Analyzing more than computers

Posted on Fri Jan 12th, 2024 @ 11:06pm by Lieutenant Commander Rutherford (RJ) Milton

Mission: Starship Side Quest
Location: Medical Area
Timeline: Mission Day One

On:



Ensign Riley. Larissa her preferred name, was sent to the Planet side hospital to work on some damaged computers that needed reprogramming. More than anything this would be a time-consuming task than mentally challenging; that would also come down to just what she had to deal with. Some viruses could be quite the challenge.



The place is bustling with activity, patients and medical staff going to and fro. From a theory of it, one might call it 'Organized Chaos' but that might be a stretch.



Larissa flagged down a passing nurse, he looked at her and thought for a moment.



"You looking for Doc Milton?" The nurse confirmed. "Look for Pix's glow and the tall guy near her is the Doc. She sticks really close to him planet side normally." He explained.. Can't miss the glow floating about, easiest to find her."



Larissa looked at the nurse rather quizzically. "Pix?" She replied. "A floating glow? You sure you haven't been workin' too hard there, mate?"



"You must be new, Thought everyone had heard of Pix and the Doc." He chuckled. "How many people have their own Pixie that follows them around?" Thinking for a second, he continued. "Just look for Pix, she might find you first and lead you to the Doc?"



"Okay....I guess." Larissa was not sure what to quite make of that conversation. "Thanks for the heads up." She went on her way moving through the space when something caught her eye.



Not far away a glowing sphere with a feminine shape in the center hovered beside a biobed, the tall man was fiddling with the gauge settings trying to balance the settings out.



"Not going to be of any help here, not any magic I have will do a thing." Milton shut the unit down. "I would hate to hard line replace because of programming glitch."



"That sort of a drastic measure is often reserved as a last resort, mate. I think there are plenty of options in the old toolbox before we ever get that far." Her right hand came up to her hip and subconsciously she popped her left hip a little. "I doubt they would have sent me if hard line replacements were on the table here. Of course, I could naturally be wrong. I haven't exactly had a look at the little blighter yet."



"I bow to the experts." Milton chuckled at the feminine voice behind him, turning to face her.



Standing in front of Doc Milton and Pix was a woman, about 5'8 in height. She favoured the skirted uniform; the skirt was neat, snug on her hips and framed her hourglass figure well. Her 'under jacket' blouse was neat, lightly tucked in and had the slight missionary collar for her rank insignia. She was a little different with her uniform jacket and very particular about it. True, it didn't break the uniform code and yet she still got looks about it. She left the Ops style jacket open; her comm badge neatly pinned in place on the left-hand side. The right side had a section of small pockets for things like small tools, penlight torch and such. For a jacket with full sleeves, she had them bunched up to sit comfortably above her elbows. Unless she was going to be crawling through computer cores and such, she had a preference for low heels that matched her skirt colour.



Her deep brown hair (that had a slight red tinge to it in just the right light), in length sat at the middle of her back. She had left her bangs down with the more angular fringe. Some sections had been plaited and used to pin the rest of her hair back. She had deep and quite dark chocolate brown eyes that seemed to have their own sparkle and take everything in.



Milton had a split-second lapse in decorum, his eyes widened as he took in the spectacle. The jolt he felt hit him in the gut, a healthy hourglass figure, not the anorexic. Shapely legs into nice hips and waist, the figure had his attention until he saw the lightly hair framed face while drawing him in.



The eyes caught him, the liquid chocolate had him urging for a taste, the sparkle there mixed with the depths had his brain disconnect before he caught himself looking and broke the contact.



Pix felt a jolt, looking at Her Rutherford she followed his fixation, the young woman had him really out of character, he actually took the time to admire her, his feelings told Pix this female had his full attention, the not Doctor side looking.



She grew a sly knowing grin.



"From what one of the nurses said for 'directions', I'd say it'd be a firm guess that you're Doc Milton..." Her eyes caught the bright orb. "and Miss Pix...... By Peter and Wendy...... I believe in fairies!" She blushed for a moment. "Sorry, I may have dreamed of it in the fairy garden at home, but it's my first time meeting a fairy of any kind."



