Destined From the Start - Part Two
Chapter Three - Deliveries
July, 2288
Once the final pockets of infection were clear, the crew of the Florence Nightingale settled back into their normal activities. The ship picked up its usual flight pattern where it had left off to answer the emergency call, and headed for the next colony planet on its route, where it would deliver the usual medical supplies and teach a few classes. To his surprise, Grayson found himself teaching personal hygiene to a group of pre-teens. Jilly was assigned to teach a new mother proper breast-feeding techniques. Neither was comfortable with their assignment, but wisely kept this feeling quiet, sharing it only with each other once they were back in the quarters in the evening.
The next day they were back on their circuit again, heading for the next planet. And so it went, a few days in flight, and then a one or two day stopover, delivering medications, giving vaccinations, teaching basic first aid and whatever other classes were needed at each location. Before long, Grayson began to believe that someone was deliberately assigning the most possibly embarrassing tasks to the two of them. Or perhaps it was just that they were the 'newbies' and were getting the traditional hazing assignments. If that was the case, then they were being treated exactly like new crewmembers, and that was what he wanted. He said nothing to Jilly, not wanting to impart information that might be incorrect.
In the midpoint of their circuit, the Florence Nightingale stopped at StarBase17 to resupply. The crew all got shore leave, on a rotating schedule. Since they were the newest, they got the last time slot. This meant that they spent two entire days accepting deliveries, entering them into inventory, and unpacking and stowing the supplies. By the time their shore leave slot rolled around, they were tired and out of sorts, and raring to go. They changed into the one set of casual civvies they had brought with them and headed out.
First stop was a restaurant featuring fresh foods. They sat in a secluded booth and relaxed, dining on a delicious salad, stir fried veggies and rice, and mounds of fresh diced fruit with a tangy dressing. By the time they had finished eating, they were stuffed, and so they wandered slowly about after that, taking in the sights. There were shops of every description, and they ogled the goods in the windows, laughing at some, and trying to decide what possible use other objects had. Jilly sighed over some of the jewelry, and Grayson took careful note of the items that caught her attention, learning what styles she preferred. And when they came to the chocolatier, he did not object in the least when she went inside and purchased something, stashing it in the totebag she had slung over one shoulder. She would share it with him later, he had absolutely no doubt of that at all.
They went on down the broad street, a smug smile on Jilly's face, skipping the casino, looking for something more to their liking. And so it was that they found the jazz club, tucked into a corner, dimly lit, with soft smoky music playing. They were ushered to a small booth, full of fat pillows, and arranged themselves comfortably, Jilly leaning back against Grayson, and listened while they drank tall glasses of fruit juice, lightly spiked with something alcoholic. When Jilly began to giggle, Grayson knew that she had had enough, and probably too much. They still had an hour of leave, but it might take that long to get back to the ship. He stood, and found his head swimming. He must have had more alcohol than he thought, if it had had that effect on him. Taking a moment to let his head clear, he then half-pulled Jilly to her feet, and wrapped his arm about her. They stumbled out of the club, neither of them too sure what condition they were in, and headed back the way that they had come.
It seemed to take forever to get back to the ship. Grayson was not entirely sure how they actually made it back. One look at them, and the ensign on guard duty signaled sick bay and they were whisked away.
When he next was aware of his surroundings, he found himself on a biobed in sick bay. Jilly was on the next one, still out. Carefully he sat up, rubbing his forehead.
"Headache?"
"Just a little. What happened to us?"
"Jenga smoke most likely. Did you go in one of those little music clubs?"
"Yes, but it didn't seem smoky. At least not very much."
"Doesn't take much Jenga smoke. You're lucky you got up and left when you did. Much longer and you would have been out cold. We would have had to get the base security out searching for the two of you."
Grayson winced. That would not have been good at all. "I'll remember that. I'll be more careful next time."
The captain grinned down at him. "Hard to forget something so dumb. I'm sure you won't be taken in again."
Jilly began to stir, lifting her hands to cradle her head. Carefully, Grayson turned to assist her in sitting up. One of the other nurses was there then, giving each of them an injection. In only a few moments, the headaches went away. They were sent to quarters for twenty-four hours, and told to do nothing energetic at all. And by the expression on the doctor's face when he said it, he knew exactly what they had been doing in their quarters in the evenings.
