JP Lieutenant JG Lephi & Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek: Deep Down, Everyone is a Ferengi
Lephi
((Sickbay Complex, Deck 10, USS Chin’toka))
{{Mini Time Jump}}
When Lael entered, she found Lephi and Snow off to one side, seemingly lost in a conversation of a more personal nature. She caught snippets due to her sensitive hearing, but did her best to ignore them. Not wanting to seem like she was eavesdropping, she cleared her throat rather loudly to announce her presence.
Rosek: I apologize for interrupting. I heard our beloved Assistant Chief Engineer had a nasty run in with something on the surface and wanted to check in.
Snow: ::smiles:: Hello, Chief.
Lephi: Oh hi, Chief.
Lephi found herself having to focus on the words being spoken in order to clearly make them out. The task was draining for her and she felt a bit overwhelmed, though she tried not to show it in front of her boss.
Lephi: I appreciate that, sir. It's nice to have people who care.
Rosek: If you can spare her for a moment, maybe a word in one of the private rooms that isn’t currently occupied?
Snow: Of course. ::beat:: Try room 3.
Lephi: Am I in trouble?
Rosek: ::smiles and shakes her head:: Not at all. Just thought you’d like to talk somewhere a bit more private. ::looks at Snow:: Besides, from the look of your girl here, she could use some medical attention.
Lephi's concern was lessened a little bit by Liz's comforting squeeze of her hand as she hopped off the biobed and left the two engineers alone with the other doctor. She could hear Rosek speaking, but not clearly enough to hear the words. The glance at Snow didn't escape her notice however, and as Lephi turned her eyes back to her beloved, she noticed that she looked a little worse for wear herself.
A pang of guilt hit her as she realised that most of the attention had been on her, and she cursed the fact it meant Snow went untreated. Slowly, she hopped off of the biobed and followed Rosek into the room.
Lael wasn’t oblivious to the exhaustion written on her Assistant Chief’s face. But she needed to see for herself that Lephi was all right. She’d become rather attached to the Ferengi woman in the short time they’d served together. As Lephi’s superior, however, she felt a need to assess the woman’s state. She’d need to check with Journs before she left as to whether Lephi was restricted in any way duty-wise.
Lephi: What's on your mind, boss?
Rosek: ::pauses:: Well, until the Captain informed me that you were injured, I’d thought to get a brief report from you on what happened down there. ::runs a hand through her hair:: Now? To be honest, I had to see for myself that you were all right.
Lephi strained to hear the words the Chief Engineer was speaking. The whining pitch in her ears had gone away, but her head still felt like it had been split open. She tried to focus her mind on the events of the surface to report to Rosek, but every time she tried, her head screamed out in protest.
Lephi: I'm alive, that's good enough for right now. Unfortunately I ::stops to rub her head in pain:: I can't really remember much of what happened. I'm sorry.
Rosek: ::claps her gently on the shoulder:: That’s all right. You have plenty of time to get your report in. We can talk about it then. ::grins::
Lephi relaxed a little bit. It was a small comfort to her in the moment that her superior was so understanding. It certainly came as a surprise to her based on how she expected Starfleet life to be.
Lephi: Thank you, sir. It will all be in my report, I promise. Now, how have things been up here? Where am I needed?
Lael opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the chirp of her commbadge.
Mei’konda: =/\= Mei’konda to Rosek. =/\=
A playful smirk turned up the corners of Lael’s lips.
Rosek: Saved by the commbadge. ::taps her commbadge:: =/\= Rosek. Go ahead, sir.=/\=
Mei’konda: =/\= I hope you’re on your waay to Engineering by now, Commander. We’re readiing a chroniton radiation buildup near Commander Kiax’s last known locaation. I need you running an analysis and giiving me options, either from Engineering or the Bridge. =/\=
Her gaze flickered to Lephi, offering a smile.
Rosek: =/\= Still with Lephi. But I’ll be leaving in a moment. I’ll get on it as soon as I’m there.=/\=
The woman’s desire to help lingered in Lael’s mind. She understood all too well the need to feel useful and to push through her own injuries for the good of the ship. She’d done it countless times and more than a couple against medical advice. While Lael didn’t know everything that had transpired on the surface, Lephi’s obvious struggles made it clear that she wasn’t in any state to be working.
