<Backpost, some time before current mission… Adri’s Quarters, 2100>

Adrianna didn’t even feel the rough fabric under her palm.  She gazed sightlessly out the window, not seeing the huge expanse of stars just outside.  The pillow unknowingly clutched across her chest seemed to give her some subconscious comfort.  Images flashed through her mind.  Dark shadowy figures… paper notes with familiar handwriting… broken glass…  abandoned houses… the beautiful pink of a Martian sky… the face of her Da the last time she’d seen him… those horrible giant gloopy walking brain aliens from the Delta Quadrant… the old Hiroshima.

Her breath stuck in her throat.   Open space before her.  Her hair rushing into her face as the ship’s atmosphere exploded outward around her, her instantaneous shock at the lack of backup shields snapping into place like they should have.  Her fingernails, ripped raw and dragging trails of blood as she was pulled toward the void, sliding across the floor.  Her long look out there, mere seconds but lasting an eternity… and the sudden sense of peace and unmistakable desire to just… let go.

The door chime suddenly broke her trance.  She quickly stood up and threw the pillow back into its spot on the other side of the couch.  Taking a deep breath, she quickly swiped the tears she could suddenly feel on her cheeks away with the inside of her uniform sleeve.  Tugging her tunic into place, she plastered on her best “everything is fine” smile.

“Enter!”

Gavin knocked on the wall as he entered. “Hiya Doc!”  He blinked his eyes and squinted into the room. “Why ya got it so dark in here?”

Adrianna sighed. “Computer, lights– up 75 percent.”  Ever since they’d been rescued from the Delta Quadrant together, Gavin had become a little brother of sorts to her. Sometimes protective, sometimes endearing, but most of the time just plain annoying.

“I noticed you weren’t at chow earlier, so I thought I’d stop by to see where ya were.” He stepped into the room and flopped down on her couch.

“It took you three hours to get around to see where I was?”

“Yeah, well,” he waved it off without an admission.

“I bet Meagan is busy tonight, so you got bored.”

He avoided her statement by turning the table on her. “You’re avoiding my question.”

“I didn’t hear a question.”

“Where were you?”

Adrianna raised an eyebrow. “Why does it matter? Maybe I was in Sickbay. You know, doing my job…”

He shook his head. “Nope, I checked.”

“Senior officer’s meeting?”

“Nope, Cap’n actually showed up to eat.”

She sighed in frustration. “OK… if you must know, I had a date with Mr. Replicator.”

If Gavin had been a dog, his ears would’ve perked in excitement at the news in the split second it took her statement to sink in.  His ears drooped. “Replicator, eh?”

“Yes, replicator. You know it can make the same exact food they serve in the mess hall!  Pretty amazing, isn’t it?”

Gavin ignored her sarcasm. “You know Lieutenant Maddox was asking about you, right?”  He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“The old guy? From operations? Who can never keep his uniform clean?Stop it.”

Grinning, Gavin knew he’d annoyed her out of her funk now… “What old guy?” Feigning innocence,”You know, in non-stasis years, you guys are practically the same age!”

Adrianna grabbed the pillow she’d thrown across the couch earlier and smacked him with it. Hard. It hit him with a satisfying thump. “Get out.”

 Gavin let out a huge laugh, his arms upraised to fend off another blow.  “Alright, you win… but tomorrow…”

She sighed loudly and launched the pillow at his retreating backside.  “I get the message, Ensign… I’ll be there.”

“Better be, or I’ll tell Lieutenant Maddox you…”

“Computer, close and lock door.”

<off>

Lt. Commander Adrianna Darney

CMO

USS Hiroshima

&

Ensign Gavin McWest

Security – NPC