STF

Things That Matter

Posted Jan. 27, 2023, 7:55 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Alexis Bonner (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) (Jennifer Ward)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Solomon Kane (Chief Science Officer/Research & Development) in Things That Matter

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Alexis Bonner (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) in Things That Matter

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Solomon Kane (Chief Science Officer/Research & Development) in Things That Matter
Posted by… suppressed (37) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Alexis had an idea, but she didn’t know anything about the topic. The two people on board that did were Kane and Borcheck. Since this was supposed to be a surprise, she could not ask Solomon. Surely, she could grasp enough of the basics from Borcheck to figure out the rest herself. In fact she spent a whole day reading everything sh found in the ship’s library on metallurgy and forging.

Quite aware of the CSO’s schedule, Alexis knew when she walked into the R&D lab, Kane would not be there that day. She pressed a hand to the door control and GALEN matched it to her combadge an the doors slid open. She scanned the lab, “Borcheck! Come here.”

The Bolian looked up at her his ever present friendly smile faltering, “I didn’t spill anything!”

Alexis looked at him and breathed before she spoke, “I know that. Over here.” She moved over to her lab table, it was still hers. “You’re going to show me everything you know about metal working. Then, I will help you with your task so you are not behind.” The truth was though that Borcheck’s team would get more done without him there. She was doing them a favor.

Borcheck, who was always trying to make use of Alexis’ lab space, but was locked out, was thrilled to get to mess around and see what she was up to. He was told quite clearly to stop touching things or what she had locked up in there might find his hand tasty. “Don’t touch anything. Just get what we need so we can start.” Alexis double checked all her cabinets and drawers were locked…just in case.

The ‘lesson’ went on for a few hours that seemed like days. Alexis found within half an hour she did have a limit to her temper. More than once, she barely stopped borcheck from setting off the safety protocols. Which would have brought Kane directly to the lab. Alexis would have called a stop but the other lab rats were getting so much done, Alexis endured it for the sake of the work. At the very least she would be able to tell her father all about it. Alexis had to be very mindful not to mutter into her ear piece with frustration. Finally, Aleix took over working with several types of materials in several different physical configurations.

When she was satisfied she knew what she was doing, Alexis cleaned up her station and, as promised, helped Borcheck with his task. It took her less than an hour to do what would take Borcheck all day. Then again, Alexis didn’t talk about nothing for 16 hours straight.

The next day found Alexis in the R&D lab again, after her normal shift. Today she used both auditory and visual distortion fields. Creating the mold was he easy part. The hard part was being sneaky enough to determine the size to make it without anyone figuring out what she was up to. Alexis was smart and observant, and eventually she had the data she needed.

Alexis experimented with all types of metal, eventually she settled on black zirconium. IT was metal which meant it was conductive, but it was safe around chemicals. It took her three days to get it right. She might have singed herself on the hot metal, but she was determined, and there was no skill beyond her grasp if she really wanted it. Why was she doing it this way instead of letting the computer program the replicator? Because he mattered, this mattered. IT drew attention. No one could really see what she was doing, but they knew it wasn’t medical. Once that part was done, Alexis really had a problem. What design to put on it. She still had not decided.

It was quite literally on her screen as she worked in her office. She was working on an in dept complete genome sequencing analysis. Going through each ‘line’ of code against the ‘master’ list. There it was on the CD38 gene. Alexis grinned and finished her shift, but after she made her way, with a short detour, to the medical lab. She had reserved time for a personal project. She was there for four hours, but when she was done, she had exactly the perfect design.

It took her another three days (because she till had to work) of study and practice before she was certain she wouldn’t damage the metal as she etched it. When she was finished, the task complete, she picked it up and turned it about, examining the final result. She nodded firmly, placed it in a box and slipped it into her pocket. She returned equipment and materials, recycled trash and scraps, had GALEN lock her workstation and then went home.

Bonner, AMO

Kane was aware of the activity in the lab. After all, GALEN provided a daily report of all experiments and personnel working in the labs. But he also knew that Alexis was taking great pains to keep whatever she was doing quiet (at least from him), so he didn’t pry. Besides, he had his hands full dissecting an eavesdropping device sent to him by his ‘other’s job and figuring out its point of origin. It took him a full two days to find the maker, buyer, and modification technician who had used the device; but find them he did and sent the information on to whomever would take it from there. By that point, Alexis was so far along in whatever she was doing he knew it would be futile to try and steer her off of it, so he didn’t pry. He was curious, of course. But unlike, well, ANYONE else… he trusted Alexis. So when she came home, he was on the couch watching a documentary on inner-system economics during the first years of the Federation. Without looking away, he said “Hey. How was your day?”

