Family & Friends Matter - Chapter 48

                                          
                                         TYR & DILLON




Free Enterprise  -  Family & Friends Matter - Chapter 48

The three officers hastened down the corridor to the nearest lift bank and gratefully boarded an unoccupied car.

“Hey! Wait a minute! Were are you two taking me? I'm supposed to be with my crew.” Dylan protested as he was manhandled into the car with Tyr and Khan.

“They can certainly stand to be away from you for another hour or two.” Khan replied.

“I'm taking you to see my CMO.” Tyr said as the doors swished open, he grabbed Dylan's right bicep and gently pulled as they stepped out and walked down the corridor.

“Uh-uh! So she can further break me in two? I've heard stories about that female Klingon Doctor of yours, Tyr, and I'm not going. I have my own CMO, thank you very much.” Dylan declared, as he snatched his arm out of Tyr's grasp.

“And where is Dr. Gemini, pray tell? Looking at butterflies perhaps?” Khan asked. Trance Gemini was an excellent doctor but at times she tended to succumb to childish whimsy. No telling what she would be up to, while on liberty. A station this size had so many interesting races and species to observe was a virtual paradise for her.

Funny after all of these years, Starfleet still had not figured out what Trance was. All they knew was the purple girl showed up with thousands of other would be Starfleet recruits ten years ago, and aced her entrance exams. The rest was history.

“The Ecuadorian Stick Bug is more her style.” Tyr rumbled.

“Okay, okay, I'll come but if your CMO breaks anything, you'll have to pay.” Dylan said.

“Pay? With what? We don't exactly get rich on a Starfleet officer's salary. Remember, we do this just for fun.” Khan stated.

“Where is your engineer, Dylan?” Tyr asked suddenly as a realization dawned on him.

“Uh-oh!” Dylan thought.

“He's probably hanging around Deep Space Ten's Engineer Corp and harassing them. But don't swear that as truth because half the time he turns his communicator off, the other he just ignores it.” he replied.

“Yet you tolerate such blatant insubordination?” Tyr asked as he frowned.

The man had been a discipline problem from the day one when he'd set foot on The Louisiana, but he was a brilliant engineer and computer specialist which Captain Hunt could ill afford to give up. Dylan gazed back at Tyr trying to determine what the Nietzschean was up to, but the man's face was etched from stone.

“If my Chief Medical Officer injures you in any form or fashion, I will provide compensation by giving you one of my crew members. However, if she does not, I demand that you turn over your chief engineer to me.” Tyr said. Dylan gazed at him with jaw agape.

“Are you freaking nuts? What the hell am I supposed to do without a Chief engineer this far out in space!” Dylan demanded.

“You have other engineers, Dylan.” Tyr replied calmly like he was speaking to an enraged child.

“I wouldn't trust them with a spanner.” Dylan muttered. Sharp Katay and Nietzschean ears heard.

“Then I will replace him with two of mine.” Tyr declared.

“What's wrong with them?” Dylan asked. Instantly suspicious of trading a bushel of shiny apples only to get a bushel of rotten tomatoes in return. Nietzscheans tended to do that if they could get away with it.

“Stop!” Khan said. They halted, and the Katay faced his Nietzschean brother yeowled, hissed and spat in Katay.

“What the hell are you doing?” Khan demanded. “Have you totally lost your flipping mind?”

“Trust me brother. I know exactly what I am doing.” Tyr replied in kind. Dylan wanted to laugh, but quickly decided against it, after all they were discussing him.

“Just in case you were not aware of it, Starfleet has regulations against just swapping out personnel like they are a pair of old shoes.” Khan rebutted.

“Chief Engineer Alisha Swenson has been begging for a transfer for the past two years. She has been approved three times but steadfastly refused to leave unless her Nietzschean boyfriend was allowed to go with her.” Tyr replied.

“So that is why. . . . .” Khan replied.

