Knuckle-Draggin'

Posted on Sun Dec 15th, 2024 @ 10:19am by Ensign Rimal Iska & Lieutenant Ame Solis M.D.

Mission: Character Development
Location: USS Athena :: Holodeck 2
Timeline: During Pandora's Box - MD2
2339 words - 4.7 OF Standard Post Measure

With his time occupied by desk work, then training, Iska hadn't really had the time to return the Dunce Cap --otherwise known as the medically-prescribed compression boot-- to sickbay. He did his time and learned his lesson, and the boot sat in the corner of his quarters as a humiliating reminder for about a week before he actually remembered to grab it on his way to training. The holodeck was on the same deck as sickbay anyways, and he didn't have to look at it every morning again.

Iska had a relieving stride as he entered sickbay, boot in hand. He had on his training attire: a dark grey compression t-shirt with two yellow lines across the chest and black, knee-length fitted shorts. "Anyone home?" he called out. The idea of seeing Ame again left him faintly embarrassed, as it reminded him of the reason why he had the boot in the first place.

“I am always home,” Ame answered from her office, craning herself to see who it was that called out. She had been nursing a cup of coffee to get her through the compilation of trauma grab kits. Given the chance of attack or some kind of combat, she wanted to make sure there were key points if transport wasn’t an option. Her eyes narrowed as she made sure she wasn’t seeing things. A slight scramble to get to her feet to greet him better. “You brought me a present, how thoughtful.” A teasing smile crossed her lips, “You don’t want to keep it as a stark reminder of over-extensions?” She held out her hand toward Rimal.

There was no hesitation as Iska put the boot in her waiting hand. "Oh, no thank you, I've had plenty of reminders," he answered with an awkward smile in return. Some of the people Iska chose to keep as friends wasted no time in teasing him for the boot, though he knew it was all banter. "I actually remembered it on my way to the holodeck." Realizing that that was how he got the compression boot in the first place, he quickly raised his hands and added, "n-not to do skills I read in a book, promise! It's just normal training."

Her smile widened, “I’m glad to hear things have returned to normal.” There was a tilt of her head as she took him in. He was quiet the first time, but he was in pain and in the company of a more confident friend. Ame didn’t know him enough to figure out if that was the norm. The boot could have been returned in the replicator, forcing part of her to wonder if perhaps there was something else at play. “Everything okay? I can’t imagine the grief you got from having to wear this.” The Doctor winced, “Sorry about that.”

"Y-yeah! Everything's good," Iska responded, the hint of pink on his cheeks making itself slightly more pronounced. "Teasing over something like that, where it was absolutely my fault, is fairly normal, Doctor." His body language was slightly timid, not quite what one would expect from a security officer. He glanced down at his hands for a second as he thought, just ask! The worst she could say was no, right? "Um... I was wondering if you'd like to join me in the holodeck. I want to make sure I don't twist the ankle... and, well... I guess as thanks for healing it?" He offered a shrug, as if it was no big deal what her answer was. "It's also a little less boring to do these programs with someone else, and the rest of the team is busy right now."

She noticed the flush of his cheeks and the slight stumble in his words, an unusual sight from someone in Security. Ame moved over to the replicator, depositing the boot and watching as it fizzled into nothingness. “Well, thank you for your service,” she murmured with an amused smile before turning back to him. “Every department has its share of trial-and-error moments. You did your research, it just didn’t go as planned. Believe me, that’s not unique to Security. Can you imagine how many experiments go awry for a Doctor?”

His request gave her pause, and she tilted her head slightly as she considered her response. “Well, I’m not exactly the most qualified person to oversee—” she gestured toward his training attire, her tone gently teasing, “this.” There was a fleeting thought. Was this some awkward attempt at a crush? But she dismissed it as quickly as it came. “That said, I can certainly keep you company. Though I’m not sure why you’d want me as company. Physical activity and I… have an ongoing feud. I nearly failed to complete a run the other day.” She offered a wry smile, letting her self-deprecating humour lighten the moment. “But if you think I won’t slow you down, I can spare a few minutes.”

For a couple seconds, Iska was suddenly very aware of how fitting the training attire was. He wasn't Teyo muscular, but still had some definition worth showing. "C-company, yeah," he nodded. "I don't think you'll slow me down. Besides, I wouldn't want to rush back into it too fast and have to hobble back here." Perhaps it was the nature of medical bedside manner, but he was gradually relaxing in the presence of the doctor. Perhaps it was a strange sense of attachment because of how few Bajorans were on board. Both were likely. Trying to match her energy in his own way, he added with a slightly more comfortable smile, "besides, don't tell me you're not at least curious about the security training simulations."

“It’s funny what running for your life through some kind of fictional nightmare world can drive you to,” Ame remarked, rubbing the back of her neck as she fell into step alongside him. “Who knew cardio was the missing piece in my life?” A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, deepening the faint wrinkles at her nose. “Accidents happen all the time. You’re fine.”

She had spent plenty of time around bridge jockeys who loved a good test of prowess, her ex-husband included. “Oh, I know exactly how those things go. It’s usually a flexing contest right up until someone flexes too hard.” She gestured toward the door with a light shrug. “You don’t get accused of being too fiery, do you? Bajoran spicy? Or, I don’t know, too much sass?” Her brow arched in playful curiosity.

Ame wasn’t a stranger to competition herself and could deliver a shrewd analysis when the situation called for it. Still, she preferred to keep things direct and professional, no minced words, just plain truth.

