Mess Hall - Day 15 - Open

[transwarp_beam]

[AKA the Let's Commiserate Over Stupid Shit We Did While Spored post]

Three days: only three days ago the first team had beamed down onto Bacchus II. It felt like bloody months. And now it was finally over

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[my_god_man]

Stepping into Mess, Leonard kept his head down and his eyes to himself. It'd been a long day of working with Pike's people. Some just because the nature of the work. And of course, what it reminded him of. There were a few wet-nosed jackasses, though, that'd past judgment on him and his staff for what had happened. For losing quarantine. For becoming infected as well.

Not that he didn't have the same criticisms for himself. But he'd be damned if he'd let some trumped up, soft-bellied academic take pop shots at his staff.

Shit, so much for the 'relaxing off-time'. Didn't find much relaxing about sitting around doing nothing, letting his thoughts wander. Wander to inevitable places. But Zosto had threatened mutiny if he didn't leave. And those damn academics had been watching oh so interestedly. So, off he went. Didn't feel comfortable going back to his quarters -- the lighting in these corridors could really use some tweaking -- so Mess would have to do. Maybe he'd go see Jim afterward. See if he'd be interested in a nightcap, maybe some company.

It was then that Leonard remembered Jim's physical. Damn, that'd seemed so long ago. He knew that Jim hadn't meant they still couldn't do the things they'd done before. But... well, maybe they still needed some time to settle.

That just left him with his coffee and one of the better lit corners to fidget it.

[transwarp_beam]

Glancing up from his drink he saw McCoy enter the mess hall, enshrouded in his own personal cloud of ill-tempered gloom. If even half the rumours he'd heard were true, their CMO had had one hell of a night. But then again, hadn't they all? He knew he certainly wouldn't be forgetting the last few days any time soon. Possibly ever.

It was oddly comforting to see someone else less than thrilled with the whole situation. Scotty caught McCoy's eye and raised his glass in a wry toast.

[my_god_man]

He'd been scanning for that well-lit corner when Leonard caught sight of Scott. Damn, seemed like ages ago he'd seen the man last too. He remembered the last thing he'd said to him, yelling into the comm about the quarantine break. It wasn't a memory he wanted to attach to such an affable guy.

Catching the quirk of the man's mouth, and his alcohol in open display, Leonard figured things might be a little less affable for the Scotsman right now.

He debated about going on over. Scott couldn't be all that adverse to some company or he'd kept back in the shadows. And there were those shadows to contend with too. "Oh for god's sake," he muttered to himself. Really, was he gonna jump at every shade he encountered for the rest of his life? Steeled by that thought, and admittedly the small hope that maybe Scott would share some of that alcohol, Leonard carefully strolled over.

"Seems a shame not returning that toast properly. Mind if I join ya?"

[transwarp_beam]

"I'll drink to that," Scotty said, pouring a second glass. "Sit yourself down." He topped up his own glass too and left the bottle to one side; didn't bother putting the cap back on. They'd be refilling again soon enough. Casually he slid the other glass across the table, hoping McCoy either wouldn't notice or wouldn't question his cut and bruised knuckles.

"Been a hell of a few days, eh?" Scotty said. He raised his glass and smirked, a darkly amused edge to his expression. "Here's to a highly interesting first mission."

[my_god_man]

Sit himself down. Easier said than done, right now. His last cocktail of muscle relaxant and painkiller had worn off some hours ago. Too damn proud to admit anything in front of their 'guests', he'd stoically gone on with work. While muscles gradually began cramping again and tissue started remembering things best left forgotten. So getting himself down into the seat with as little a display of effort as possible took some concentration. Wasn't sure how well he'd succeeded. Scott seemed more interested in getting drunk, though.

Wasn't a bad idea, actually.

