FIC: Lunch at Stravaigin
Lunch at Stravaigin continued ...
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Still feeling hideous the following morning, she went to the mess hall. Weekly meeting. Rush wasn’t there. Young was obviously annoyed but said nothing about Rush at all. Wray brought up the communication stones.
“Colonel,” she said, half putting up her hand as though she was in class. “I think those who haven’t had the opportunity to use the stones ought to.”
Young said mildly, “I have been encouraging people, Ms Wray, but if people don’t want to visit home, then I’m not going to force them.”
Ah, Young didn’t know about Strom.
Wray pressed her lips together for a moment and said, “I made a list so we can double-check no one’s missed out.”
To his credit, Young was disinterested in Wray’s view about anything but said patiently, “Who’s on the list?”
Wray named a couple of people and said blithely, “Oh, and Rush.”
Young glanced at TJ and while she felt a tinge of alarm at the narrow look, she wanted to snap that she wasn’t Rush’s bloody keeper. Fortunately-or not, depending on the point of view-Rush came in at that moment and Young immediately said, like an itch he couldn’t scratch, “This meeting started twenty minutes ago, Rush.”
Rush glanced at his watch and said in gibberish, “Madainn mhath, Colonel, cò an caora sin còmhla riut a chunnaic mi an-raoir?”
“What?” asked Young suspiciously.
Rush smiled blandly and sat down, not answering. Becker put some gloop in front of him and Rush ate it slowly.
Wray said, “We were just discussing who hasn’t used the stones to visit their family; you haven’t yet, Dr Rush.”
Rush looked up and said politely with a brief but pleasant smile, “Oh, no thank you.”
“But everyone should go home for a visit,” Wray said forcefully.
“Why?” asked Rush. “If people don’t want to go, they shouldn’t be made to.”
“I just said that,” Young said.
They stared at each other and Rush’s mouth twitched. After a moment, so did Young’s. Neither of them said anything else. Wray was frustrated. TJ got that she was under orders from her IOA bosses and actually felt a little sorry for her. Left to her own devices, Wray was good value. Pressure from the IOA had made her reluctantly ambitious. The meeting broke up and TJ left without saying anything to Rush. She managed to avoid him for the rest of the week, at least until the next incident.
It was Brody and his little band of rebels again. The aftermath was public and ugly.
It was just a stupid accident. Volker had been learning to use the plasma cutter under Park’s direction and it slipped out of his hand. Before it auto-switched off, the beam glanced off Park’s sleeve. TJ heard the frantic call over the radio and raced to the scene. It was just down the hall from the control interface room. Volker was pacing up and down as Brody and Rush knelt at Park’s side.
“Get her jacket off,” Eli suggested, hovering next to them.
“Not yet,” Rush said curtly. He held her arm carefully. “Lieutenant,” he said, acknowledging TJ.
Park was trying very hard not to cry but tears flowed down her face anyway. TJ pushed Brody out of the way.
“Hey Lisa,” she said gently. “Let’s take a look.”
“What the hell happened?” Young’s voice demanded.
Volker said, “The plasma cutter slipped” at the same time Brody said, “It was an accident.”
Rush said quietly, “Do you have her?”
TJ nodded. He stood.
“What were you doing?” Young demanded.
Volker said, “We were just …”
TJ looked around. There were people everywhere watching
“Eli,” she said. Eli looked down. “Come and help me.”
“You were just what?” Young asked.
TJ looked up to find him glaring at Rush who likely only happened to be there because he had been in the control interface room at the time.
Brody said, “Dr Park was showing Volker how to use the plasma cutter; it slipped, that’s all.”
“That’s all? She could have been killed. I’ll repeat, Mr Brody, what did I say about doing any work without permission?” said Young.
“Ah, don’t be a numpty,” Rush put in scathingly. “It was an accident.” He turned to TJ. “Lieutenant, will Dr Park be all right?”
“Yes, I think so,” TJ said, smiling reassuringly at Park, who smiled back through watery eyes. “It’s a minor burn and I have a honey substitute that will do very nicely and numb the pain as well.”
“There you are then,” said Rush dismissively.
“No, no,” said Young. “That’s not all. We need to discuss the chain of command here, Rush.”
Brody made the mistake of saying, “For fuck’s sake.”
“Brody,” Scott warned moving forward.
There were too many armed people in the hallway for TJ’s liking so she said softly to Eli that they would take Park to the infirmary. They stood Park up but there were so many people in the corridor by now that they couldn’t get past them.
Rush said, “Colonel, it was an accident.”
“I need to know what work is being done, Rush,” said Young, standing his ground.
“I don’t think you understand, Colonel,” said Rush exasperated. “This wasn’t work, it was a training exercise.”
“Without any safety precautions,” said Young.
Rush turned to Brody and said exaggeratedly, “Mr Brody, next time you conduct a training exercise, would you mind informing the health and safety.”
“This isn’t a joke, Rush,” Young snapped.
“No, it isn’t, Colonel,” said Rush. “I think Mr Volker has learnt this lesson the hard way.”
Volker flushed. Rush gave him a nod that TJ interpreted as “Yes, you were careless. Take it on board but move on.” Volker seemed to relax a little.
