Lieutenant Commander Marty Tucker - Thanks For The Coffee
Martin Tucker
Tucker: And there’s Rox and me. I really don’t want to go into detail, but we’re having our first, I dunno? Fight, I guess…she basically broke up with me. But I wouldn’t let her. Now I need to get us out of this subspace rift, and I might get to see my girlfriend again. Frankly, it’s all a bit frustrating with everything going on as well.
Marty knew damn well he couldn’t talk about Rox’s powers, that wasn’t his story to tell. And he’d keep that secret as long as she wanted him too.
Shortrith: Have you talked to her about it since? I know from past encounters that communication is key in relationships.
Marty took a sip of his coffee, chuckling as he did.
Tucker: That’s the thing, Doc, she said in no uncertain terms that we wouldn’t talk again until after we got out of the reef and back into normal space. Trust me when I say I’m doing everything in my power to get us out of here.
Shortrith: I'm assuming you still want to be with her, is that a correct assumption?
Tucker: That goes without saying. I mean, she’s in love with me; I’m in love with her. And we had just professed our love to each other, and then she did this. Between you and me, I could see myself married to her one day. But we need to get over this first….
That was a lot more than he’d originally wanted to say, but it felt right. He even had a ring, that was his late grandmother's. It was in a drawer in his nightstand.
Shortrith: I'm sorry to change the topic, sir, but I couldn't help but remember that there was something I need to tell you. ::taking a deep breath:: It's about Ensign Wren.
Tucker: That works for me; honestly, I'd rather just leave that topic alone for now
The expression on the doctor's face was unsettling, and it sparked a flicker of genuine worry in Marty. In his mind, Wren was the gold standard—a truly exceptional officer and a damn fine engineer. Her Remy bot was a testament to her brilliance, and having it and her around was always a bright spot. She put in the hours, too; honestly, her work ethic rivaled even Morgan's, which was saying something.
But at the same time, Morgan worked herself to death; it wasn’t odd to see her working a double or even triple shift. He had to order her to take shore leave, which she was now taking advantage of. She was off with Raga and a group, headed over to one of the structures.
Shortrith: I had to put her on leave for a couple of weeks to rest up after she told me things that made me concerned about her mental welfare. I won't say anything about it, with patient confidentiality and all, but… I just wanted to let you know that she needs to rest.
There was a slight pause in the conversation as both took the time to take a drag off their coffee. It also gave Marty a few seconds to gather his thoughts.
Shortrith: You also need rest too, you know that, right?
Tucker: Yeah, I saw those orders come across my desk. And I don’t disagree one iota. But it’s been tough on everyone in engineering. So many holes we’re practically Swiss cheese. And while the Cosmozoans have helped with repairs, we need a space dock in a bad way. And it’s not going to be just a quick layover either.
Shortrigth: Response
The computer chirped, breaking the brief silence.
Marty turned in his chair to face the console. First round of diagnostics done, and he punched in the command to run a diagnostic, and the secondary and tertiary backups
Tucker: And I wasn’t ignoring you; I know I need rest. Trust me, my life right now is just a series of naps interrupted by work and productivity.
Shortrigth: Response
Marty drained what was left of his coffee; it was late, or early, depending on what shift you worked. And if he wanted some sleep, drinking coffee at 0100 was not the way to go. He set his cup down and took a second before speaking.
Tucker: Well, I hate to do it, doc, but my job here is done. Now it’s back to the Ronin, a shower, and some sleep. I’ll take what I can get.
Marty stood brushing the creases out of his uniform to no avail. He smiled. It was still going to take some getting used to Lieutenant Shortrith as the CMO. It wasn’t that anything they were doing was wrong; it was just that they weren’t Quentin. It was his hang-up, but something he’d work hard on to eliminate that hang up.
Tucker: Goodnight, Doc, thanks for the ear. Ever need something fixed? You’ve got my number.
He smiled brightly, though he had to put some effort into it this time. He turned and headed towards the door. Marty turned and waved again, and immediately regretted it, feeling like a dork.
Tucker: ::tapping combadge:: Ronin, this is Tucker one to beam out.
Seconds later he felt the transporter take hold.
TAGS/End Scene For Marty Tucker