“Yes, that is why she would not go. This would be the perfect opportunity. . . . .” Tyr replied.

“This is all about Seamus, isn't it?” Dylan asked. Both Katay and Nietzschean gazed at the Human in an expression which said “Duh!”

“He'll be so overjoyed it'll be disgusting.” Dylan thought and shook his head, as all three headed towards down the corridor which led to the Insurrection.

The ship was quiet as the refit crews were taking their meal breaks. Tyr had just crossed the wide, red line demarcating the station from the ship when he heard a child-like cry of joy. Someone cannon balled into him, and clung to him with a fierce hug. The Nietzschean literally lifted the small Human male off the deck and hugged him back.

“What'd I tell you? Utterly disgusting!” Dylan thought sourly.

As far as Tyr was concerned, Seamus Harper was the little brother he never had. Even though Tyr, Dylan, Trance, Rommie, Bekka, and Harper were all quad mates in Starfleet Academy, Tyr and Seamus really connected.

Seamus was brilliant when it came to computers and engineering, but was woefully inept when it came to the physical realm. He couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag and he couldn't hold a weapon without accidentally shooting himself or others. Tyr made it his responsibility to whip Cadet Harper into shape with proper diet, exercise, and fighting techniques.

Tyr had put the little engineer back down on the deck and they were both happily bantering while walking towards Sickbay. Dylan snorted and rolled his eyes as he and Khan followed behind them.

“This one has serious jealousy issues.” Khan thought as he padded quietly next to Dylan. It practically radiated from the man.

Nurse Jenkins took one look at Captain Hunt and scurried off to fetch Dr. Kori. While they waited Darwin floated up in his anti-grav planter.

“Ohhhhh! Looks like someone got their a. . . . . er butt handed to them!” Darwin said as his large googly plant eyes gazed knowingly at Dylan. Captain Hunt was shocked he was being addressed by a plant, no less. He personally wondered what other surprises awaited him on Tyr's ship.

“DAWIN!” Kori bellowed.

“Jesus! What the hell was that?” Dylan wondered.

“Eeep!” Darwin said as he shrank down into his planter and cowered.

“Didn't I warn you to stop harassing patients or I'd trim you down with hedge cutters?” Kori asked, as she strode into the treatment room.

Darwin immediately activated his anti-gravity planter control and took a powder. For a second Dylan and The Insurrection's Chief Medical Officer, Doctor Kori stared at one another. Dylan was obviously smitten.

“Don't even think about it, Captain. I'm taken.” Kori said as she tapped the Double Helix she was wearing under her uniform. Tyr hid a smirk behind his hand. It never failed. Human males were always at first terrified of Kori, then they loved her, and would follow her to the ends of the universe.

“Those damned crazy cousins of mine. . . . . .”

“. . . . . . . Now lets see what we have here.” she examined the cuts and scrapes. “ . . . . I see that Tyr's back to participating in his favorite sport, whipping. . . . . .” the rest of the statement was interrupted by a tremendous crash when Nurse Jenkins dropped an instrument sterilization tray. Implements went clanking and skittering across the deck.

“Sorry, Doctor! I've got it under control!” Belinda Jenkins called.

“Butterfingers!” Kori huffed as she rolled her eyes. Dylan wanted to laugh, but she was much too close to him, and had easy access to sharp instruments.

The next few seconds were spent quietly as Kori worked on cleaning Dylan's injuries with antiseptic spray and applying sealskin where needed. Now, all the Louisiana's Captain needed was a sonic shower and a uniform change.

From the waiting area came the raucous sound of Tyr and Harper laughing like hyenas. Dylan was always amazed that Seamus had the gift of making the dour Nietzschean laugh. Whereas with him, Tyr barely cracked a smile.

“Now, that didn't hurt one bit. Did it?” Kori asked as she put up her instruments with practiced ease. In all honesty when Tyr mentioned his Klingon CMO, Dylan had expected her to be like Nurse Ratched.