Bajoran... spicy? Iska gave a small laugh and shook his head. "No, I'm actually rather introverted. Sometimes people don't even believe I'm in security." Not that he blamed any doubters, because even he didn't really want this job. He only joined Starfleet to please his father, and while he's grown into the role, if given the chance to return to Bajor and become a librarian or something... he'd probably take it.

The Doctor tilted her head, listening intently as Iska spoke about his quiet nature and unorthodox fit for security. It didn’t surprise her; he hadn’t struck her as the typical security officer even during their first meeting. “It takes all sorts,” she mused with a small smile. “For the longest time, I hated Starfleet too. I was a bit of a menace growing up - hard to believe, I know. A classic case of mischief before I found my way. Could’ve gone down a very different path.” Curiosity threaded through her words as she added, “Is this just a stepping stone for you, or is there a grander plan in the works for the career of Rimal Iska?” The question hung between them, light but deliberate, as though she were testing the waters of his ambitions.

It was hard to believe that a doctor grew up as a menace, but if he could be a security officer... At her question, Iska gave a shrug. "I don't have plans to be the next security chief, if that's what you're asking," he answered with a chuckle. "I'm really hoping I can just do my time before I return to Bajor. Dad said I need at least five years of some kind of military experience before he'd be content with my career choice."

Ame chuckled softly, scratching the back of her head as she mulled over his words. It wasn’t easy being pushed into a role, especially for someone from Bajor, where freedom had always carried a weight of significance. She caught herself before letting her brow arch too noticeably or her tongue click in disapproval. “You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone, Rimal,” she said gently, her voice carrying both understanding and encouragement. There were things she could have said about freedom, resilience, and the burdens carried by their people, but it wasn’t her place. What mattered was that he was clearly a good man, doing his best to navigate the life he’d been handed.

The walk to the holodeck was short, as it was just down the corridor, and he stopped at the door's access panel and configured one of the training simulations to run. "If you haven't been through the Jefferies tubes, there's a simulation I actually enjoy. It's like a race to get from one part of the Athena to another as fast as you can, using only the tubes. Lieutenant Zade likes it because it's useful when there's no power or something. We have a scoreboard, and the fastest is... Lieutenant Dash, I believe."

Ame kept pace, her gaze briefly catching on the door to Savin’s office before shifting to the holodeck entrance. Her eyes narrowed at the command panel, trying to catch a glimpse of what he was loading. “Oh no… This has to be better than the usual run-and-shoot routine,” she remarked, a hint of wry amusement in her tone. “At least it’s more accessible.” Anticipating the challenge, she bent down to rub her thighs, attempting to warm them up for the inevitable climb. “Pretty sure Dash’s record is safe. Very, very safe,” she added with a chuckle, straightening up and shrugging off her jacket to reveal the standard-issue Starfleet uniform beneath.

Finishing the setup, Iska stepped back and waited for the holodeck to confirm that the program was ready. "I won't judge if you want a pair of Cheaters," he told her with a little smirk. "The holodeck has special glasses that give you a heads-up display of where you should go next. They're available for those who haven't done the simulation before."

“Cheaters?” Ame repeated with mock offence, her brow arching dramatically. “I’m not sure even those could save someone with zero athletic ability.” Despite her teasing, she began to stretch, rolling her shoulders and leaning into the motion to prepare for the inevitable aches and pains this challenge would bring. Crawling through confined spaces wasn’t something she did often, or ever, really and she couldn’t recall the last time she climbed more than a couple of flights of stairs. “Guess we’ll see just how bad this is,” she added with a playful grin.

Iska chuckled, stretching a little as well. "Well, if you want them, just say I'm a chicken and the holodeck will generate some." As if anticipating backlash over the rather ridiculous phrase, he then held up his hands, "I didn't come up with the phrase!"

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed, clearly unimpressed. “Chickens? Have you seen chickens? They’re fearless, flightless birds who couldn’t care less that you’re twelve times their size. That’s a terrible phrase.” She shook her head in disbelief, folding her jacket neatly and setting it aside. “If I die, please don’t let it be said that a Jeffries tube got me. I’d rather take my chances with the chicken…” She flashed a sly grin at Iska, steeling herself with an exhale.

Iska chuckled. It was different this time, less reserved. "I'll make sure the holodeck gives you an honorable death by chickens," he returned the jest with a bit of his own. The holodeck alerted that it was ready, so he thumbed the controls and watched the door slide open, exposing a corridor that gracefully curved to the right. "The timer starts once the arch disappears," he advised, standing just on the threshold. "Figuring out where you're going is part of the race, so the first step is to find a wall display and pull up the ship diagram."

“Good, I’m glad we’ve got that laid out.” She looked at the junction in front of her with a momentary flicker of concern. “Right.” Ame spun herself to face the juncture, taking a breath as she assessed her surroundings. It felt like being back at the Academy, only with significantly fewer witnesses to her potential humiliation. “Ready, set, go?” she checked rather than announced, hands settling on her hips.

Her gaze briefly flicked to Iska. He had a quiet resolve about him, something understated but promising. Perhaps all he needed was a little nudge. A bit of encouragement to trust his instincts. *If he could coax a doctor into scrambling through Jeffries tubes, surely he could find his way toward confidence?* A small, encouraging smile curved her lips as she added, “You know, I hope you’re ready to set the pace. Security officers aren’t supposed to let the competition win, right?”

Looking to the fellow Bajoran, Iska's smile widened slightly. "I think you should be more worried about keeping up." He shifted a little, preparing himself to run into the program. "Ready... set... go!"