Sticks & Stones

Posted on 10 Oct 2022 @ 8:21pm by Lieutenant JG Lisald Vaat & Lieutenant Albert Spangler

985 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Outbreak
Location: Sickbay

The Chief Science Officer and newly minted Lieutenant Junior Grade took the seat next to the bed Lisald occupied. Eventually Albert broke the silence, the tired grin he reserved for his Bajoran friend a little more genuine than usual. "Guess what? You don't outrank me anymore." Albert still had the new pips in hand, having came straight from his meeting with the Captain. He handed them over, grin growing to a full smile and raised eyebrow.

Feeling something small and metallic land in his hand, Vaat moved it in his palm until he had a firm grasp on it with his fingers, something quite difficult still in this stage of his recovery, and brought it up to look at it. It was a half-pip. Lisald looked at it confused for a moment, then looked over to his friend. Confusion was on Lisald's face; Albert was still wearing the Ensign rank on his collar. "I don't understand," he croaked. His throat was dry, and was weak from disuse. As the words (barely) escaped his lips, the realization of what his friend was saying finally made it through the fog in his brain. "You got promoted?" If he were feeling any better, he would have sounded (and been) much more excited for his best friend.

"That's pretty much the reaction I had. But, yes." Albert wasn't sure how much he was joking, "Seems the Captain must have been overwhelmed by all the excitement, and in his haste gave me that thing. Might as well, my Ensign pip was getting lonely, all by itself."

Vaat smiled at his friend. "You are being modest, Albert. You know as well as I do that you deserved this. I do agree though, the Captain certainly made a mistake," he teased weakly, shifting painfully and uncomfortably in his biobed, as best he could.

"Well, I figured if you could make it this far, it couldn't be that hard." Spangler answered with a chuckle. His friend's discomfort was obvious and not particularly easy to watch, but the sheer fact Vaat was alive took an immense weight off his shoulders. "How're you feeling, Mr. Vaat?" Al grinned Inwardly, remembering how annoyed the Bajoran got the first time he used the man's given name inappropriately. It entertained him immensely.

"Like I could to cart-wheels and acrobatics, Spang," he said in retort. "Why do I suddenly feel like I am Frodo Baggins to your Samwise Gamgee, calling me Mr. Vaat?"

Albert raised an eyebrow. "Nerd."

Vaat laughed, then winced hard in pain. "Oh, let's not do that again," he said, one eye closed tight in pain. Thankfully, the pain subsided quickly. Feeling, more than remembering, that the half pip belonging to Albert was in his hand, he held it up between his forefinger and thumb. "So when will you be putting this on, then?"

The grin faded as Al stared at the small metallic object. "I wasn't sure if I was going to." He shrugged, not entirely sure what to say next. "Everytime I think I might have a future with Starfleet, I get reminded I have no business here. Somehow our biggest failures have resulted my advancement." He reflected on the failed mission that resulted in him eventually becoming Chief of Science. He sighed, choosing not to think how that half-pip came about. "I dont know."

It was now Vaat's turn to be concerned about his friend. "Hey, you earned this. You've done everything asked of you, and more. Your expertise, your thoughts, and your contributions have made it so that we are still sitting here talking about it. Things don't always turn out the way we hope. Even if we do literally everything correct, sometimes we will fail. It's life. And this life has put you here on the Cygnus, and put you in positions that got you promoted for your efforts. I agree with Captain Bane and Commander Larsen on this one, my friend. You need to put this on, and wear it with pride." He then smirked, and for a moment, his eyes shone brightly and confidently. "Either that, or I get to outrank you for the rest of your days."

"The horror." Albert's expression softened. "Alright, I suppose I've gone this far." He leaned forward, accommodating the injured man. "It's your fault I have the damn thing, you might as well pin it on."

Vaat smiled, and with great effort, put it on. It was too far over, and not even with the original pip, but it was on. Spangler would have to fix it later on when he encountered a mirror. "There ya go, my friend," he said. "Wait, how it is my fault?"

Spangler was surprised by the perceived weight of the wonky pip on his collar. He breathed deep, considering the question. Albert considered making a joke, maybe even the truth. Maybe some day.

Instead the Science Officer stood. "Could you imagine where I'd be if I didn't have you to blame? Time for you to get some rest. Can't have you laying around in bed forever."

Lisald settled back into the biobed, but snorted as he did so. "And what? Be like you laying in bed all the time? Besides, I do more work in bed than you do in Science Lab 1," he said, and laughed.

"Lab 1 sucks anyway. I've taken way more naps in Lab 2 than you'd ever hope for." Al responded with his nose somewhat in the air. He stopped at the door, adding one last comment before taking his leave, "And you look like hell. Work on that."

Watching the human scientist walk away, Lisald grinned deeply. His last comment could have been construed as hurtful and mean, but Lisald knew differently. Despite himself, and despite the pain, Vaat laughed for the first time since waking up.


OFF

A JP by

Lieutenants junior grade Lisald and Spangler
USS Cygnus, naturally

 

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