It's true that all the men you knew were dealers - [Kirk, Chapel]

[behnd_blueyes]

Meetings were often tricky things.

Chapel probably wasn't setting him up, but it never paid to let your guard down and while he knew most of the tricks and didn't think this was someone pretending to be her--not least because no one had any reason to believe he would answer Nurse Chapel's call like this--it was not to be taken lightly. Even on the

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[mirrored_npc]

The lounge had been favored by Pike and Spock - most crew avoided it for the sake of their own safety and the habits that had been formed by long custom had not yet changed. Chapel was not afraid of the lounge though, and it was a convenient place to have this discussion.

She nodded, didn't stand. She had a small box in her hands, which she offered as he came to sit opposite her.

[behnd_blueyes]

He took it automatically, careful not to touch her and hoping it didn't contain any body parts. He wasn't squeamish but there was always a message in things like that. He sat, the implication being that he was invited to do so.

"Should I open it now?" he asked.

[mirrored_npc]

Chapel managed to look a little shy somehow.

"You can wait. I just wanted to make sure I gave it to you."

She shifted forward so that she was leaning towards him, close enough to whisper.

"Did you see the message that got posted about Rien?"

[behnd_blueyes]

Now feeling as though he couldn't open it, Kirk set the box aside and gave Chapel his full attention. There was no reason for her to whisper, but who knew what she thought might be listening?

Could Uhura listen through those thingies?

"I did," he said, vaguely remembering such a thing. He hadn't paid a lot of attention; most of the messages were spam or overt attempts to rile.

[mirrored_npc]

"She's very upset."

It was clearly Kirk's job to do something. Chapel could help with that but Bones was busy and Kirk was supposed to help take care of them and Eddie Martens had hurt Rien.

[behnd_blueyes]

Kirk was getting the sense he was missing something. Chapel was leaning forward with purpose.

"I'm sorry," he said, playing for time. "I can imagine it's very upsetting. Uh... how is she coping?"

[mirrored_npc]

"I know who sent it. And I wanted to know if you needed any help."

[behnd_blueyes]

Kirk blinked. Needed any... help? What did she want him to do? But he wasn't stupid--he could make connections. Was she saying he had a duty to do "something," because he was McCoy's now, too?

"Does McCoy know?" he asked, hoping for more information as to her intent.

[mirrored_npc]

Her look was pure prim school teacher. "Of course he knows. Bones was in Sickbay when it went out. But he's so busy."

Busy with Kirk and whatever they were planning. Or getting up to between them. Kirk looked healthier than he had the last time she had seen him so Bones couldn't be making him do anything he didn't want to do.

[behnd_blueyes]

Quite the contrary. He resisted the urge to fiddle with the box.

"You've known him longer," he said. "What would Bones do if he wasn't so busy?"

[mirrored_npc]

It was nice to be consulted. Kirk made her feel important when he asked her to help him. She could guide him, maybe. Maybe she could help take care of him, too.

"Rien was very upset - but he sent us back to our quarters before anything could happen. He might just scare Martens for now. To make sure it never ever happens again."

If it did happen again, the solution would be more permanent. Chapel smiled to herself, thinking about how nice it might be to cut his fingers off. He couldn't post nasty messages if he couldn't type...

[behnd_blueyes]

Chapel's smile creeped him out. He was afraid he could imagine what she was thinking about. It wasn't comforting. Then again, it was the way of the world.

"Martens," he repeated. "Eddie Martens?" The man was a grunt, an asshole.

[mirrored_npc]

She nodded, serious and certain. "From Engineering. He doesn't like Rien. Bones won't treat him anymore because he kept trying to grab her."

People thought Rien was weak. She was broken - Chapel's mind whispered to her that they all were - but that didn't mean she was prey.

[behnd_blueyes]

Kirk nodded slowly. Made sense, in the twisted little family unit they had going here. So that's what this was--Chapel including him in that. Chapel assuming he was going to take care of his own, which included Rien. He'd barely spoken to the girl, only knew her as the chick on McCoy's cock in the iso room. Obviously she was something else to Chapel.

"Eddie Martens is an asshole," he said. It might go against the plan. But he'd figure something out. Girl said no, you either left her alone or faced the consequences. And if you couldn't protect yourself far enough to keep your lily-livered revenge anonymous, you deserved whatever you got. "I'll see what I can do."

It didn't hurt, he told himself, to keep the girl on her good side.

[mirrored_npc]

She'd known he was the right one to ask. It was good that Bones had help, someone to pick up the little work, the inconveniences that had plagued Bones because of them. Bones didn't look nearly so tired lately. Kirk probably helped him sleep.

Chapel beamed, vicious approval clear in her cold eyes. "I knew you would take good care of us. If you need help, you should call and ask me. I can help take care of us, too."

[behnd_blueyes]

Kirk could only imagine what the light in her eyes meant when her hands gave it shape, and almost felt sorry for Martens.

It only made sense to "take care of it" so Chapel didn't get herself or Rien into more trouble, which would make trouble for McCoy, which, in turn, would fuck his shit up.

"Sure you can," he said. "But maybe I should take this from here, for now. I'll let you know, though. You take care of Rien."