"That is beautiful..." Milton remarked and shook his head clear. Pix brightened with the complement of a heart filled statement. "I d-don't know if she really is a Pixie, she has just acted like it." He all but stuttered.



Pix giggled, with a like Christmas bells sort of jingle.



"Y-You have me... us at a disadvantage. "Ah am Doc Milton, and de-spite being Ah gentleman, it is only Polite like to have You'all name if yew please?"



Pix's eyes went wide as she doubled over slightly, he only let his Southern Drawl out when talking to his 'kin' on holo-calls. Pix realized his extreme nervousness had brought it out, with him not knowing.



Pix might have to land if this kept up.



"Well, a southern gentleman meets a lady of the south... of sorts." Her smile was beaming bringing out her dimples, thanks to her high cheek bones.



"G'day there, to ya both." She would have tipped her Akubra if she had of been wearing it, instead she went with a light nod of her head.



"Larissa Riley, good to meet ya both. Nice accent there, Doc. So, is it like Doc Holiday, everyone just knows you as that and the first name is shrouded in mystery?" Larissa stepped in a bit closer. He certainly was a looker, he seemed sweet and nervous.



Not as nervous as her though. She could feel her heart tug at her in standing near him. The smell of his aftershave mixed with that touch of pheromones, the manly musk that she was truly missing. Larissa was resisting the urge to have her hands in front of her, instead her hips had a gentle sway to them. Almost in rhythm to some unknown tune. *Really cute guy alert! Bonus points for the accent. Would he date me if he knew?* Her mind raced, as the first real feelings of attraction washed over her.



"RJ..." Milton said with a smile. "Most stick with the 'Doc' moniker, it comes with the duty." He kept his attention above the shoulders. "The romantic notion is not what you think, for the record Doc Holiday was a Dentist, not an MD."



She giggled a moment. "Yeah, a lot of the old holos don't get that right, huh." She gently put a hand to his shoulder. "Don't worry, Ar-Jay. I'll pull out every tool in the box if I have to, before I dare think of things like hard-line replacements. My reputation as a 'Microchip Macgyver' is on the line here." Larissa could not help but smile and under it all she could feel her heart marking time. Looking deep into his eyes as she talked to him wasn't helping.



*Okay, he's a cute, well mannered, nice smelling, southern boy that has an accent to die for who already has your heart approaching quarter impulse.* The thought of his lips and deep eyes had her mesmerised. *Riss... watch yourself! You have a time limit here.*



"Ol' Doc Holiday depended more on his reputation than one might think, so Ah think Ah understand rep-u-tation a bit more than most. And would not hinder the popetuation of a moniker. So, do Ah call you MacGyver or is there a name you Pre-fer?



"Larissa or Riss... is just fine by me... Ar-Jay "



"Miss Larissa, pretty name." His Drawl still hinting away. "Ah suppose you all doing me a favor puts us on first name basis."



Pix was trying not to laugh so much, it should not be funny, but it is.



Milton had wanted to put a hand upon the one on his shoulder but decided that might be taken as 'forward' and a Southern Gentleman is not forward.



"I... had better get to work or else it will never get done. It'd be better to start with a terminal first. It would make fixing the... biobeds easier."



*Heart, slow down... I don't even know....if he.... sure, he's gorgeous! That won't count for anything if he doesn't...* All her heart did was tease at her more.



"Let me know when completed, I could run a practical test on it and prove it is set right?" It is a gamble that she agrees or might take offense?



Larissa blushed a moment. *what would he think of me if I didn't volunteer? Heavens! What would he think of me if I did?! He would find out....not that I can truly hide that forever. God! What should I do?! You're already doing that little rock you do..... he's just so cute and that accent is like chocolate.*



"Uh, sure. Happy to help." Larissa replied.



*What on Earth did you just agree to?! He'll find out! This could either be great or seriously backfire! Just fix the terminal first and see what you can do about the biobed for tall, handsome and droolworthy!* She thought to herself.



"Which is the best terminal for me to try and resuscitate? Not much luck for you around here without it." Riss pondered, nervously fidgeting with her jacket hem behind her back.