"Interesting my ass," Leonard groused as he took the glass offered. The body part in question winced, kindly telling him to leave it outta things. If only it were that easy. He tapped his glass against Scott's. "Hell's far more accurate." Took a slow and appreciative swallow. Enjoyed the burn all the way down. Now that was a sting he enjoyed. "Mucha'bliged." He watched Scott for a moment before asking, "So how'd things go on your end? Got so hectic after a while, I never noticed when the handlers came back online. Thanks for that, by the way." He saluted again before helping himself to another swallow.

[transwarp_beam]

Scotty snorted, tossing back his own drink. Had no idea what he was being thanked for - as far as saving the day went, he'd been absolutely fucking useless. "Aye, fat lot of good it did. When we get back to Earth I'm gonna find whoever designed these life support systems and have them shot."

He glowered at his glass for daring to be empty and refilled it; knocked back another long swallow. "Things got pretty nasty down in Engineering. Sorry 'bout the extra workload." There were quite a few of his own men laid up in medbay with suspiciously fist- or metal-bar-shaped bruises, injuries which he suspected he was going to be called on to account for later.

[my_god_man]

"Life support was that bad?" Leonard's brows went up at that. "Shit. And I thought requisitioning adequate medical equipment was bad. But ya got the air cleaned up eventually. It helped." By how much, after the containment fiasco in Sickbay, he couldn't say. But that wasn't Scott's fault.

The man seemed to be taking it as such, though. So Leonard joined him on that long swallow. Felt some easing with the tingles this time. Man, he'd more than fallen off the wagon this mission. He'd been run over in on-coming traffic. Didn't much care at the moment though. "Yeah, seen a lot of red in Sickbay the past few days. One of yer girls was an early infection." In more ways than one. "Cassie. Your green gal was stabilized by time I left, by the way. I think another day an' she'll be as good as new." He shook his head, still a little amazed at the waste laid by those spores. "I don't doubt it was hell, by the looks of yer fellas. Looked like it'd been more a riot than an orgy down there. How y'all doin' now?" A pause. "An' yerself?"

[transwarp_beam]

Scotty shrugged. "Coulda filtered it outta the air a lot sooner. 'Course, that would've entailed asphyxiating the entire crew... Like I said, damn stupid design." He shook his head. At least it was good to hear that Gaila was doing okay. "She'd bloody well better be," he muttered, mostly to himself. Especially after what I went though to keep her that way.

He topped up both their glasses, mind racing in the brief respite as he tried to work out exactly how evasive he could get away with being. It was a difficult task. He'd been drinking steadily most of the day, and that was combined with finishing off the last of the triptacederine...and when was the last time he'd slept? Frankly he was surprised and impressed that he was managing his current level of coherency.

Eventually he settled on a middle ground: technically honesty, combined with healthy amounts of omission and downplaying. "Aye, it got..." He couldn't suppress a faint shudder. "Well, I reckon the injuries speak for themselves, eh? Not the best night of my life." And since he knew the issue would come up again if he didn't address it immediately, he added; "I'm a wee bit battered. Nothing terribly urgent." Alright, so that bit was a little bit of a blatant lie. "I'll come by medbay in a while, when it's quieted down some."

[my_god_man]

That was an odd response to a coworker's well-being. Almost sounded like the man thought she owed him the favor of her recovery. Leonard lifted a brow slightly at that, but made no other reply. Wasn't any of his business so long as no one was injured. Maybe it was an engineer thing.

Another nod of thanks and another drink. This didn't count as a second glass, technically. He hadn't gotten to the bottom of the first one. "Don't reckon it was." Leonard had caught that shudder. Felt one of his own wanting to be all sympathetic, thinking on those memories. Well, they say misery loves company. And a good drink. "Sickbay was a damn mess 'til 14 hours ago. We're runnin' well enough now, though. Got more than 'nuff help now," he couldn't resist a snort and an eye roll. Took a drink and continued, "If ya need somethin', don't worry 'bout quiet. Just come on up. I'll take care of ya." And feel like a real doctor again. "By the way, how'd that shoulder hold up in all that?"