“Colonel, Dr Park needs her arm treated,” Rush said pointedly. “Brody, pack that thing up, please. Lisa, I’ll come by later. If you’ll excuse me …”
The military people seemed surprised at Rush using her first name but Park said tearfully, “Thank you, Dr Rush.”
Young caught his arm as he went past. Rush looked down at Young’s hand. They stood close together and TJ could see Rush mentally withdrawing at Young’s proximity. Don’t push him, TJ urged Young silently. She started edging towards them, holding Park who seemed more frightened by the tense stand-off than she was by her injury.
Young said, “I’m in charge of this ship, Rush.”
Rush lifted his head and looked into Young’s eyes. He stepped backwards, pulling away from Young’s grasp.
“And why might that be, Colonel?” he said coolly. “I didn’t work for you at Icarus; you were only the base commander, after all.”
Young’s face was white with anger. Everyone looked nervous. TJ could see Wray hovering.
“Where are you going, Rush?” he said, a warning in his voice.
“To the control interface room,” Rush said silkily. “With your permission of course, Colonel.”
He pushed his way through the crowd; Young seemed to suddenly realize people were watching.
Greer said, “Come on, folks, show’s over.”
He gave TJ a worried look but deep down, no matter what he thought of Rush, Greer would support the military command; he’d support Young. Greer cleared a path for TJ and Park. From behind her, TJ could hear Wray say, “Colonel, can I have a word?”
TJ settled Park in the infirmary and treated her arm. It really was minor but Park had been lucky. TJ gave her something to numb her arm and to treat the wound, and some herbs to help her sleep. It was late when TJ heard a noise behind her. Rush was standing watching Park. No, he was watching her.
“She’ll be fine,” TJ said shortly.
“Good,” he said.
He turned to leave but TJ stood, taking his arm. She looked up and around but there was no sign of Bentham. She pulled him over to the other side of the infirmary.
“What the hell are you doing?” she whispered angrily. “Do you really think you’re that indispensible? Are you a total idiot or are you just suicidal? Stop challenging him.”
She didn’t need to say who.
“He is a bit of a challenge,” he said calmly. “I’m sure if there were accessible airlocks, I’d have been shoved out one long ago.”
“That’s not …” she said, wanting to hit him. “That’s not what I meant. Look, Wray was talking to Young after you left.”
He put his fingers on her lips to shush her.
“Don’t,” Rush said. “Scientists are ten-a-penny on this ship but you’re the only doctor.”
He took his hand away from her mouth and she felt completely bereft. He left, as though he hadn’t a care in the universe.
Part Seven
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Still feeling hideous the following morning, she went to the mess hall. Weekly meeting. Rush wasn’t there. Young was obviously annoyed but said nothing about Rush at all. Wray brought up the communication stones.
“Colonel,” she said, half putting up her hand as though she was in class. “I think those who haven’t had the opportunity to use the stones ought to.”
Young said mildly, “I have been encouraging people, Ms Wray, but if people don’t want to visit home, then I’m not going to force them.”
Ah, Young didn’t know about Strom.
Wray pressed her lips together for a moment and said, “I made a list so we can double-check no one’s missed out.”
To his credit, Young was disinterested in Wray’s view about anything but said patiently, “Who’s on the list?”
Wray named a couple of people and said blithely, “Oh, and Rush.”
Young glanced at TJ and while she felt a tinge of alarm at the narrow look, she wanted to snap that she wasn’t Rush’s bloody keeper. Fortunately-or not, depending on the point of view-Rush came in at that moment and Young immediately said, like an itch he couldn’t scratch, “This meeting started twenty minutes ago, Rush.”
Rush glanced at his watch and said in gibberish, “Madainn mhath, Colonel, cò an caora sin còmhla riut a chunnaic mi an-raoir?”
“What?” asked Young suspiciously.
Rush smiled blandly and sat down, not answering. Becker put some gloop in front of him and Rush ate it slowly.
Wray said, “We were just discussing who hasn’t used the stones to visit their family; you haven’t yet, Dr Rush.”
Rush looked up and said politely with a brief but pleasant smile, “Oh, no thank you.”
“But everyone should go home for a visit,” Wray said forcefully.
“Why?” asked Rush. “If people don’t want to go, they shouldn’t be made to.”
“I just said that,” Young said.
They stared at each other and Rush’s mouth twitched. After a moment, so did Young’s. Neither of them said anything else. Wray was frustrated. TJ got that she was under orders from her IOA bosses and actually felt a little sorry for her. Left to her own devices, Wray was good value. Pressure from the IOA had made her reluctantly ambitious. The meeting broke up and TJ left without saying anything to Rush. She managed to avoid him for the rest of the week, at least until the next incident.
It was Brody and his little band of rebels again. The aftermath was public and ugly.
It was just a stupid accident. Volker had been learning to use the plasma cutter under Park’s direction and it slipped out of his hand. Before it auto-switched off, the beam glanced off Park’s sleeve. TJ heard the frantic call over the radio and raced to the scene. It was just down the hall from the control interface room. Volker was pacing up and down as Brody and Rush knelt at Park’s side.
