Breaking the Ice

Posted on Tue May 21st, 2019 @ 7:05pm by Lieutenant Gunnar Arnason & Lieutenant JG Lillian James

1,403 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Deep Freeze
Location: Haumea Colony Hospital
Timeline: MD 05 : 1400 Hrs

After a (thankfully) uneventful ride back, Gunnar escorted the new security officer into the hospital. While updates on the search for the missing driver - who had been located and was warming up and being treated for minor frostbite at landing strip facility - had occupied most of the journey, he couldn't help but notice that their passenger had been extremely quiet. Certainly understandable given her ...unusual... show of gratitude, but however awkward that had been, his natural inclination was to try to put a patient at ease.

Pulling a fresh blanket from the warming cabinet now conveniently set up near the door, he dropped it around her shoulders. "This way, LT James," he said, guiding her toward an exam room. "I'll try to make your exam go more smoothly than your arrival."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. I'm sorry but I don't know your name, just that you're a Lieutenant."

"Sorry, in all the ...excitement... I forgot." He ducked his head apologetically. "Gunnar Arnason. Pleased to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you Lt. Arnason, and please let me apologize for the way I was acting earlier. I was just so thrilled to be rescued and not freezing to death," Lillian said as slipped up onto the examing table.

"It's alright. It's the sort of situation that can bring out odd reactions," he said, but refrained from mentioning that he'd once been so relieved to be rescued that he'd told a woman he loved her just for handing him a coffee. They story might put her more at ease, but would likely lead to questions about circumstances he preferred not to discussed. "Though I'd like to be sure it was just relief and not a cold-induced hypoglycemic reaction. Have you had any issues like that before?"

"No none, although that was my first time being THAT cold. I'm used to the weather in San Fransico or Q'onos. I still can't believe that not only did I try to come on to the commanding officer but that I kissed him too, and then I go and do the same thing to you. My mother would be appalled and my god-father would be furious with me."

His brows lifted at the mention of the Klingon homeworld, but it wasn't completely unusual for someone to have been stationed there. "This must have been a shock for you, then. I found San Francisco somewhat on the warm side, and I'm told Q'onos is even warmer."

Seeing his raised eyebrows at the mention of Q'onos, she felt the need to explain a little. "My God-father is a Klingon, and that's why I haven't ever been so cold in my life. I have no idea how people manage to survive living like this. Can you tell me why it is so cold here? Is this normal or did something happen?"

Gunnar laughed; he couldn't help it. "Sorry," he explained. "I should probably mention that I grew up on the northern side of Iceland. So, while I don't know what the normal climate here is and I agree this is cold, it's not something I feel challenged surviving." He activated the biobed's medscan routine. "But I understand why you might. Did you spend your childhood on Q'onos?"

Lillian was surprised at his laughter but understood as he explained. "Some of it, I was getting into a lot of fights at school after my dad died, so my god-father stepped in and taught me how to fight with honor, and defend myself. Sometimes he would come to Earth and other I was sent to Q'onos. When I graduated from school and then the academy he would award me with my own weapons. Perhaps now I should mention the weapons that I'm currently wearing, I don't want them to interfere with your scans. Do you want to take them off or are they okay as longs as you know about them?"

"Honestly, I'd have been shocked to meet someone in a security force who didn't have at least knife in their boot," he answered, already noting the location of metallics that didn't fit the profile for prosthetics and suppressing a shudder at one of them - the shape was painfully distinctive, but being forewarned he could firmly push the memory aside. Still, he'd prefer not to see her draw it. "They won't interfere with the scan, but thank you for telling me. I admit, without the explanation the kut'luch might have given me pause."

"Only a pause? I've met people who ran out of the room once they find out about them and insisted that I take them off and put them in a locker or another room before they would even come back into the room with me. I'm glad that you're not like that though but be forewarned that if I'm injured I will always have weapons on me," Lillian said as she smiled. "Now, what can you tell me about the security chief?"

"I'm Starfleet Medical. No offense, but security turns up needing our services a bit more often than most, so I'm used to seeing weapons when one of you comes in injured. Not that it's just security," he added, lest that came across as prejudiced. "Personally, I don't carry, but one of my favorite doctors usually had a brace of throwing knives under her uniform jacket."

He paused to make a note on his PaDD - just because he wasn't bothered didn't mean the civilian staff would feel the same way about it. "As to the security chief, I haven't had much chance to get to know him, but I get the impression he's something of a straight arrow. You should probably tell him about the non-regulation weapons, and avoid ...thanking him," Gunnar joked, giving her a teasing wink.

"Well, there goes my fun, if I can't thank him then what am to do," Lillian said as she laughed, "Thanks for letting me know that he's like that, I don't need any more embarrassing situations. I think I've had my quota for the year." After a few moments of silence, "Since you can't tell me much about the Cheif, what can you tell me about Command Mahone?"

"He's got a lot to deal with, but he's a good person," Gunnar said. "Of course I'm slightly prejudiced. He was a doctor before transferring to Command, so he's made it a point to support the hospital here."

Lillian raised an eyebrow in surprise, and said sarcastically, "Well, you're just full of useful information today. Does he have a lot to deal with personally or professionally? I'm not looking for secrets here, just in general so I can get an idea of who he is."

"I only know him professionally," Gunnar replied. He debated adding that he wouldn't discuss anything personal in any case, but it might come across implying there was something personal to know. Changing the subject, he brought up her scan. "You seem to have had a number of fractures. Is that due to accident or combat?"

She noticed the change in the subject but didn't mind, she really didn't want to know anything that was meant to be secret."Combat in a way. I received most of them as a kid fighting in school and a few others sparing with other Klingon kids and refusing to back down, as they would see it as a sign weakness."

Gunnar frowned slightly, but nodded. The pattern had made him wonder if there had been past abuse, but the explanation made sense. He'd certainly seen enough injuries from people refusing to tap out or stay down in a sparring match - and most of those had been adults. "At least none of it looks recent, so I assume you've learned better. Nothing else stands out here. Are there any health issues you're concerned about?"

"No other issues, but I still won't back down from a fight, by I try to a bit more diplomatic before things get that far," Lillian replied sitting up.

"That's good, because I'm an NP, not a doctor," he replied. "So try to stay diplomatic if it's the sort of fight that might lead to someone needing surgery, eh?"

"Trust me, if I need surgery then something went horribly wrong. But I give you my word, I'll be diplomatic first."

Gunnar smiled. "Then I'll expect the next time I see you, it'll be under better circumstances."

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