Kane

Alexis was inordinately happy when she saw him sitting on the couch. She also had that look - because she was a horrible card player - that said she was up to something. She tossed her jacket over a chair and pulled three…yes three…styluses out of her hair that were discarded on the workstation on her way past. Her other hand shook her hair out of the bun as she headed toward the bed room. She paused in the doorway. “Today was a productive day.” She disappeared into the other room. She opened the drawer in her bedside table and put the box inside. She appeared shortly after in one of his shirts. It was late and she wasn’t planning on going anywhere else. She sat down on the couch next to him, curling her legs under her. “How was your day?”

Bonner

“Decent.” he said. “Finished that Intel inquiry and turned it back to them. And I managed to stop Ferrar from beating Borcheck to death with a corrupted isolinear array he managed to screw up without even being in lab. I think that’s a personal best for him, actually. He screwed up someone else’s experiment while at lunch. Maybe I should promote him.” and he sighed. “Hey, did you know that before there was an actual Federation, the Vulcans and Tellarites tried to get Humans to buy into a standard currency based on helium credits? Wild…”

Kane

Alexis groaned, “Borcheck will be gone soon. I don’t know how he ever graduated Academy.” She glanced at the screen and nodded slowly, “Yeah I remember that from an Early Federation History lecture. The Andorians were really up in arms about it because the helium system would require them to completely overhaul their economic system in order to trade and participate in interstellar economics. They felt the Vulcans were doing it on purpose to weaken them. So is this catch up on current events homework or a topic you enjoy?”

Bonner

“Side avenue of inquiry from that project.” was all he said and then he looked at her and said “So what have you been up to? How’s the patient and her baby doin’?”

Kane

Alexis nodded, accepting that explanation and not inquiring further. Some things couldn’t be discussed, and some didn’t need to be. She looked back at him and grinned. “I told you the other day, something was bouncing around in my brain. I finished it today.” She leaned in and kissed him. “I told you, it’s a secret, you’ll have to wait. They are doing well right now. They are stable and the baby’s heart is getting stronger and oxygen flow monitoring indicates that the flow is correct and stable now. The mother is going to be on bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy. Sitting up more than 40 degrees puts too much strain on her own body. I hope as the baby gets stronger she’ll get better too.”

Bonner

Kane nodded,but remained silent until he turned off the vid. “So whats the plan for tonight? I have nothing to do or anywhere I gotta be for the next fourteen hours.” he asked.

Kane

Alexis turned her head to look at him as he spoke. She gave a little shrug, staring at him silently for a long quiet moment. “We can do anything you want, Mac,” she grinned over the nickname, “I don’t have anything to do either.” They had established they could do this whenever either of them wanted, and right now Alexis really wanted to, so she leaned in and kissed him.

Bonner

He kissed her back, and when they were done he looked at her and said “Unexpected, but nice. What brought that on? And make sure to write it down so we can replicate it.”

Kane

“You said I could do that any time I wanted, and I didn’t have to ask. So I did.” She was smiling at him. Oh she knew what brought it on and made note of it. “I’ll remember. I can tell you, but do you want the surprise now or later?”

Bonner

Kane furrowed his brow at her and said “Surprise, huh? Well… how about you decide. Unless you’re gonna kiss me like that again. If thats the surprise, I want it now. But I’ll warn ya… it’ll probably lead to other kinds of cooperatove physicality on both our parts. I mean, there are surfaces in this place we haven’t tried out yet.” and he gave her a wink.

Kane

Kissing him was not the surprise, but Alexis was happy to go along with that. She moved, sitting on his lap, knees on either side of his hips. She stared at him through the half cascade of his hair for a long moment, “I’ve been duly warned.” Then she kissed him like they didn’t have ro be anywhere for days, hands sliding up his arms and over his shoulders, pressing as close as to him as she could.

Bonner

It was a couple of hours later when the two were recovered, showered (which led to a need for more recovery), and back on the couch. Kane lay with his back against the arm of the couch and Lex was stretched out against him. I Love Lucy was playing on the vid, and Kane let out a soft chuckle. “Do you ever think Ricky ever just looked at Lucy and said ‘For fu<%s sake, woman. Really?’” and he laughed.

Kane

Alexis shrugged, “He may not have said that exactly, but you know he thought it. He gets this look on his face and stares at the camera every time he finds out what she’s up to.” The expression was exaggerated of course for the performance. “Plus there was that one line, ‘I don’t like that tone. You’re thinking, again.’” That one had made Alexis laugh hard.

Bonner

Kane chuckled. “Yeah… I know that feeling.” and he squeezed her to him and laughed softly. They watched for a few more minutes in silence and then he said “How is your Dad doing? Haven’t seen him in a few days. Have you talked with him?”

Kane

Alexis flushed but hugged him anyway. She might on occasion make him wish she would stop thinking about so much all the time, but she knew he liked her mind anyway. “I had lunch with him…yesterday. He was pretty quiet. I asked him what he was doing, and he said he had some things to work out. That I didn’t need to worry about it. He’s been in the Arboretum every time I take Frigga. She likes to stay with him. I think he is happy to just avoid mom.”

