Opportunities [BACKPOST]

Posted on Mon Jul 21st, 2025 @ 10:59pm by Lieutenant Xavier Leiko & Lieutenant Didrea Zade

Mission: Character Development
Location: Quarters/Sickbay
Timeline: MD6 - Evening
1549 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Xavier checked the chronometer. Nearly time. He paced the small patch of carpet between the replicator and his dining table. "Computer, what is the status of Leiko 197?" He asked for what felt like the twentieth time in the last hour.

Leiko 197 is ready for implementation.

Xavier turned to face the replicator. Did the computer have a tone? He knew it didn't, but it certainly felt like it had. He shook off the feeling and checked the chronometer again. Game time! He took a deep breath and pulled his jacket from the back of one of the chairs. Throwing it over his shoulders, he left his quarters.

It only took Xavier a few minutes to reach sickbay, and when he entered the dimly lit room, there were only a few members of the medical team on shift. There was only one occupied biobed and that was the person he was visiting. He moved towards it quietly, hoping that the Trill was still awake; thankfully, she was. "Hey," he said in a soft voice, trying his bed not to startle her. "How are you feeling?"

While there was some comfort in knowing that several people cared enough to check in on her, Zade was skeptical to believe that answering the same 8 questions repeatedly counted as 'rest by doctor's orders.' Ryan was the only break from the onslaught of sympathy, but it also wasn't what she'd call a rosy visit either. So when the sickbay doors opened and someone walked up to her yet again, she couldn't help but brace for verbal impact.

Not another one.

The thought came without hesitation, and a slight pressing of her lips together gave away the apologetic grimace at her own unfiltered thinking. There was no way Xavier didn't hear that. "I could be better." While still stiff, her muscles complained a lot less compared to earlier that morning, but she was still careful when sitting up. She learned fairly quickly that the forcefield helping her leg heal didn't like abrupt movement. "It's been a surprisingly busy day, considering all I've done is lay here."

"I won't stay long," Xavier said, replying to her inner monologue rather than her words. "I bet everyone and their targ has asked you that question," he added apologetically. "The classics are classic for a reason," he finished with a slight shrug and a smile.

"Give me a meaningful conversation, and I won't mind your company," Zade offered, now feeling bad for her own anticipation. "People have asked the same questions all day, and I appreciate the concern but I would rather talk about anything else at the moment."

"Our last meaningful conversation involved a lot of fruit," Xavier said with a grin. "I thought you would appreciate the mundane after that eventful day." He moved closer and sat on one of the stools that lingered between the two biobeds. "I could always send Teyo in to see you if you like?"

"Um. No." Zade simply responded, giving him that 'I will get payback if you do that' look. Finn, Xavier, and herself agreed to not mention the effects of the truth fruit they had on Suleur, even though by now it seemed to become more of an inside joke. She would not forget how uncomfortably silent that shuttle ride had been. "Setting aside the fact that I've seen about a dozen different faces today, the last thing I need is one of the more rowdy crew members aware that I can't stop him from doing his usual antics."

"I wouldn't do that to you," Xavier replied with a forced chuckle. "Believe it or not, I kinda like you. Even if you do try to push people away," he added as he looked away. He wanted to avoid eye contact so as not to make the situation more uncomfortable than it needed to be. He used the opportunity to scan the room, noting that the night shift staff hadn't turned up yet. He turned back to face Zade and offered her a genuine smile. "Didn't expect me to say that, did you?"

"I was hoping it was the fruit talking," Zade teased. He seemed... well, distracted, or maybe uncomfortable, and she didn't want to keep him. As much as she didn't want to talk about her condition, she was also undecided on whether or not she really wanted to be alone. Sickbay could really be boring. "I appreciate it, though. You're not too bad yourself, and you'll gain favour if you bring a deck of cards or something next time."

Xavier smiled. "I could always replicate some cards, though, from what I remember, you don't seem to like losing. Actually, now that I think about it, that seems to be a common trait with security officers; your department certainly has a type." He looked up as the door swooshed open and the night shift staff walked in. "Have you ever tried xot'chi tea?"

While putting action behind words wasn't an option at the moment, Zade's look still had a 'try me' spark to it. "I haven't," she replied. "I'll try it if you're free for at least one game of cards. It's not sweet, is it?"

"On the contrary, it's rather bitter. My mother swears by its healing properties, and even though I don't buy into all of that, I always drink it when I'm recovering." Xavier rose from his chair and gave a Trill a cheery smile. "I'll get the drinks and the cards and you decide on the game."

Xavier made his way to the replicator on the other side of the room from the medical staff, who seemed to be huddled in some kind of post-match/pre-match discussion. The timing was perfect. "Computer, Leiko 197 and a standard pack of Western Earth's playing cards." The computer beeped in response but nothing happened. Xavier had been expecting this and looked around to make sure the medical personnel were still distracted. They were. A few more seconds later, the two cups of tea and cards materialised. Pocketing the cards, he carried the tea back to Zade and placed it by the side of her bed. "Let it cool for a moment," he said as he pulled the cards from his pocket and started to shuffle the deck. "So what's the game?"

"There was one I learned at the Academy," Zade began, watching him shuffle. Once he was done, she took the cards and started dealing them out.

They played longer than Xavier had intended to but he was enjoying himself and lost track of the time. It was only when one of the nurses commented that Zade should probably get some rest that he realised how late it was. "For someone who almost died, you certainly know your way around a deck of cards," he said as he stuffed them back into their cardboard sleeve.

Zade rolled her eyes at him, a little disappointed that he had to go but also appreciative for any distraction that came her way. "For a telepath, you lost quite a lot," she teased back. "I do appreciate you staying, though. It made this significantly more bearable."

“I mean, you did almost die, I was being nice. Next time I’m using this,” Xavier said as he tapped his index finger to his temple. “Goodnight,” he managed to get in before the doors to sickbay closed behind him. Outside, in the now dimly lit corridor, he let out a long exhale and made his way to the nearest turbolift.

“Computer, lights,” he ordered once he arrived back in his quarters. “And lock the door,” he added as an afterthought. He pulled off his jacket and kicked his boots off to the side of the couch. Tentatively, he made his way over to the replicator. He almost hoped it hadn’t worked, that the ship’s security system had beaten his code and his special medicine had failed to materialise in his quarters. What if I mixed up the sequence? He panicked. What if I sent it to someone else’s quarters, like Zora's or Kane's? He needn’t have worried. Even a few feet away, he could see the glint of the metal vials taunting him, luring him, calling to him.

He had just about enough self-control to check the status of Leiko 197 and just as programmed, all trace of the probably-illegal-certainly-immoral sequence had been wiped from the Athena’s memory banks. A wave of relief washed over him; he was in the clear, for now. But how long could he keep this up? This is the last time he promised himself. The feeling of relief was quickly replaced by self-loathing. He moved over to the couch and loaded the hypospray, but didn’t inject it. His thumb paused on the trigger, the head of the nozzle lightly brushing his neck, he waited. And he waited some more. This felt like a turning point, a chance to put himself back on the correct path. A chance to make things up to his friends, and his family, and Jerant. He took a deep breath… and pressed the trigger.