Home is where the tub is

Posted on 10 Jan 2022 @ 9:23pm by Civilian Iola Hawkins

Mission: Picking up the pieces
Location: Sickbay and other location
Timeline: When Michael gets back
1686 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

There he was seated in Sickbay, the agonizer had just been taken out. Michael sighed, happy that the agonizer was taken out, and that the pain was gone. Now though, he didn't quite know what to do. He looked towards where the curtained off area was, where Amelia was at, she must be there holding her baby. She and Syvar he could tell, were very happy. He looked at C'Tora and M'Tara noticed the embrace that they were giving each other. Michael's gaze panned around sickbay, as if he were looking for someone. How long had he been gone? A couple of days? Maybe only one? He wasn't certain. When he had that taste of that green powder it did something to his head. Then there was, whatever the gas was that knocked him out as well. Michael shook his head to try to clear it.

Catching the eye of one of the medical personnel. "So, can I go now?" Michael asked, he needed to go somewhere, to get out of sickbay. he was feeling a bit uncomfortable.

The doors to sickbay seemed to fly open, a green and purple blur flying in. "Michael!" the blur's voice seemed to cry out. The blur came to a full stop and seemed to coalesce into the form of the ship's liaison to one of the Dons. "I'm so sorry I'm late, I wasn't told you had been returned." The woman's eyes were filled with worry. "are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Michael's eyes focused on the woman in front of him, blinking a few more times then said. "The Captain, he got it worse." the dark haired engineer slowly responded. "They used the agonizer on him, and then the Klingon painstick, several different times. They used the agonizer on me as well and Morgan." a grimace crossed his features at the memory. Then he shook his head.

"Iola, are you okay?" Michael's mind focusing once more on the beautiful woman in front of him. "Can we leave?"

She pressed soft hands against his cheeks, making him look up at her. "I am taking you home, even if doctors say no," she said sternly, "I'm fine Michael, why wouldn't I be?" She glanced past him, almost daring the nurses to prohibit her from taking him with a single glare. "Captain will be alright, doctors take care of him." She smiled gently as she pulled him to his feet. "I take care of you. Deal?"

Michael slowly nodded, "yes, sounds good Iola." giving a half smile. His mind was still reeling at what happened, he quickly shut down that part of his brain, he was here with Iola. "Where are we going?" he asked her.

"Home," the Orion woman smiled, "as I just said. Can you get up? Can you walk?" Her smile widened a fraction. "I have bath ready in no time."

"I can walk, and home sounds very lovely." Michael setting his feet on the floor. He was glad for the pain meds that were given to him, though he still felt stiff and there was still the memory of the agonizer having been used. "A bath would be really good right now." walking along side Iola. He was also noting a scent on him, and it didn't smell that good. He definitely needed to get cleaned up.

She slipped his arm under his and across his back, effectively holding him up to his feed. "We're not walking home," she told him, then told the computer to transport them straight to his quarters. From there, she got him into his bathroom. "Strip," she told him as she poured a generous amount of soothing oil into the tub, while getting the hot water running. "Clean in shower first, then bath."

Michael nodded, and did as Iola told him to do. The shower helping and then he slipped into the bath. "Iola, something I need to tell you. I had ended up sampling that green powder found on that trader's ship. It looked like an herb so I investigated, and it did something to my head. It was really strange acting much like drug."

"Green herb? Small and leafy in origin?" She put her thumb and index finger about half a centimeter apart. "This big?" She knelt beside the tub, making him look at her. "How much? What effects?" Her eyes filled with worry, and there was definitely something she wasn't telling him, as if she knew something and was afraid to tell him.

"I didn't see the leaf it was ground up fine like a matcha tea, tea powder that the Japanese use in their teapots. And I just licked my finger and placed it in the bag that was found. Just that little bit, hit my head hard. The colors seemed so much brighter and I felt rather energized, and a bit giddy. Almost like I could take on the world." Michael leaned back in the tub, feeling the warmth of the water against the skin.