[transwarp_beam]

"Engineering's still a mess," Scotty said with a scowl, "We dropped everything to work on the air filters, had to cannibalize a lot of other systems for parts...and now half the damn department's out of commission. It's gonna take bloody ages to get it straightened out."

He tensed and then slumped slightly as McCoy - doctor to the bone, damn him - asked exactly the question he hadn't wanted asked. "It didn't," he admitted. "But it'll keep a little while longer. You don't want me in medbay right now. Trust me." To translate: he wasn't setting foot in medical until a) he was guaranteed some privacy, and b) certain members of his department were no longer in the vicinity.

[my_god_man]

Leonard was about to share some of the horror that had been cleaning up Sickbay. Maybe even find something funny -- was he drunk enough for that yet? -- to cheer up the man some. But then Scott withdrew a bit more into himself. That didn't bode well.

"What d'ya mean by that?" his brows furrowed as he pushed the slight numbing of his brain aside. No time for being tipsy if there was doctoring to be done. "If ya need some tending, why wouldn't I want ya in Medbay? Can't think of anywhere else best ta treat what ails ya. Hell, not like ya can do any worse than what the poor place has endured already. You don't strike me as the type to take advantage of poor medical 'quipment. An' I mean full advantage, if ya know whadda mean." No use in hiding his disgust at that thought.

[transwarp_beam]

Scotty made a strange, aborted little gesture as though he wasn't sure what to do with his hands, grasping vainly for the right words to make this particular problem go away. He waved his good hand inarticulately and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Listen, doc," he said, trying for patient but probably only managing strained, "...not there. Not now. If there's somewhere more...private, fine, but..."

[my_god_man]

"Well, hell man, just say so." Later on, he may admit to himself that he was chomping at the bit for a distraction. For a chance to fix someone else's problems. Sure the hell didn't want to think about his own. In fact, he was so eager to forget about them, he shot up out of his seat without thinking.

He was damn sure he wasn't able to hide that grimace.

As stoically as a man with a throbbing backside could manage, he said, "Where shall it be?" Took a deep breath, let it out as slowly as possible. Continued a little less gruffly, "I've got stuff back in the quarters that might help things a little." Looked down at their glasses. "I know the bourbon will definitely help things. An' I owe ya a swallow or two. Whaddaya think?"

[transwarp_beam]

Scotty coughed in a way which contrived to convey the sentiment of were I a lesser man, I would draw unnecessary attention to your obvious discomfort in much the same way you did mine.

"More drink? Damn, doc, you do know how to tempt a man," he said with a somewhat unconvincing attempt at a grin. He stood rather more carefully and swept his good arm towards the door - the other stayed tucked protectively against his side. "Lead the way."

[my_god_man]

Yeah, Scott wasn't fooling anyone with that arm. The same arm as the formerly subluxed shoulder. Subluxed redux, Leonard was certain. And now that the man was coming out of the shadows more, there was telling evidence of a blossoming shiner as well. Damn, it had been a riot down there.

Leonard did the manly thing and ignored any knowing allusions to his... condition. Also grabbed their glasses. Things were bleak enough. Why add to it with wasted good whiskey? Besides, enough people were scurrying around with their heads down and tails between their legs. He didn't think anyone would question two senior officers with open alcohol in the hallways. Smirked and nodded, "I believe ya know that way now." Started towards the doors slow and easy. For both their sakes. "And I defy any man to resist a good bourbon every once in a while."

[transwarp_beam]

"Bit more booze might help things go easier," Scotty replied agreeably. Oddly enough, of everything it was still his knuckles that smarted the worst. Everything else had become a uniformly present and therefore irrelevant background ache.

On the way out the door he kept pace with McCoy easily enough, although under the circumstances there didn't seem to be much point in trying to pretend he wasn't limping. The whole fun inventory of injuries would be out in the open soon enough.