[sb118-khitomer] Lieutenant Charles Matthews - "Can You Tap My Combadge For Me, Please?"
Shakeel Hussein
((Holodeck One, Deck Five, USS Khitomer))
C. Matthews: That tasted like bacon too…
Torado: You need to chew your food more. ::motioning:: That’s not good for digestion.
Somehow Charlie had managed to keep himself from landing in what had just violently spewed out of his mouth, and cast a glance towards the Marine. What Torado had just said had almost made him chuckle, but he didn’t know her well enough to know if she was joking or actually being serious, although the look he thought she had on her face gave him an inkling into which way she’d meant it.
C. Matthews: ::sighs:: I was in a rush this morning but the next time I have breakfast, I’ll be sure to remember to chew it properly in case there is a need to regurgitate it all a few hours later.
The pain in his head and shoulder was playing havoc with his senses but, even though he’d looked away from his colleague, Matthews could sense that the Lieutenant had taken a couple of steps nearer to him. Pushing himself up with his left hand, he slid his right leg up and folded it quickly, using the boost to push himself off of the ground with his heel and his palm. As he unsteadily came to an upright position, he winced slightly; his right shoulder had surged with searing pain and, despite feeling a little less nauseated, his stomach made an unexpected gurgling sound. He stepped away from the vomit, wondering who would actually clean it, and then looked back at Alene as she neared him and his functional left arm.
Torado: Don’t be proud, man, lean on me.
Charles stopped himself for a split second, wanting to tell Torado that it wasn’t pride that would stop him but more so the desire to not be a burden, not when both the crew and the ship were in some sort of danger. He let out his second Torado-induced sigh, the two arriving in quick succession, and he flung his arm up towards her shoulder and altered his gait to make up for the differences in heights; though as he looked at her, he wasn’t sure just how tall she really was.
C. Matthews: ::chuckles:: Proud? I don’t think pride is really a consideration, Lieutenant. Not after that joke I told you earlier… and definitely not after you saw me chucking my guts up.
Torado: Do you think you can handle a Jeffries tube?
With his weight on Lieutenant Torado, as little of it as he could get away with, he nodded and shuffled forwards to the double doors of the Holodeck, never being as relieved to see a starship corridor as he was now. Despite what had happened, he feigned bravado as he replied to the woman.
C. Matthews: A Jeffries tube? Sure! I’ve still got my left arm. It’s the stronger of the two at the best of times, let alone now. ::pause:: Where are we going? To the Bridge?
Torado: Response
As his feet finally stepped out of the Holodeck, he shook his head.
C. Matthews: Lieutenant? Sickbay?
Torado: Response
C. Matthews: No. We need to check on the status of the ship. My issues are secondary.
Torado: Response
Charlie shook his head once more, this time glancing down at his dangling right hand as he did, and noted that not only was it pointing in a weird direction and still tingling, it had now gone an interesting shade of white. A shade of white with hints of pale pink that, from what he had learnt at the Academy, most likely meant one thing; that there was potential arterial damage and his hand wasn’t getting as much blood as it needed to.
oO Well, that doesn’t look good… even so, it’s one arm against the needs of the crew. It isn’t even a calculation worth figuring out. Oo
C. Matthews: No, Alene. We might be being boarded as we speak. We need to get a sitrep from somewhere, Lieutenant. The Bridge, Engineering, anywhere…
It was at that second that frustration kicked in. He was frustrated that he had no idea what was going on with the ship. Frustrated that he was in this situation, injured again, though at least not dead this time. Not yet, anyway. It was getting on his last nerve, and his patience was already wearing thin from the pain.
C. Matthews: Listen to me. Is my health more important when compared to the safety of the ship? You're a Marine. You'd sacrifice one person if it saved one hundred. Hell, even if it saved ten. If you won’t contact anyone, then I will… ::pause:: …erm... can you tap my combadge for me, please?
Torado: Response
TAGS/TBC
Tactical Officer
USS Khitomer NCC-62400
A240012CM1