"How about this 'un here, it's the most used by what I am told?" Milton liked her eyes, the rest of her is not to be pawned off as average in his opinion. But he had to remain professional, not caring what he felt so much as not frightening her off. "I-ah will just be over yonder if yew all get done."



"All good, Ar-Jay." Her strong Southern Australian accent truly came through in just that much of the conversation. "I found ya once, I can do it again." She replied with a smile. Larissa even gave Pix a smile before looking to the terminal.



"I'd best get to it. Kinda on the clock after all." With that she gave a small wave and turned her attention fully to the terminal.



"Time for you and I to have a little chat, mate... and I'd really love a bit of co-operation." Larissa started to tap at a few keys which soon became faster as she started the game of 'tug of war' between her and the system.



Milton went over to a biobed where a little girl was having a nurse unwrap her wrist that had been burned. Pix came to hover at the girl's eye level. She waved a greeting with her wide smile.



Milton took a dermal regenerator to ease over the wound making the skin a bit dry but no damage from the injury. Once complete he smiled, said a few words and with a wave of his hand a lollipop appeared, and he gave it to her.



Her smile was missing a front tooth and radiant.



Larissa noted the little exchange. There was a little sigh and "awww" slipped out quietly. Her right hand settled over her stomach; her natural thoughts betrayed her. She may have been working, but that newer side to her popped out.



*Would he be like that with her if he knew, at least when she is older? Seeing him like that with a little one is sweet. To have someone care for us both, would be hitting the jackpot. It would be nice to have that, with him....maybe if I'm really lucky. Ugh! Don't go getting ahead of yourself. Just because of how others have treated you.* Her mind went so easily down that rabbit hole.



Naturally her hand came back up as soon as her head pulled her back into work. She kicked her heels off, the 'discussion' was taking a little longer and her ankles were aching a bit.



Milton chanced a glance in the direction of where Larissa is working, strictly to get a gauge on how the repairs are going. Pix was in his face snapping those tiny fingers, he felt her contained laughter.



"What do you..." She was standing at a hover, hands on hips. She was not holding back. "This is bad Pix, I have a job to do, and it is not keeping tabs on a pretty woman with cute legs in a short skirt."



Pix almost lost it right there; humans really complicate a simple attraction process. Too much thinking and insufficient action.



It had taken some 'coaxing', there was time and layers of data between Larissa and the 'little infiltrator', when given enough time a lot of things are possible.



"Gotcha!" She rebooted the terminal, and it was back in business. She could relay the patch to the other terminals over a food break or after a nursing session. Going by schedule, that would be due in a bit over an hour and a half's time.



She moved on to the biobeds. Hoping the patch to the terminals could work for their programming as well. She came over to Biobed one and connected a PADD with the patch to it.



"Now play nice. We need ya up and running." She watched the progress quite carefully. Once the patch was complete, she ran a reboot, followed by a diagnostic series.



"Well well, looks like you check out okay. At least by a diagnostic standard. Ar-Jay will be the better judge of this."



With a sigh, and what almost felt like the first flutters were back, more probably nerves, Larissa went back to RJ.



"Heya, you have one terminal back up, the rest I can patch over my lunch break, if needed. Biobed 1 has been through patching and diagnostics. I'm sure it's real test will come from you, though." She smiled softly, feeling her heart at pace and stomach all aflutter.



"You know in the old days star pilots would take the repair person on the test?" He said with a sly grin. "Up to a scan to see if your work pays off, I need a volunteer to test it?"



There was an internal sigh. "I do believe that I had agreed to that earlier." *Although I'm slightly second guessing saying yes to that.*



Offering a hand to help the lady, the gentleman brought a light sheet from under the Biobed to cover Larissa from waist to ankles.



"Now relax and enjoy the break." He instructed while activating the monitor. "I am going to run the full battery of tests to check the scan sensitivity."



"Okay." She swallowed a little nervously, her hands naturally settled over her stomach. It felt like the flutters had gotten a lot stronger, the nervousness had been dialled up quite a bit.



While reading the data he paused and made sure he is reading the data correctly?



"Do you mind terribly if Ah ask a personal like question?" Milton inquired with a light blush.



