JP: Cmdrs Del Vedova & Rahman: Break a leg (or two)

[Rich Yulin]

((Main Engineering, USS Invicta))

King: I can work with Commander Pandora on going through the databanks to ensure we replicate the appropriate furnishings that keep us true to the time period. ::beat:: I might also suggest that if we’re going to be the crew manning the ship, we might as well look the part...

Macoy: Look the part?  Surely you aren't suggesting getting retro uniforms and going backwards in the way of technology.  Anything we do, we might as well upgrade while we are at it.

::A smirk crept across Roshanara's face as she looked back at the helmsman.::

Rahman: I'll leave the velour and miniskirts to you, ensign, since I know you enjoy dressing up.

::After going a few more details, the Kriosian wrapped up the meeting.::

Rahman: All right then. Get all the help you can. We're going to need it. I'll see you all in a few days at Midway.

King: Sir, one final question: is there anything we should expect from the Klingons at this celebration?

::This time, he returned an amused grin.::

King: Perhaps a Bird-of-Prey that can fire whilst cloaked?

Macoy: Shields.... we will defiantly need to get shields up and running.  I'm not having all our hard work undone by some sort of strange demonstration.

::Roshanara wondered if that was a bit of a Freudian slip there in the ensign's choice of words.::

Walker:  Agreed.  I'd say that shields will come right after propulsion.  Even if we are only dealing with debris fields, we'll need something.  I'm assuming that you'll let us know if there are any other specifics we need? 

Rahman: Of course. Good luck, everyone.

::And with that, she headed off to retrieve one Constitution class starship.::

::But first, there was another matter she needed to attend to personally.::

((Outside Del's Quarters, USS Syracuse))

::With the USS Za's arrival, it was finally happening. It was real. There was no going back. It was time to say goodbye.::

::She walked up to his quarters and tapped the door chime, holding a present behind her back.::

Del: I know it's you. Come on in.

::She stood in the doorway once the doors slid open, keeping the gift out of view.::

Rahman: You ready?

::He looked up. He hadn't yet--he'd known it was her, after all--but there was something in her voice that told him he'd regret it if he didn't. When he spoke himself, he found there was something at the back of his throat he couldn't quite remove.::

Del: No. Definitely not.

Rahman: You know, if you were to have an accident... broke both your legs or something... you wouldn't be able to go. At least not immediately.

::She smiled as she revealed the extra-large hyperspanner she'd been carrying, which resembled more a club than a precise engineering tool.::

Rahman: And maybe they'd figure it wouldn't be worth it to wait.

::He had to grin at that, though he also eyed whatever she'd brought him with one wary eye. Knowing her, it was probably a gift--but, also knowing her, she might have grabbed whatever hyperpolar reversal whosit that looked like it would actually break his legs.::

Del: I, uh, don't know that they would, really.

Rahman: What are friends for, right?

::She took a step forward, and he took a step back.::

Del: Gonna go with my gut here and say not breaking each others' limbs. ::beat:: Probably.

::She looked down at the blunt instrument and shrugged before she put it down and grabbed one of his bags.::

Rahman: All right, then, let's go.

::Why, then, did he almost wish that she'd done it? Not for the pain, surely, but he thought for a moment that he'd rather be anywhere else than where he was going just then.::

Del: Yeah. I'd better.

((Transporter Room))

::When they entered, Roshanara looked over at the transporter chief on duty and dismissed him from his station.::

::She then turned to Del.::

Rahman: Actually, I do have something for you. A bit smaller...

Del: Than the thing you were going to break my legs with? Well, anything would have to be, wouldn't it?

::This time, she took out a much more compact version of the hyperspanner.::

Rahman: Since you gave me a dermal regenerator when we first met to add to my toolkit, I figured you could add this to your medkit. I think you earned it after all the odd jobs you've helped me with.

::For a moment, a moment of sweetness and vulnerability, he smiled widely. That wasn't so odd--she'd seen him smile often enough, and she'd seen nearly everything else, too--but he knew that she meant to mark their friendship in just the same way he had when he'd given her that dermal regenerator all those years ago. Granted, he'd been going out on a limb, and they'd had fewer adventures behind him, but the intent was the same.::

::Not that he could let her know that, of course.::

Del: What, you expect me to fix this new ship?

Rahman: Don't lose it. It's a special model. Direct from Utopia Planitia.

Del: Oh, great! So instead of some engineer who actually needs it, you give it to me? Rosh, you know I don't know an isolinear rod from... ::beat:: ...from... ::beat:: …from something that isn't an isolinear rod!

::She rolled her eyes.::

Rahman: Isolinear rods are Cardassian…

::She then returned a mock look of hurt.::

Rahman: And are you saying you're refusing my gift? I promise it isn't booby-trapped.

::Heh. Now he'd be stuck wondering if it was.::

Del: I didn't say that. Of course I'm going to take it. You never know. ::beat:: Besides, you've needed that regenerator plenty of times, I know. Even if you don't say so, I know.

::He tipped her an enormous wink as she smiled again.::

Del: Alright, alright, I'm going to start bawling if we stretch it out any longer. I don't have anything for you, but you just wait--I'll come back with it, from the edge of space, and it'll be worth waiting for.

::And then, she embraced him in a hug.::

Rahman: I'm going to miss you, Del. Promise me you're going to take care of yourself out there.

Del: Me? How couldn't I? I'm indestructible.

::But she just held onto him a little longer before they parted, and he stepped onto the transporter pad.::

::She went behind the console and prepped the transport.::

Del: Watch your back, Captain. ::beat:: And give me a comm if you ever need a housecall. I might be closer than you think.

Rahman: You can count on it.

::A final exchange of smiles and glances followed, and then he shimmered away.::

::As she looked down at the console to see his signal was now safely on the Za, she then felt the pang of sadness that had been lurking during the whole exchange.::

::But she was happy for him--to be practicing medicine again as he wanted. As he was meant to do. Even if it was bittersweet, they'd see each other again. She knew it as surely as she knew any other truth in the universe.::

::She sighed softly and walked out of the transporter room to head to her ready room.::

::She needed to send her sympathies to his new chief engineer.::

---

Cmdr. Nic del Vedova

Director of Medical Research, USS Za

V238208LV0

&

Cmdr. Roshanara Rahman

Commanding Officer, USS Syracuse

I238705TZ0