LtCmdr Connor Dewitt - Orange, Green, White (Part II)

[Tim]

((Flashback, A few day earlier, Transporter Room 1, USS Khitomer))

Matthews: Should we, ::He pointed upwards:: Head to the bridge?

Hobart: No, regular posts. Sickbay, science lab, and Engineering. ::to Zerva:: And Sickbay.

Dewitt: Leave your tricorders for data download. ::nodding towards the table::

Lacy: Response

El’Heem: It’s likely to get crowded up there. I’m going to head to medbay and check on the outcome of Lieutenant Jacin, if that’s okay with you commander?

Matthews: Good point, someone from science has to already be up there. I can head to the labs, maybe start in on what we had for the void. That did get sidelined. And I’d like a chance to review what’s been happening. The others must have an idea of what was going on with the Eridani. That was weird.

Dewitt: Make sure to analyze the data we download, Ensign. Give the process a few minutes. ::to Lacy:: Report to sickbay and make sure we’re prepared for whatever the Eridani throws at us - you know her best now.

Lacy: Response

Hobart: Very good. ::pause:: Ensign Zerva, on your feet, and join the Dr. in Sickbay. Do not leave there until Commander Ohnari clears you. Do you understand?

There was a tone of determination on Nolen’s voice that Connor rarely witnessed.

Zerva: ::like a child being scolded:: Yes sir.

El’Heem: I don’t suspect we sustained any other injuries, this was sort of an ::beat:: all or nothing mission in terms of safety, but if anyone needs medical assistance, physical or otherwise, I give you permission to come with me instead.

Zerva: ::whispering in sadness:: I’m right behind you Doc.

Lacy: Response

As the assortment of officers left the room, Ras paused a last time before exiting.

El’Heem: I never realized how much I appreciated doors that open when they should.

Connor smiled for a moment as the doors closed behind El’Heem again and left the two Lieutenant Commanders alone. He listened to the quiet hum of Khitomer for a second.

Hobart: ::softly:: Kinda surprised we made it out of that one alive, Con.

Connor was too. For the fraction of a second he thought about telling Nolen that he would not have left him alone on the Eridani. He might have disobeyed his orders. By choice. Knowing that might calm Nolen’s doubts or it might have ignited another storm. He chose to keep it to himself. For now, hoping that Nolen had not noticed.

Dewitt: It was your order that did that, Nolen. ::longer pause:: And there was no way to get Vanta out of there and still make it out alive… You know that, don’t you?

Hobart: Yeah, I know. I'm sure Captain Shayne won't leave the body behind. And if he does… well, I've broken better promises than that. ::beat:: Think I was too hard on him?

Connor thought for a second and answered in a soft voice.

Dewitt: No. He was out of line. ::looking into Nolen’s eyes:: You’re the last one to hold this against him. He needed to hear this today. You can check on him tomorrow.

((Present Day, Ship Lounge))

That day, he had reassured his friend that he did the right thing. And while he had not been completely honest in the transporter room, his reassurance was heartfelt. As it always was. Nolen was the right man for the job - both for XO and for being Connor’s best man.

Dewitt: I was the first one to be a pain in the neck when you rewired some emitter and I had to clean up your patch work. ::pause, focussing Nolen’s eyes:: I’ll tell you if I think you screw up.

Connor was briefly reminded of their conversation on Deep Space 9. It had maybe been the first time that he had told Nolen that offensively that he was screwing up. And it probably had been Ayemet’s abduction that had forced him to. But he was glad that they had entered that new field of friendship.

And before his best friend could respond, they were interrupted by a face Connor had not yet seen. Or had he? It was an Ensign in a gold collar. None of his Engineering crew so it had to be operations or security or tactical.

Forza: Excuse me-

Connor and Nolen almost simultaneously turned their heads towards their new arrival. The way the Ensign darted towards their necks suggested to Connor that the unfamiliarity was mutual.

Forza: ::Stumbling over his words a bit:: Sirs! Sirs? Oh I’m sorry for interrupting sirs. I uh, I just wanted uh, to see if I could join you gentlemen for uh, a drink?

Connor felt his best friends gaze as he looked at the Ensign with a mix of concern and confusion on his face before breaking into a warm smile.

Dewitt: I guess we could use a fresh … ::pause:: tongue.

Connor grimaced as he tried to finish that sentence and noticed how awkward it sounded. Maybe, he had spent too much time with Nolen.

Hobart: One question first, Ensign. Are you a connoisseur of cocktails?

Forza: Response

Hobart: Perfect. ::sliding over a shot glass with a milky white liquid:: This is called a “Greasy Fishhook.” It’s, uh… ::consulting PADD:: equal parts Antedian Ouzo and… you know what? Doesn't matter. Try it.

Connor divided his shot glass by pouring half of it into another empty glass and slid it over to Nolen. Then he moved the shot glass up and smelled the liquid. He could not describe the odors that filled his nose, but the name of the shot was accurate.

Dewitt: No. Nonononono…

Forza/Hobart: Response

Connor smirked.

Dewitt: If we serve this, I am sure my mother will leave the party.

Forza/Hobart: Response

Usually, Connor was fast with offering subordinates a first-name basis. But this was different. Nolen was the XO, so instead of calling Forza by his first name, he switched to Nolen’s last.

Dewitt: Name’s Connor Dewitt, Chief Engineer. Commander Hobart ::nodding:: is the XO, but first and foremost my best man in charge of drinks at my wedding ::gesturing towards the armada of glasses::

Forza/Hobart: Response

Tags/TBC

LtCmdr Connor Dewitt
Chief Engineer & Second Officer
USS Khitomer
A239901CD3