Bonner

“Know that feeling, too…” he said. Not that he didn’t know every move the woman made. He made sure to keep track of her and who she spoke to… maybe even kept track of what she said from time to time. But that was to protect Lex and Anthony. He didn’t trust her not to try and start something, no matter what Alexis and Anthony said. Cowards can surprise you, especially when they are backed into a corner. The words came unbidden into his mind, a voice he hadn’t thought of in decades. His body stiffened slightly and he gently pushed Alexis up and stood up and went to the kitchen. “Need anything?” he asked as he got a glass of juice.

Kane

Alexis didn’t miss the sudden slight tension in him, Alexis noticed everything. She gave him a perplexed look as he pushed her up. “Solomon?” Her eyes tracked him across the room. She considered his question, “I think I missed a few meals working extra the last few days, so....Spaghetti.”

Bonner

He nodded and replicated a bowl the way she liked it. He put it on a tray, brought it over with a glass of water, and set it on the table by the couch. He also brought a bowl of French onion soup for himself. Sitting down, he said “Bon appetite… or whatever they say.” and he chuckled as he started to push the melted cheese on top of soup deeper into the dark broth of the bowl.

Kane

Alexis grabbed the water first, drinking a good portion of it. Settling cross legged on the couch she picked up the bowl of pasta and twirled her fork in it. “What would you say in Mandarin?”

Bonner

“請慢用.” he said. “Literally means ‘please eat slowly’. But the emotion is ‘enjoy your meal’.” He ate a spoonful of soup and then said “You try it. And watch the inflection on the third syllable. Its doubled.”

Kane

Alexis set her fork down as she listened. She played it over in her head making sure she paid attention to the third syllable. “請…慢…用,” she said it slowly twice, paying attention to the vowels and inflections making sure she had it correct.

Bonner

He nodded and ate his soup. “Yep, thats it. Nailed it, as usual.” He fell silent, seeming to concentrate on the contents of the bowl. “I wonder whoever had the thought ‘You know what this soup is missing? Cheese. I’m gonna slap some on here and then throw it in the over for a bit.’ I mean… who does that? I’m not gonna fault their results, though.”

Kane

“Someone who likes cheese? Or maybe they were bored and wanted to experiment?” He seemed…off. something in his tone, but Alexis couldn’t quite put her finger on what. His voice had an edge like it did when he told her he left NDFD because he knew it wouldn’t change and he was tired of saving people just for someone else to try and kill them again. So it was something from before or reminded him of then. Alexis set her hand over his arm for a moment and then went back to eating.

Bonner

Kane finished his soup in silence. He knew she knew something had agitated him. Of course she did. She paid attention and understood him. So, once he had finished, he turned fully and looked at her.

“So there was this guy back in New Detroit. Fixer, con, thief, and all around ass. But… he took kids off the street and fed ‘em. Gave ‘em shelter and a safe place to sleep. In exchange, they did jobs and such for him. And the ones that showed promise he taught some things to. Picking pockets, locks, how to follow somebody without being seen… that kinda shady shit. We got to sit with him at dinner, and he’d talk to us. He was old for that place. Probably in his sixties or seventies. When the average life span was late forties? That was somethin’. Anyway… one of the things he’d always say is that cowards are dangerous. Especially when they think they are trapped and have no way out. They will lash out and do totally unreasonable things just to try and squeek out an opening.” He reached over and took a drink, then looked back at Alexis. “Your mom is a coward. And she is getting backed in a corner. And I am expecting her to lash out just like that.”

Kane

Alexis didn’t expect him to speak, to tell her. If he wanted to or felt like he should, he would do so when he chose. Sometimes when he needed to think he stewed in it, or he drew. Sometimes, like her, he would go to the lab and come up with some new contraption. That was why her dad had called him ‘Stark.’ Alexis gave him the space to do that, just like he gave her the space to work endlessly in the lab when she needed to. She felt no need to pester him or irritate him with pointless questions. When he turned to look at her she set her almost empty bowl on the table and listened.

“Okay.” It was a simple acknowledgement. She didn’t doubt him. Solomon was uncannily accurate when it came to people. “I know she is doing this to herself. That we don’t have to do anything for her to deal with the consequences. But can we do anything to lessen the likelihood she lashes out here, on the ship?” Alexis wasn’t concerned for herself. “She already tried to make a scene early on in sickbay.”

Bonner

“I dunno.” he said 8n thought. “I mean… we could, but I’m not sure that its the right thing to do. Or we could just set it up so we know when and where she goes ape-shit. But again… kinda shady, if you ask me.”