“Get her jacket off,” Eli suggested, hovering next to them.
“Not yet,” Rush said curtly. He held her arm carefully. “Lieutenant,” he said, acknowledging TJ.
Park was trying very hard not to cry but tears flowed down her face anyway. TJ pushed Brody out of the way.
“Hey Lisa,” she said gently. “Let’s take a look.”
“What the hell happened?” Young’s voice demanded.
Volker said, “The plasma cutter slipped” at the same time Brody said, “It was an accident.”
Rush said quietly, “Do you have her?”
TJ nodded. He stood.
“What were you doing?” Young demanded.
Volker said, “We were just …”
TJ looked around. There were people everywhere watching
“Eli,” she said. Eli looked down. “Come and help me.”
“You were just what?” Young asked.
TJ looked up to find him glaring at Rush who likely only happened to be there because he had been in the control interface room at the time.
Brody said, “Dr Park was showing Volker how to use the plasma cutter; it slipped, that’s all.”
“That’s all? She could have been killed. I’ll repeat, Mr Brody, what did I say about doing any work without permission?” said Young.
“Ah, don’t be a numpty,” Rush put in scathingly. “It was an accident.” He turned to TJ. “Lieutenant, will Dr Park be all right?”
“Yes, I think so,” TJ said, smiling reassuringly at Park, who smiled back through watery eyes. “It’s a minor burn and I have a honey substitute that will do very nicely and numb the pain as well.”
“There you are then,” said Rush dismissively.
“No, no,” said Young. “That’s not all. We need to discuss the chain of command here, Rush.”
Brody made the mistake of saying, “For fuck’s sake.”
“Brody,” Scott warned moving forward.
There were too many armed people in the hallway for TJ’s liking so she said softly to Eli that they would take Park to the infirmary. They stood Park up but there were so many people in the corridor by now that they couldn’t get past them.
Rush said, “Colonel, it was an accident.”
“I need to know what work is being done, Rush,” said Young, standing his ground.
“I don’t think you understand, Colonel,” said Rush exasperated. “This wasn’t work, it was a training exercise.”
“Without any safety precautions,” said Young.
Rush turned to Brody and said exaggeratedly, “Mr Brody, next time you conduct a training exercise, would you mind informing the health and safety.”
“This isn’t a joke, Rush,” Young snapped.
“No, it isn’t, Colonel,” said Rush. “I think Mr Volker has learnt this lesson the hard way.”
Volker flushed. Rush gave him a nod that TJ interpreted as “Yes, you were careless. Take it on board but move on.” Volker seemed to relax a little.
“Colonel, Dr Park needs her arm treated,” Rush said pointedly. “Brody, pack that thing up, please. Lisa, I’ll come by later. If you’ll excuse me …”
The military people seemed surprised at Rush using her first name but Park said tearfully, “Thank you, Dr Rush.”
Young caught his arm as he went past. Rush looked down at Young’s hand. They stood close together and TJ could see Rush mentally withdrawing at Young’s proximity. Don’t push him, TJ urged Young silently. She started edging towards them, holding Park who seemed more frightened by the tense stand-off than she was by her injury.
Young said, “I’m in charge of this ship, Rush.”
Rush lifted his head and looked into Young’s eyes. He stepped backwards, pulling away from Young’s grasp.
“And why might that be, Colonel?” he said coolly. “I didn’t work for you at Icarus; you were only the base commander, after all.”
Young’s face was white with anger. Everyone looked nervous. TJ could see Wray hovering.
“Where are you going, Rush?” he said, a warning in his voice.
“To the control interface room,” Rush said silkily. “With your permission of course, Colonel.”
He pushed his way through the crowd; Young seemed to suddenly realize people were watching.
Greer said, “Come on, folks, show’s over.”
He gave TJ a worried look but deep down, no matter what he thought of Rush, Greer would support the military command; he’d support Young. Greer cleared a path for TJ and Park. From behind her, TJ could hear Wray say, “Colonel, can I have a word?”
TJ settled Park in the infirmary and treated her arm. It really was minor but Park had been lucky. TJ gave her something to numb her arm and to treat the wound, and some herbs to help her sleep. It was late when TJ heard a noise behind her. Rush was standing watching Park. No, he was watching her.
“She’ll be fine,” TJ said shortly.
“Good,” he said.
He turned to leave but TJ stood, taking his arm. She looked up and around but there was no sign of Bentham. She pulled him over to the other side of the infirmary.
“What the hell are you doing?” she whispered angrily. “Do you really think you’re that indispensible? Are you a total idiot or are you just suicidal? Stop challenging him.”
She didn’t need to say who.
“He is a bit of a challenge,” he said calmly. “I’m sure if there were accessible airlocks, I’d have been shoved out one long ago.”
“That’s not …” she said, wanting to hit him. “That’s not what I meant. Look, Wray was talking to Young after you left.”
He put his fingers on her lips to shush her.
“Don’t,” Rush said. “Scientists are ten-a-penny on this ship but you’re the only doctor.”
He took his hand away from her mouth and she felt completely bereft. He left, as though he hadn’t a care in the universe.
Part Seven