“No, it didn't. That also means I lost the bet.” Dylan replied.

“Bet? You bet Captain Tyr? Let me tell you the rule of thumb with Nietzscheans. Never, ever, bet a Nietzschean anything, because they always win. The reason they wager in the first place is because they already know the outcome is in their favor.” Kori replied conspiratorially.

“Now you tell me.” Dylan said.

“You are a Captain of a starship and you don't know?” Kori asked.

“I have no Nietzschean crew, soooooo. . . . . .”

“After all of these years? Not even one?” Kori asked as she scowled at Dylan. “Well, you might just get an influx whether you want it or not. Oh, by the way, I am done. You can see your own way out, Sir.” she continued politely and dismissively. Kori then turned on her heel and left.

“So, the rumors are true. Dr. Kori does throw people out of Sickbay! Even Captains!” Dylan thought as he headed for the waiting area. It seemed to be a standard practice for Starfleet Captains to have at least one rouge member of their command staff. His was Harper. Apparently Dr. Kori was Tyr's.

Dylan had tolerated Harper's antics because he was a superlative engineer. Obviously, Tyr put up with Kori's idiosyncrasies because she was an equally superlative Chief Medical Officer.

Dylan stood in the door with his arms akimbo and watched Tyr and Harper yuck it up. Tyr cleared his throat and both became cold sober.

“Dylan. Your fighting technique is off and your stances are terrible. You have seriously neglected your training. What have you been doing all of these years?” Tyr asked, of Dylan.

“Running and hiding from you.” Dylan thought, but wouldn't dear say.

“Being Captain Starfleet vessel.” Dylan responded aloud. The funny thing about Tyr training him. He had trained Dylain in Nietzschean fighting techniques, and he needed a Nietzschean to train with in order to keep his skills sharp. And since he'd had no Nietzschean members of his crew. . . .

“Being a Captain does not prevent you from keeping a disciplined schedule. It is your responsibility to remain in top physical condition in case you are called to arms.” Tyr intoned. In other words, there would be times where a Starfleet Captain would have to cover his own “six”, or protect himself.

“Why do I get the feeling that our first training session is going to begin immediately.” Dylan asked and sighed.

“Not immediately. I will allow you to get dressed in appropriate attire and meet me at gym A in Officer's Country.” Tyr said as he and Harper rose. Dylan glanced at Harper.

“Hey, don't look at me, Cap. I gotta get back to the Louisiana and pack. Monique is gonna love this!” Harper beamed, as he waved and sauntered off.

“Monique?” Tyr queried.

“Harper's friend, partner, lover, now wife. I married them last week as a matter of fact.” Dylan replied.

“My, there are so many wedding bells in the air, it's positively deafening.” Khan interjected. Dylan cast a questing glance at Tyr and the Nietzschean's face was inscrutable.

“He has three.” Khan whispered conspiratorially. Tyr rolled his eyes and gave his Katay brother a disapproving scowl. Though Nietzscheans had been members of the Federation and Starfleet for quite some time, some Humans still saw their mating practices as selfish and repugnant. Tyr had learned to be circumspect when it came to disclosing such matters.

“You lucky dog! When am I going to meet them?” Dylan beamed.

“Will you be free this evening?” Tyr asked.

“For you? Anything Tyr.” Dylan replied.

“Excellent. I will meet you in ninety minutes at the gym. Do not be late, Dylan.” Tyr said, as they parted company.

“You think he'll be in any shape to eat after you finish beating him to a pulp?” Khan asked, as they entered a lift.

“I'll try not to hurt him too badly.” Tyr replied. “I promise I will not knock out all of his teeth nor break his fingers.” he continued. Khan pulled his whiskers back and huffed, as Tyr roared with mirth.

                                         TYR & HARPER


NOTE TO READERS: The name “Nurse Ratched” comes from the book/movie “One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest”. You'd have to have read or seen the movie to understand the reference.