Kane

Alexis shook her head, “I didn’t mean shaddy. I meant like…she keeps trying to come into sickbay to see me. I know she just wants to make a scene, but I could go talk to her. She wants attention and isn’t getting it. It wouldn’t be pleasant but if it makes her feels her less cornered.”

Alexis shrugged. “Probably just leave her alone. They leave soon.”

Bonner

“But are they leaving together, is the question. For your dad’s sake, I hope not. He needs some distance from Allison.” Kane said and exhaled slowly. “And when, not if, she does like her s#!+, the he’ll need to have all the distance he can so it doesn’t spill all over him in public or something.”

Kane

Alexis shook her head, “I don’t know. He told me he offered to arrange transportation for her, so she could go back early. Obviously she didn’t take it. He said he was working on things and wouldn’t tell me. So it has to do with mom. Or Borcheck. I don’t know why he wouldn’t tell me about Borcheck, though.” Alexis picked up her water and drank. “I hope he has already talked to a lawyer. She’ll be brutal and I am sure she will find someone just as nasty as she is. We can ask him when we see him next.”

Bonner, AMO

Kane thought for a moment and then said “I can look at her comms. See who she spoke to. Get advance warning on who she hires. It will give him some defense. Why don’t you call him? Maybe the three if us should talk about preparations.”

Kane

=/\=Bonner to…” she paused because she found it funny because using rank to differentiate didn’t work either. “Anthony Bonner.=/\=

There was a pause and then, =/\=Hey Alexis. What can I do for you?=/\=

=/\=Can you come by our quarters?=/\=

=/\=Sure. 10 minutes. Bonner out.=/\=

Alexis grinned, flushing slightly. She was still only wearing his shirt. “I better go put pants on.”

Bonner

Kane grinned wickedly and said “Well he did say we had ten minutes.” and he kissed her.

Kane

Alexis kissed him, warm and inviting, her hands splayed across his skin. Firm quick kisses punctuated her speech, “Solomon…as much as…I love losing whole days…and hours…with you…if we aren’t…careful…my dad…will be here…” whatever else Alexis was going to say, she decided didn’t matter.

Bonner

It was seventeen minutes later (thankfully) that the chime sounded. Kane had just pulled on a black t-shirt a horned something-or-other and the word ‘MOTÖRHEAD’ written across it, and he looked back at Alexis. “See? Told you. Plenty of time.” and he walked to the door and opened it. “Hey, c’mon in.” he said as Anthony stood waiting.

Kane

Anthony stepped in and a sudden furry mass shot past him and and spun around at Kane’s feet. Apparently the PTs were done with Frigga for the day. Anthony glanced over as Alexis stepped out of the bedroom looking like she had rushed to get dressed and not quite as put together as was usual. That was his daughter, yes, but he couldn’t help being happy. Kane was very good for her, not that Anthony wanted the details.

“So, why the sudden invite? Not that I mind, I’ll take all the time I can get, but I thought Alexis was busy on a project.”

Alexis walked over and hugged him, “I finished that.”

Anthony nodded, “Are you going to share what you were working on?”

“No.” Alexis grinned as she made her way over to the replicator and grabbed three drinks and then set them down as she sat.

Bonner

“We’re looking for an update. Where you are at, how things stand… when we can expect Allison to just implode into a mass of hate and resentment for all the imagined wrongs done to her. That kinda thing.” Kane said and took a drink, handed it to Anthony, took one for himself, and then sat down.

Kane

Anthony took the glass and nodded, “Ah, well…I guess that will depend on when she finds out her lawyer backed out.” Anthony took a long swallow and sat back. “She hired this sleepy Ferengi by the name of Motax. Specializes in divorces and taking his fee from the settlement, which usually leaves the the other spouse destitute. Anyway I got an official letter from his office. I directed him to my lawyer. Another Ferengi, friend of mine Cpt Drebnac in the JAG office. Got another letter from Motax’ office today saying to withdraw any inquires into Alisson’s case to her new lawyer. There was no profit it in it for him.” Anthony chuckled.

Bonner

Kane smiled and said “Anthony.. my man. Well played.” and he laughed slightly. “But you know thats gonna drive her nuts. And she’ll try to get someone even more shady, right?”

Kane

Anthony laughed, “Oh yeah. But see there is a reason greedy people wait till their spouse is out of service. JAG doesn’t play around. Our incomes and stipends are very fixed. Once she divorces me there is no extra for her to get because my income reverts. There is no extra for the lawyers fees and etc. That’s why Motax backed out. Alisson didn’t explain to him I was a Star Fleet officer. Drebnac told me he said if he had known from the beginning he would have hung up on her.”

Anthony lifted the glass and sipped at it this time. “The only thing she can go after is the house and the bakery. I don’t want the house. I already had a friend of mine go and remove my things along with Drebnac who took a full inventory. As for the bakery I paid for a really good lawyer when we set that up. She can try but she’ll lose most of her money in court fees to do it.”

Bonner


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