Tracks

[Finn 0]

Finn left Lepage’s quarters and made his way through the Lewis crew deck. Attempting to walk in a straight line whenever he passed a crewmember was becoming a little easier now that the effects of the Romulan ale was wearing off a little.

It had been good to see Nick again socially. He’d been uptight and wired in the mess hall and Finn had figured he’d need a stress release. They’d had a laugh and now Finn had realised he’d needed to meet with Elsa, the Lewis nurse, to give her the empty bottle back. She’d been good to him since he’d arrived. Of course, he realised that was just bedside manner, but it was now perfectly clear to him just how patient-doctor relationships were easily formed in stressful situations.

He turned onto Elsa’s deck and stopped outside her quarters. He’d forgotten Lepage’s advice about the breath mints and the change of clothes, but shrugged to himself and hit the doorchime.

The door slid open and Elsa was standing there. She beckoned him in quickly and checked up and down the corridor as he entered.

‘Were you seen at all?’ she asked, her voice still in a whisper. Finn grinned.

‘No. Not at all’ he replied. ‘And you don’t have to whisper. The door’s shut.’

Elsa nodded and then smiled broadly.

‘How was your friend?’ she asked, crossing the room to the replicator. Finn placed the holdall on her table and looked around the room. The décor was all Starfleet. You could always tell medical staff quarters. They spent most of their time in sickbay.

‘He’s fine.’ He replied. ‘Sore, like the rest of us, but okay.’

Elsa nodded and brought Finn a black coffee.

‘To get rid of the odour you’re emitting’ she smiled, nodding to the coffee. ‘We don’t have quarters inspection, but knowing my luck, they’ll change the rules within the hour.’

Finn smiled and nodded, taking the coffee from her and having a large gulp.

‘Thanks for the ale.’ He said. ‘I owe you one.’

Elsa shrugged. ‘We get a limited supply of it twice a year.’ She replied. Usually the Engineering staff pick it up and backhand a bottle or two to Med. It keeps morale up and makes long nights pass a little easier.’ She took the holdall from the table and walked towards her bedroom.

‘I’ll just be a minute.’ She said. ‘Make yourself comfortable.’

As she walked through the doorway, Finn sat in one of the comfy recliner chairs and rubbed his eyes. Something was still gnawing away at the back of his mind. Something to do with scanning something. Nick had said his amnesia should clear up within a few days, that it was promising he remembered anything at all. Finn couldn’t work it out. He’d remembered everything, all the way through the entire horrific evacuation, except what he was doing during that short time period. Ordinarily it wouldn’t bother him, but he felt it was important. He felt it was extremely important.

He heard Elsa entering the living quarters and turned around to see her. She was standing in the dimmed light, her blonde hair falling to her shoulders, much different to the severe style she kept it in during work shift hours. Her figure was silhouetted through her robe and she smiled.

He smiled at her and stood up, took her in her arms and pulled her close.

‘Is this your bedside manner, Nurse?’ he asked as he kissed her. Elsa giggled as she pulled off his tunic, kissing his neck, moving downwards to his shoulder.

Finn flinched, a sharp jabbing pain on his shoulder as she kissed him and he recoiled slightly.

‘What is it?’ asked Elsa. Finn frowned and craned his head to look at his shoulder. Four tiny needle marks in the shape of a square were almost healed. He looked at Elsa.

‘What’s this? Hypospray?’

Elsa looked closer at his shoulder. ‘I don’t think so.’ She replied. ‘You were only hypo’d in your arm. Standard procedure.’

Finn rubbed a finger across the needle marks and winced slightly. Probably something he’d caught himself on in the lifeboat, and yet…

Elsa pulled him to her and kissed him, before leading him into her sleeping quarters and turning out the lights as they went.