Larissa had to try and hide the panic in her eyes and face. "Oh? A personal question? Is....something wrong?"



"Are you a new mother?" The monitor shows some organ displacement, and the hormone levels are not within the average human female range." He explained. "If the levels are correct then I'd say you had a little one about two or three months ago?"



It was Larissa's turn to blush. "T...Two months ago.."



"Oh good, the system is working fine. I am glad you are here as it shows the sensitivity is calibrated." He grinned. "Was the baby a girl or a boy..." He was thinking for a second. "Could be twins; the system tells me about you only."



"Oh no.... just the one." She fiddled with a pendant that was hiding just under the collar line. "One rather long and lanky 8 pound 6 ounce girl. I was wondering why I felt so big.... I had her in there and fresh out of room. I'm not surprised that not everything is back in place yet."



"From the evidence in front of me Ah bet she is a beautiful baby..." he cleared his throat. "All babies are cute but yours I can... guess is special." He stammered. "Wow she sounds like a real healthy one?"



"I'm 5'8, her dad was tall too. That kind of height was bound to happen. I had my mum and mum in-law to be both saying I have child-bearing hips... I needed them, too." She blushed deep red. "Everyone said I looked small. I didn't feel small!"



"Well you look fine..." he shook his head slightly. 'I mean you have obviously recovered well..."



Christmas bells sang out from the top of the monitor.



"I wish I could understand her." Larissa paused for a moment. "I have some good hobbies, everyone says I 'snapped back' well." Her left hand moved away from her stomach; sitting rather low, her hand hovered away from her body. From RJ's perspective, he would see her remembering just how 'big' her 'bump' had been. She was caught up for a moment tracing the teardrop shaped bump from top to bottom. She looked up and blushed.



"It doesn't feel like it was two months ago that she was still in there, wriggling and hiccuping. Even now, my body isn't truly my own though. Jenny's needs come first, they have to."



"I am told that is what the best parents say." Milton felt his heart beat more normal after mention of the father, she is beautiful and of course someone else had her for himself. "It is a parental things. Birth parents usually agree on that." Busying himself with the monitor, his gut was finally missing a point here in the attraction this time.



"I'm sure he would, if he were still around. The most I have left are memories, pictures and a ring on a chain." Her left hand moved up to touch the ring on the pendant chain.



Milton was caught speechless, sorry for her loss but a slim hope he could see her again... maybe on ship out of sick bay? But swooping on a widow is not... gentleman like. "Sorry to hear that." He meant it. "What iz your little Darlin's name, you said Jenny, Jenny what? I like baby names give a hint as to what parents thought of the first sight when Baby arrived."



"Thanks, Ar-Jay. I lost him not long after I found out she was on the way. It was a long journey alone." She paused a moment. "Jennifer Lindsey"



"Beautiful name." He looked into her eye before stopping himself. "I feel it suits her."



"I thought so, Julian had Joked Lindsey could be a great first name, be it boy or girl. He did have a wry sense of humour for a Kiwi."



Looking still deeper he has a grin. Not able to break this gut feeling. "Think it more more pretty for Jennifer, goes well together." He was chatting up this lady, might even be pushing it." You have lovely eyes by the way, bet Jennifer has those too?"



"Like when she was cooking soneone gave her dark chocolate drops for eyes."



Larissa had eyes that did drive a desire to taste. "Not unlike her mothers tantalizing ones..." Had he just sealed his doom? Before he realized he leant in and kissed her.



Larissa had her heart jump and skip a beat, she could have sworn it skipped a couple of times before the kiss was done. A southern guy, gorgeous accent and he was interested in Jenny.



"Wow... that was nice! Unexpected, mind you." With that she gently returned the favour.



He savored the kiss, his heart and a gut feeling did not make him feel guilty, she is beautiful and seemed very open to further exchanges.



Letting it linger until the soft wolf whistle style reminder of where he is from Pix forced the kiss to end.



"This is not mah usual Bed Side manner I assure yew." He was nervous. "May Ah say you are the exception tew a rule? A very beautiful exception and ah do not know what came over me?" He replied, meeting her gaze. "Just an iresistable urge Ah suppose?"



