STF

Side sim: The Follow-Up

Posted Jan. 20, 2023, 12:18 p.m. by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) (Jennifer Ward)

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side sim: The Follow-Up

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Side sim: The Follow-Up

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side sim: The Follow-Up
Posted by… suppressed (24) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Rand hadn’t even remembered. Not that she forgot she was taking the medications or needed them, nor was she confused. She was just that tired. She felt both relieved and guilty that Roman had to remember for her. She slept all night. Sleeping through when her first alarm usually went off. Nights after her OT sessions Roman had pursuaded her to set a later alarm and sleep in, even if she woke up normally. Most days she did not wake early, telling them both how much she needed the extra sleep. Her work, everything about her was much better for the later start, too.

Rand

Roman was awake early, before his first alarm. With his meds he no longer woke during the night, it was just his anxiety about the sickbay appointment keeping him up. He lay in bed until the alarm, and then he got up and started getting ready, being quite so Rand could sleep.

~ Roman

Pipkin moved back and forth between followed him about as he got ready and getting back on the bed a nuzzling Rand. Rand was usually a light sleeper, by training, but she slept heavily recently. She couldn’t sleep too late though. Even though to help her, the crew had easily switched to submitting their reports on the computer, rather than Rand collect them. She still had return them to be fixed and compile them. Rand also hated missing time with Nibbles. She had missed enough.

Rand didn’t mind an adorable animal wanting attention waking her up. Though she preferred Roman to wake her up. Pipkin’s antics didn’t seem to bother her this morning as she was still asleep.

Rand

Roman woke her when he felt it was late enough, just before her alarm. He gently shook her shoulder, “Miranda, it’s time to wake up.” He waited until she woke, and then said “Good morning,” as he leaned in to kiss her.

~ Roman

A soft, curious “Hmmm?” was followed by a deep breath as she opened her eyes, stretching a little. She smiled up at him right before he kissed her. She sighed as the kiss ended, “Good morning.” She looked at him and then blinked as a worry crossed her face. “You’re already dressed…oh no, did I over sleep?” She sat up quickly, tossing the blanket aside, accidentally covering Pipkin.

Rand

“No, no, you didn’t.” He hugged her, flipping the blanket back off Pipkin. “I was just up early. You have plenty of time.” He stood off the bed and picked up Pipkin, giving Rand space to get up. “How are you feeling this morning?”

~ Roman

Rand hugged him back, and muttered a small ‘whoops’ as he uncovered the bunny. Pipkin was blissful. She hunkered down on Roman’s arms and squeezed her little eyes shut, her already floppy ears, even more so.

Rand swung her legs over the side to stand up. She was careful but there was no dizziness. “I feel okay. I’m not dizzy.” She moved over to the closet and pulled a uniform out. She disappeared into the bathroom. A few minutes later she was dressed, hair in a loose braid and sitting on the bed, pulling her boots on. “Actually, I’m hungry.” She was but Roman needed to eat too. Not fall into old habits. “After, maybe I can use the spare lab console, so I don’t have to walk all the way back just to come back to the lab when I’m done with reports?”

Rand

Roman nodded, “Let’s head down to the galley.” He wasn’t hungry, he felt a little ill actually, but he wanted to make sure she ate and he knew she liked having breakfast with him. Then he nodded again, “Yeah, you can use it. No one else should need it until after you’re usually done with reports.”

Rand knew that was true, she was trying to make him smile. The made sure she had her things and then they headed down to the galley.

When they reached the galley he picked a small and light breakfast and let Rand pick the table they sat at. Then he started picking at his food, trying to make himself eat.

~ Roman

Rand picked something light as well. Though she enjoyed a full heavy breakfast, she preferred something light this early in the morning. She ate, picking and choosing each bite individually, taking her time. She watched Roman and suddenly reached over taking his hand, her ring catching the light. “We could go now…if you would rather. Just rip it off, get it over with. Then you don’t have to worry all day.” Her voice was really quiet, soft. She wasn’t trying to rush him, but her voice conveyed understanding. How much the waiting made it worse.