Mei’konda: =/\= Very well. Let me know what you haave as soon as possible. And… if you’re still near her? Maake sure Sickbay doesn’t let Lephi leave to help you out. I’ve haad enough maverick engineers who didn’t know when to take a breaak, over the years. =/\=
She chuckled. He knew her too well. In the time they’d served together, he’d needed to order her more than once to take some time. Her gaze flickered to Lephi and she arched her eyebrows. Mei wasn’t aware that the maverick engineer was standing right next to her.
Rosek: =/\= Yes, sir. =/\=
Mei’konda: =/\= Mei’konda out. =/\=
Lephi was offended. Or at least she thought she was. She couldn't hear much of the conversation from whoever was on the other end of the commlink but from the bits she did catch, it was clear that Rosek had no plans to use her for whatever the call was about.
Lephi: Who was that?
Rosek: The Captain. I’m under strict orders for you to remain in Sickbay. ::lays her hands on Lephi’s shoulders and meets her gaze:: You’re invaluable to me, but your well-being is my priority.
Lephi: You can't leave me behind, sir. I could be useful. Surely there must be something Doc Journs wants that we could leverage a clean bill of health for?
The Ferengi was driven and ambitious. It was one of the many things Lael admired about her. So much like her in the early days of her career. That thirst to prove herself would get Lephi far. But there was also a fine line. The woman needed to learn when to take care of herself.
Rosek: ::smiles:: You’re very useful, Lephi. I don’t know what I’d do without you downstairs. But I need you to do me a favor. Rest so that you can come down at your best and not when your head feels like it’s going to split open.
Lephi sighed. She knew it was a losing battle, and although her body was screaming at her to listen to the woman in front of her, she had a hard time accepting it as necessary.
Lephi: You drive a hard bargain. You'd make an excellent Ferengi, you know. Really, I'm fine though.
She tried to stand up from her seat, and her bad leg that had met with the shrapnel earlier gave out. Meekly she climbed back to a seated position and looked up at the Commander.
Lephi: Maybe you and the Cap have a point. I don't think I'm much good to anyone at the moment. Promise to keep me in the loop though?
Lael grinned and nodded.
Rosek: I’ll tell you what. Unless the Doc has you on pain meds that prevent it, I’ll buy you a drink when you’re feeling better and you can tell me all about the real-life Stretch Armstrong. ::smirks::
She returned the smile offered to her, though she wasn't quite sure why. Stretch Armstrong sounded like a familiar term, maybe a name or something, but she couldn't quite remember.
Lephi had no intention of letting her boss know anything more about her condition than was absolutely necessary, so she simply pretended to understand.
Lephi: Sounds like a plan, sir. I'll hold you to that.
Lael chuckled. Though she wasn’t as much of a drinker these days, a glass or two every so often wouldn’t hurt. She had enough self-control not to lapse back into old habits. Besides, she had a daughter relying on her now and an inner peace with Chythar’s comforting presence in her mind that little else could match.
Rosek: I wouldn’t expect any less, Lieutenant.
She left Lephi in the room and, seeing both doctors busy, left a message with Wyla Avae, one of the nurses to be passed along when one or both were free, clearly stating Mei’s orders with regard to Lephi. She imagined if she were anything less than thorough in complying with Mei’s directive, she’d be explaining herself. She had no desire to get on the man’s bad side.
With that done, she turned on her heel and exited Sickbay, heading toward Engineering at a brisk walk. There was work to be done and no time to lose.
As Lephi watched Lael walk away, the crushing loneliness of the room weighed down on her. Selfishly she wished that Snow wasn't getting treated so that she could come keep her company. With nothing else to distract her from the nagging pain she felt, she decided to close her eyes and get a bit of rest.
----
Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek, Eng.D.
Chief Engineer
USS Chin'toka, NCC-97187
I238110RH0
&
Lieutenant JG Lephi
Assistant Chief Engineering Officer
USS Chin’toka NCC-97187
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