"It may not be usual, yet it's quite nice. I swear my heart skipped a couple of times there. Biobed probably picked it up."



"I thought those just doctor nervous blips." He pondered. "And ah think it might be best if Ah were to shut this all down." Milton admitted. "'Before Ah am tempted to do that again?"



"I can understand that." She replied with a blush. "Sometimes it's good to give into that.... be a little Spontaneous."



Milton lowered his head slowly to place another kiss on her lips; letting the heat add to the kiss. His right hand caressed her cheek lightly in a way that showed maybe a little of the less gentleman side and more of an attracted man to a woman?



Breaking the kiss finally, low on breath he grinned. "You all not going to beat me back with a stick for being forward are ya?"



"Beat you back with a stick?!" Larissa giggled a moment.



"Yew never heard that old saying, a girl so pretty she need to beat the men back with a stick?" Grinning he winked. "Yew are a fine little Philly, would not surprise me none if I have tew wait my turn on the Dance Card?"



"No stick needed, the men aboard have been crossing themselves off the dance card. They have not been wanting the 'extra burden' that comes with the mother of a newborn. You will find my card is quite empty." he replied with a gentle smile.



Looking deeper into her eyes, he might exhibit a fire that he is realizing he has and not trying to hide it. The fact she will not drive him away is something, he wanted to press them further.



"Does that mean Ah can come a callin'?" Smiling to her he continued. "Leave my card like a proper Gentleman?"



"Leave your card, being able to come calling?" She looked a little puzzled.



"Have you all never heard of having a gentleman come Ah callin'?" He offered a hand to help the lady off the biobed.



"Something tells me it's a reference used a lot more in your neck of the woods than mine. Still, if you are wanting to see me.." She ran her left hand over his cheek. "in a more romantic way. You're welcome to do so. I'd rather like that actually." With that sge left a kiss on him to let him know her intentions.



A gentleman enjoys what a lady offers, this lady especially for some reason, his gut reaction is to follow through even when the mind says it is risky.



"First opportunity after this you may count upon a knock at your door." He gave her a grin. "I am looking forward to meeting Jennifer..." Pix glowed a bit more as she pointed to herself and nodded. "Pix will make sure I follow through on this, she is special with infants and toddlers especially."



"I’m sure she is. I’d rather like that.” Larissa became rather aware of a certain biological clock ticking away. “I’ll be hoping to see you real soon after all of this is done.”



"Hope to see you sooner." He replied, winking. "Don't be a stranger round here."



“I won’t be. You have one biobed and a couple of terminals up and running. I still have some work ahead of me. I’d say I’d be floating around here for at least the rest of today and maybe a bit of tomorrow. Seeing as I have to juggle a little one and all and I doubt they would encourage a ‘bring your baby to work day’ for this.”



"A cute distraction." Milton said. "Everyone loves a baby, that could slow thngs with that much cuteness." He teased.



"Possibly...then again. I wouldn't be having to go back for nursing duties and Jenny just hasn't taken to the bottle as a substitute that well at all." She pondered for a moment. "You did say Miss Pix is great with kids and you were looking forward to meeting Jenny, right? Jenny mostly sleeps, feeds or has small bursts of tummy time. Besides the cuteness factor, how much of a distraction can she be?"



*a guy looking forward to meeting my daughter. Julian, love... he's making my heart dance!*



"The preoccupation of adults trying to get a baby to smile or giggle, the funny faces and noises they do for such a hoped outcome?” Milton winked. "At Sick Bay they call Pix the Baby whisperer, she also does a glow that tends to calm babies... most if time while not terribly upset."



Reaching out he took her hand and kissed the knuckles as Gentlemen do. Then making eye contact.



"Until next time." He replied, winking as a nurse seemed heading their direction. "Seems I am needed."



Larissa left a soft kiss on his cheek, feeling her heart flutter for it. “So I see. Next time can’t come soon enough.”



OFF

Lieutenant Rutherford Milton
Chief Medical Officer - USS Resolutopn

Larissa Riley

Ops Computer technician/Analyst – USS Resolution