Rand

Roman squeezed her hand. “No!” The word came out with more force than he intended. He glanced around, then looked back to her and lowered his voice, making himself speak more calmly. “No… Not now.” It all depended on how well what Randy had given him worked if he was going tonight either. He did not miss that she said ‘rip it off’ and it put another point in the column of ‘regretting I ever said that’, but it did make him smile a little and he squeezed her hand again. “It’s alright. Tonight is better.”

~ Roman

Rand nodded, “Okay,” and went back to her food. She didn’t say anything else about it. Eating rather quickly this time. As if she was in a hurry to be done.

Rand

Roman went back to his food, but Rand was finished by the time Roman had managed a quarter of his breakfast. He chuckled and shook his head, “What’s the rush? Excited for reports?”

~ Roman

Rand grinned at him. “Nooooo…but the sooner I get started and finish, the more time I have with Nibbles. And if I am really lucky and don’t have to rush, the lab supervisor might let me hold her again.” She grinned at him, knowing full well she couldn’t just hold Nibbles out of the cage all the time, but if her antics made Roman smile she could be silly…or try anyway.

Rand

Roman did smile. He grinned and gestured to his plate, “Then perhaps the lab supervisor should hurry up too so we can get moving?” Then he started eating a little faster, finishing when there was a little less than half left. “Alright, if I eat any more, it won’t stay eaten.”

~ Roman

Rand grinned at him, and when he was ready she collected their dishes and returned them to the kitchen. That was an improvement, being able to carry a food tray, as long as it wasn’t too heavy.

Roman always noticed little things like that and was quietly glad when they happened. Carrying trays was a small example of her improvement.

Once in the lab, Rand sat down at the console and started working. She had information pulled up on her PaDD and the console, working between both of them to compile the reports. Rand worked fairly well, until she stopped and rubbed her forehead, looking confused. She couldn’t get the reports to sink up correctly. The more times it didn’t work, she got frustrated and confused. She got up and left the lab suddenly. Randy and Elbbirt had told her that if she got like that to take a break and let the frustration fade. She would only make it worse. She returned several minutes later with tea for Roman and water for herself. She sat down and realized her mistake and soon had the reports loaded onto her PaDD for Roman to review.

Rand

Roman worked on his own work, becoming wrapped up in it like he did when he was avoiding something. He noticed her getting frustrated though, and reminded himself to let her work it out. She didn’t like to feel like she needed help with anything and it was good for her to do it on her own. When she brought his tea, he smiled, “Thanks.”

A few minutes later the reports showed up for him to review. It didn’t take him long to work through them. Not many needed corrections or redoing. When he was finished he began working on things that kept him moving around the lab.

~ Roman

What Rand had not done was complie the notes into a report for the biology lab. She normally would, but Roman wanted to keep busy so she left it until he had made the rounds of the animals and would then help compile the reports.

While he worked on his reports, Rand finished prepping her reports for Roger’s and left to have the incomplete and incorrect reports finished. When she returned she set those on his desk and then happily made her way over to Nibbles. She collected a container of food and popped the lid, scattering some. Nibbles wasn’t interested in the food. She wanted Rand’s hand. “Oh nonono you eat first. I have’ta find that scraggly sleeve scrap.” Rand found it in the drawer and slipped it on. For awhile, Nibbles was content to sit in her hand and be petted while she ate.

Rand

Roman was keeping busy around the lab. Then he sat down to do the reports she’d brought, and when those were done, he was back to doing anything around the lab to keep busy. He smiled when he saw her with Pipkin. A moment later he was standing behind her. “How is she doing?”

~ Roman

Anyone else come up behind her like that would startle Rand no end, even when they didn’t mean to. Roman never did startled her. She watched Nibbles. “She was awake and moving around when we came in. She wasn’t interested in the food until I let her sit in my hand. Oh, but watch.” Rand took a berry from the container and reached in with her other hand. Normally Rand left food in her flat palm and let Nibbles take it on her own. This time she held it between thumb and forefinger. She held it level with Nibbles, and the little mouse sat up and took it from her between her front paws. “I was trying to drop food into my palm for her because she won’t leave my hand to get it. She suddenly reached out and took it from me like that.”

