little at the thought. She was pretty sure she was more normal than West, and not once had anyone called her 'normal' in her career. "She's half Vulcan, so I'm not sure how many shenanigans she can put up with before she nerve pinches them all."

He chuckled. "I'll smooth things over with T'Pral. I mentioned it to Captain Telvan and she said she didn't know if we could get them re-assigned. Additional crew balance and all." He paused before smiling "But I bet we could figure something out."

"Well, y'know. Fleet politics. If it works out, great. If not, don't push it too hard." Clio still wasn't entirely sure what her opinion of West was, but at least he was trying. It was more than she could say for other MACOs who had tried to reintegrate on other ships.

"True enough." he shrugged "Another one or are you done?" He held up the bottle.

"It's best that I don't. I haven't been feeling well since we came back, and more than one might be a bad idea. I appreciate the offer though." Clio smiled slightly, finishing what was left in her glass.

"Alright, alright." Cato said grabbing the bottle and standing. Offering to take her glass. "Before I go, I want you to know... If you ever let me off this ship again and run point, I'll try not to blow up half of wherever we are." he smiled.

"Do it again and I'll stun your ass. Just so we're clear." Sensing they'd come to some sort of agreement on that at least, Clio handed him her empty glass. "Get some rest, Chief."

He smiled "Aye Ma'am." taking the glass and then walking out of the intel lab, heading back to his quarters.