"I don't know matcha," Iola said, "but leaf is dangerous. You got lucky Michael, I know this drug. My Don has seen it too, but not on his colony. Not among his people. Don work hard to keep people, slaves, everyone, safe." She scoffed angrily as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Not other Dons, they don't care about people. Only wealth."

"I truly think it is dangerous to even have skin contact with it. Perhaps that contact with finger plus my tasting it really made it worse for me and it was just a small amount. What if someone were to drink it in a tea? " he gave a sigh, "Wouldn't that make it go into the system faster?" Michael's brain was starting to think things over. Though also enjoying Iola's attention as well.

"If taken as tea, person is dead," Iola said seriously, "that stuff should be destroyed. Very dangerous, even small amount." She cupped his cheeks and made him look up at her. "You got lucky," she told him, her eyes searching his face as if she was looking for something. "I glad you got lucky," she told him earnestly, "I be lost, if you got hurt, or dead."

Michael reached up and touched her hands that were working the suds into his hair, "I feel lucky, if anything were to happen to you, I'd be looking for you." leaning his head back to look at Iola, "I am glad we are together, Iola." giving her a soft smile.

"Me too.." She leaned a little closer to him. "You are first and only man I love," she admitted to him, "other than Don, but he is special. Different love." She kept true to her vows to keep her Don's identity a secret, but didn't hide the fact that she had a certain admiration for him. Almost like a child's love for a parent.

Michael smiled softly. "I love you too, and I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. If you want that..." Michael was starting to feel the herbs in the water relax him and his eyes were starting to close. They flashed open once more. "I may need to get out of the tub, I don't want to fall asleep here." lifting up his lips to hers.

She leaned down further, his words sinking in. "Forever?" she whispered. "I want yes... if Don approves, then yes forever," she added, still not sure of the amount of true freedom she had. Not even realizing or even knowing that she was in fact, a free woman. "You need to get out of tub... back in shower to get muck of soap off." Strong arms started to hoist him up to his feet, their owner not caring that she was getting very wet in the process.

Michael with her help rose from the tub, and then the two of them headed for the shower. "Yes, I want to marry you Iola." giving a loving smile. "It seems, it feels, very right to me." the shower coming on and the soap washing off. "I just can't see my life without you. And... wait you said yes?" Michael pulling Iola in close to him. "I am a very happy man, I truly am."

"I said yes," Iola confirmed happily, "but I don't understand marriage... is that something special?" She helped him was off the soap, then helped him get dry and into his night wear. "I move here...yes? Stay together?" She looked at him, her hair dripping wet and plastered to her face, her now soaked dress clinging to her lithe body.

"Yes, marriage is something very special. You will move here with me, and yes we will stay together. "Michael responded with a soft smile. He noticed that she was soaking wet and went to get a towel and some night wear for her. "And tonight, you will stay with me as well?" reaching out to help her out of her wet clothing.

"Now and always," Iola promised with a smile, "I will stay."

Michael pulled her close. "I don't know if you realize this but you are a life saver, and a healer. I am very grateful to have you here with me." lifting her face gently upwards so that he could give her a kiss. "Clothing or none?" he asked, as he briefly glance towards his bed, well their bed.

"I am?" She cast him a sincere but questioning look, "I am envoy, not healer...." She followed his gaze and smiled. "None...saves time," she added, "would end up with none anyway, yes?"

Michael chuckled though inside his mind, even though Iola didn't understand, she has been healing his broken heart, and saved his life. "Yes, you are right." as he disrobed her and then himself. Lifting her up into his arms made his way to the bed, and slid under the covers. "My sweet dear Iola, I do love you." then leaned in for a kiss.

---

Lieutenant Michael Hawkins
Chief Engineer
USS Andromeda

Iola
Don's Envoy
pnpc Aidan