Helping hand

Posted on Mon Mar 21st, 2022 @ 10:32pm by Callie Marshall & Captain Fergus Williams

Mission: S1 Episode 2: Caretaker, Part II
Location: Marine biff.
Timeline: Mission Day 1 at 1630
1029 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure

A faint trail of crushing echoed down the corridors of the marines biff. The place was still a mess with the damage and wounded. Even still the marine CO was searching for something in the remains of his room.

He crushed again as his injured side shifted and sent pain surging through his body. Dam his modifications and the speed it burned through painkillers.

Callie had made her way to the marine deck to find out what repairs needed doing. Things were slowly coming together but there was plenty more to do before the ship was fully up to par, though they didn’t have the back up of a Starbase here for refreshing supplies. She heard the noise and followed it, coming upon Fergus.

“Captain, is there anything I can do to help you?” She offered a polite smile.

A few more curses came her way before the marine realised she was standing there. " Sorry lass didn't see you...." he managed to say before grunting in pain again. A few more curses emerged before he slumped into a chair. " Trying to find my cigars..." he managed to blurt out.

“Let me look” Callie smiled as she walked over and started rummaging through the area where Fergus had been looking. “Are they in a container of some sort? What am I looking for?”

" Marine trunk that kept under the bed." He hissed through his pain pointing to his overturned bed. " It's not here some bugger who going to get my foot up there ass has stolen it."

“Maybe it’s just been misplaced” Callie looked around before moving over to an area that Fergus obviously hadn’t managed to get to. She rifled through gently placing his belongings in a neat pile. “Ah ha!” She carefully pulled out a trunk and moved it closer to Fergus. “Is this it?”

"No that's my clothing truck, but give it here I keep a box in there." He said as he looked at her.

Callie nodded and handed it over. “Do you want me to keep looking?”

The marine managed to fumble the trunk open and pulled out a box of cigars. Tearing the wrapper off one he fumbled for a match before lighting it. Breathing it in he expeled a long plume of smoke as his face seemed to settle. Leaning back in his chair he breathed in as his heart seemed to calm as his eyes closed thinking of her. " How bad is the ship damaged lieutenant?" he inquired not even looking up.

“Bad enough” Callie’s smile faded a little. “We lost a lot of good people, and we’re going to need to eventually find resupply. We’re okay for now, though I wish we were within range of a Starbase or Terran planet. It’s a scary thought giving birth to a child whilst stuck so far from home.” She stopped talking, she hadn’t meant to go into her own personal musings especially when she didn’t know who she could truly trust yet.

The marine let out a chuckle as he deeply exhaled. " And I thought being addicted to these was the worst that could happen."

Callie grinned. “With current med tech, those things are not such a risk anymore. I guess I did play with fire for a little while when I first came aboard, but it found me the man of my dreams and a baby too.” She liked Williams, he made her feel at ease.

" Must be lucky to have someone to hold. Someone you know isn't going to stab you in the back." the marine thought to himself. Now any chance of finding her was gone. He felt empty right down to his soul.

"Are you alright?" Callie looked at Fergus concernedly. "Was .. Is there someone back home waiting for you?"

" Someone I had to find. We got separated on Phautune and I've not been able to track her down." came the marines reply with pain easily detectable in his voice.

Callie nodded. "All I have back there is a controlling father who would sooner use me to his own ends." She sighed. "I was glad to be promoted to my position here to finally have some freedom. My mother is his slave, he took me and raised me. There's no love in his heart for me."

" Never knew my parents. A pair of junkies who tried to trade me for another needle to jam into their asses. " Fergus replied with a slight chuckle. " Can you believe they tried drawing guns when the police burst through the door? I've heard they blew my mother's head clean off." He responded with clear anger visible in his voice at the memory.

"I'm sorry to hear that, it's not a memory you really want to have." Callie looked around. "Would you like some help cleaning this place up? I have a few minutes, but I do have to get back to Troy I'm supposed to be making sure he's resting since his release from Sickbay."

" I'll be okay lass. Need to find which little shit's taken my cigars." the marine said as he saw the look of concern in his voice. " I'll be okay. I had worse during boot camp." he said reassuringly.

“I’ve no doubt of that” Callie smiled. “But I’ll be back to check on nonetheless. After all you never know when you might need an ally. I could certainly use one with your skills in the months to come ... actually would you teach me the kind of self defence a pregnant woman would need to know? To say I’m worried about being vulnerable is an understatement.”

" I'll do my best lass." The marine said as he pulled himself up. " Right now we need to watch each other's backs."

Callie nodded. “That we do Captain. Let me know when, and where you need me and I’ll be there.”

" We start tomorrow. " the marine called after her as he slumped back against his seat.

“Tomorrow it is” Callie nodded and smiled as she started for the door, right now she needed something for the roaring headache she had.

{OFF}