Posted by Lieutenant Kate O’Neill (Chief of Security) in Sick Bay - How lucky can one guy be…instead of one kids we get three
O’Neill knew she could not run through the halls to sick bay. That would be ridiculous with her being the head of security however it was hard not to have a bop to her step as she traversed the halls on the way to tell Shaun the good news. The sounds of Don’t stop me now pumped through the small earphones in her ears making it exceedingly hard to not dance instead of walk. Entering the turbo she nodded to the other crew in the politely calling out the floor. Moving to the back of the turbo she contained her wiggling to a right tap to the beat. There is no way Shaun is not going to be over the moon over this, O’Neill’s inner voice caused the smile on her face to widen.

Are you daft, Katherine responded in a more firm tone. He is going to hate this and you are insane if you think he is going to be thrilled.

Kate bit her lip trying to either keep the smile or prevent it. RIght now she was in angel on your shoulder mode as her dad called. One one shoulder Katherine, the good one was trying to be the voice of reason. Katherine was the practical side of her personality. Years ago she had given the good voice and the bad voice in her head names. Katherine, albeit being her given name, was chosen as the voice of reason because the only person in the world that called her that was her father and typically when she was in trouble. She had long ago learned to associate Katherine with either being in trouble to learning a lesson. Kate on the other hand was her fun side. It was the side that tended her to get into what she liked to term predicaments. Not everything was always a bad idea but most things Kate came up with might not necessarily be the best idea out of the gate.

Shut up and don’t listen to her. We will have a free trip with sand and waves and sun. God you are so pasty you look Swedish chica, Kate’s inner voice replied having off the Katherine voice of reason.

“Yeah I do,” O’Neill announced in the turbo. Several crew looked back at her with one replying ma’am in an inquisitive tone. God you are in public not in your quarters. Stop talking out loud, the voice of Katherine reprimanded her sharply. Needing a way to avoid a trip to the counselor, O’Neill raised her hand to her earphone and rapidly responded, “I have that covered Captain Calin.” The ruse worked. No one wanted to talk to the old man or be overheard in the same space. The fake cover-up did more than make everyone turn eyes front. It also cleared out the turbo on the next level regardless of if the floor that the person needed. O’Neill could barely not laugh out loud. The crew had heard that there would be a ship-wide announcement at 0900 which typically was never good news. Glancing at her watch, O’Neill knew she had an hour to fill in Shaun before the information became general knowledge. As the doors closed, her internal conversation fired back up in her mind.

Okay so back to how much Shaun is going to hate this and you for volunteering us, Katherine began again. There was still time to salvage this. O’Neill was listening to her over that annoying, easily excitable Kate voice so if she acted fast there was a chance to fix this situation.

Watching the floors tick off on the display, Kate knew her time was short to score the win. There was only one option left. Don’t stop me now. If you want to have a good time give me a call, the Kate voice began singing loudly with the music as if to drown out the negative comments of the Katherine voice.

God you are so childish, Katherine snapped before realizing it was a losing battle. O’Neill’s foot was no longer just tapping but was creeping up her body involving the knee and at least one hip wiggle every few bars. Stop dancing O’Neill. Stop is. This is not going to end well.

“Dont stop me Don’t stop me Don’t stop me,* Kate sang loudly feeling O’Neill’s body joining into the bop and wiggle to the tune.

O’Neill was slowly drifting into the daydream of sandcastles, Shaun tossing kids into waves, and a bonfire on the beach roasting marshmallows at the sun dipped into the amber-colored waves.

Oh crap…no not the bah…dee lay ouuut Katherine called out feeling Kate breaking out into a full body dance as if she were in a dance recital now that she was alone in the turbo.

As the song wrapped up the ding of the turbo caused O’Neill to straighten up. Moving to sick bay, O’Neill wore her huge smile again.

*I am totally blaming you for this, Katherine replied to Kate in an angry tone as O’Neill palmed the controls to the pneumatic doors and the music stopped both in their head and from the small device on her wrist.

Scanning the room, O’Neill found her target. “Shaun..Shaun…Shaun,” she rapidly called out his name half walking and half skipping across the space. “Oh my god, you have no idea the amazing news I have to tell you.” Bouncing up on a med next to the cabinet he was restocking she swung her legs happily in circles as they dangled off the side.

“We are going to Gamma Tiltum on an all-expense paid shore leave to that five-star resort own by OMAP.” The squeal in her voice was only silenced by Kate excitedly covering her own mouth as if to physically hold back the excited words from pouring from her lips. Giving herself a second to take a breath she continued.”Get your suit baby because it is going to be me, you, and the beach for a week.” Dropping her hands to the edge of the bed she gripped it tightly wiggling like a small child about to be given the best gift they had ever seen.

Lt. Kate O’Neill

At the bed one away from her, the surgical bed, Siegfried Abel… the CMO and Shaun’s boss… said in a low voice as he looked up at a holodisplay currently detailing where the surgical laser was cutting and fusing an artery that had been crushed in the leg of the Engineer when a support strut shifted “Could you maybe plan on beach attire after I keep this man from bleeding to death internally?” As usual, even when under stress, Abel was friendly.

Abel, CMO