Roman

Roman smiled as he watched. It was unbelievably cute, and significant in the study of the animal’s behavior. “She trusts you that well, does she?” He smiled and put his hands gently on her shoulders. “We will add to her notes a recommendation that this species would make a good companion animals for those not averse to rodents.... However, one should always keep at least two of them. What do you think?”

~ Roman

Rand tipped her head to the side. “I think that would be good. She needs a lot of attention. Most people who have pets that stay in enclosures don’t interact with them much. We know she was very depressed at first because she was alone. She might even make a good companion for other animals. Like horses and goats or sheep. They will make herds together so they aren’t alone.” Rand watched Nibbles, “I am not sure if she is taking the food because of trust or because she doesn’t want to leave my hand.” There was plenty of food around the mouse but she would have to get down to get it. “But she must feel secure either way.”

Rand

Roman nodded. “They can’t live alone. That much is obvious. We didn’t know they didn’t live alone when we were there.” He smiled and nodded again, “She must. It’s cute.” He seemed antsy, he was moving around, rubbing her shoulders a little bit, and he didn’t usually go stating the obvious unless he was distracted - of course they didn’t know the rodents lived alone, that was why they had only gotten one. It was nearly lunch by then, which meant they were that much closer to his appointment time.

~ Roman

The lab crew noticed his odd behavior. They thought something was wrong with Rand. She was kind of the lab mascot now. At least for Alpha shift. So they went out of their way to be extra nice and helpful. If they saw her as she made her rounds, they would walk with her a ways, offer to carry things, etc. They just wanted to make sure she was okay.

Rand knew why Roman was acting that way, and she didn’t say anything. She was just there and let him deal with it as he wanted. It wasn’t until she saw Franks giving her a worried look as Roman rubbed her shoulders, that she realized they thought she was having a difficult day. It was both touching that they all decided to look out for her, and anxiety inducing they were paying so much attention. She did her best to not show it. Roman would be embarrassed, and she didn’t mind letting them think she was the one upset.

“Mushu and Nibbles are both fairly tame. I wouldn’t put them in a cage together, but I wonder what they would do if they were close enough to really see each other.” Unfortunately, Rand had duties over lunch. Roman probably couldn’t eat anyway. Mushu was touching the glass if his cage anyway. Roman was moving around the lab, he wanted attention.

Rand

Roman hadn’t noticed any of the looks around the lab. He did, however, notice Mushu’s cute little foot against the glass and went to play interact with the lizard. It wasn’t long before Mushu was on his shoulder, looking very happy, eyestalls extended and seemingly scanning the lab. Roman looked a little more relaxed.

He might have tried to eat if Rand had made him, but since she was working through lunch he didn’t even leave the lab. If he never ate, that made it still morning, right? After lunch, when Rand had time to go back to the lab, Roman wasn’t there, and his staff said he’d gone to his office to work.

~ Roman

Rand was hoping to play with Nibbles some more, but she was still having to be supervised. She fed the mouse and made note of what and how much. Nibbles wasn’t happy she wasn’t getting to stay, but maybe Rand could come back later. She left the lab and went down the corridor to his office and knocked, just in case he was doing something official.

Rand

Roman pressed the door control to let it open. When he saw it was just Rand, he relaxed and waved her in. He was working on paperwork, but it was nothing he couldn’t do in the lab. He looked stressed and he was hunched over his desk like maybe he didn’t feel well. He looked up at her, offered a little smile and said, “Did you want to see Nibbles again?”

~ Roman

Rand set tea down for him. Ginger because she figured his stomach was probably bothering him. She set her things down and walked around behind the desk. She just hugged him.

Rand

Roman turned so he could hug her and caught the scent of the tea. Ginger. He looked up at her, his look puzzled but adoring. “How did you know…?” His stomach hurt and his heart rate felt fast. Not like it did when he needed his hypo, different. But it was why he was hiding in his office.

~ Roman

Roman wasn’t great at talking about how he felt, but Rand recognized the signs. She smiled gently at him. “I’m a Yeoman…” she shrugged. “It’s you. How could I not notice something is wrong?” Especially when it was anxiety, and unless she was really wrong, nearing on panic.

Rand


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