Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the 'Star Trek' characters or series, with the
exception of Robijah Lusso.
Part 2: Headaches All Round
'It's.. nice to see you again,' Malcolm said through gritted teeth.
'You too,' Robijah said, half honestly.
'Oh, you two know each other?' Archer asked, confused.
'Yes I suppose you could say that,' was the armoury officer's rigid reply.
'Oh, well that's great! I'll leave Robijah here with you. That way, you two can catch up and the newest member of our crew can get some hands on experience. You could use some help couldn't you Malcolm?'
'Err.actually Sir I.'
'Great, that's settled then, I'll see you both later.' And with that, he turned tail and left so as not to give Malcolm enough time to voice any further objections.
'So.'
'So.'
'So, what do you want me to do?'
'I want you to sit there and not move a muscle.' He turned away and carried on with his work. After a while Robijah said, 'I wasn't lying, you know. It really is good to see you again.' 'Mmm' Malcolm's voice belied him. He actually was glad to see her; he just didn't know how to react. Eventually, unable to think of anything else to say; and unable to concentrate on his work while she was in the room, he turned to Robijah and said 'Look, there's nothing for you to do here. Why don't you go to Engineering and give Commander Tucker a hand. There's always plenty of work to do down there.' He was lying again and Robijah knew it. Malcolm could easily find something to keep her occupied, but she went anyway. In some ways, she was glad. She didn't think she could take a whole day like the last hour had been. She walked to Engineering wondering if this was how it was always going to be between them, all silence and avoiding eye contact. She had immersed herself so deep in such thoughts, she didn't realise that not only had she arrived in Engineering, but she had also knocked a spare part off of the walkway. It was only Trip's yelp of pain as it hit him on the head that shocked her back to reality. 'OWW! What the.?' 'I'm so sorry, I didn't see you.' 'Oh, that's all right. You're the new girl aren't you?' 'Yes. Robijah Lusso.' 'Nice to meet ya. I'm Trip,' he smiled, shaking her hand. There was a pause until he said, 'So what can I do you for?' 'Oh, well, Mal.I mean Lieutenant Reed said I should come down here and give you a hand.' 'Well that's real nice of you but everything's under control here. We just need to replace a few parts and we'll be up and running. I've already got twenty men with me and, without being rude, I don't need any more.' Robijah sighed. She got the feeling that no one wanted or needed her help. Look out for the new girl, that's what they were all thinking. But, she supposed there was one more place to try before she gave up. Smiling politely, she thanked Trip for his time, shook his hand again and made for the bridge. The Captain jumped as she walked through the door. 'I thought I told you to stay and help Malcolm in the armoury,' he said, looking puzzled. 'You did,' she replied. 'But there was nothing for me to do, so he sent me to Trip, and he said that he could manage, so I thought I'd come up here and see if I can be of any use to anyone.' She was speaking so quickly, it took a moment for Archer to register what she had said. 'I see. Well, I'm sorry to say Miss Lusso, that we're all OK up here too. T'pol's just running some final diagnostics with Travis and then we're all done.' 'OK. Well.I guess I'll just go back to my quarters then. I have a bit of a headache anyway.' When she got there, she unpacked her things and tried to make it as homely as possible. After that, she realised that she hadn't actually eaten in two days. She had been travelling and that had kept her fairly busy. So, in spite of her headache, she headed for the mess hall. She sat down at a table in the corner. Although it was common for her people to eat in large groups, she often preferred her own company. It was nice to be able to reflect without being interrupted. Also, she wasn't quite accustomed to human food yet, but she'd get used to it in time. She could always add some of her own herbs and spiced to add a little more flavour. In the meantime, she didn't want to risk causing any offence. Like T'pol she knew how volatile the reactions of humans could be. Just as she finished her meal, Trip came over. 'Hi there, how ya doin'?' 'Um, OK. How's your head?' 'Sore, but it's alright.' 'I'm really, really sorry.' 'Don't worry about it. So, what's the deal with you and Malcolm?' 'Malcolm? Well.err.umm.we used to know each other. It was a long time ago. Why do you ask?' 'Oh, just because he hasn't said a word to anyone since you arrived.' 'Perhaps he just feels ill.' 'Malcolm? Ill? Doubtful I think. Besides, what are the chances of having two English people on one starship?!' 'Oh, I'm not English, I just sound it. Look I have to go. I'll speak to you later, OK?' She hurried away so as to avoid any further questioning about Malcolm. Meanwhile, Malcolm was complaining to Mayweather. 'I mean, why now? And why here? Why did she have to work on this ship? Of all the ships, on all the planets, she had to come here.' 'MALCOLM!! I get the message - you don't want her here. Are you going to do anything useful or just keep going on about something you can't change?' 'All I'm saying is that I want to know why Hoshi's replacement had to be her.' 'It had to be her Malcolm, because the Captain needed someone at short notice and she was the only person near enough who agreed to do it. Now can I please GET ON WITH THIS!?' 'Alright, alright, I get the picture.' Even though he tried not to show it, Malcolm was still tense. He had never been a superstitious man, but he was beginning to think that someone was conspiring against him. As the day went on, he began to believe this even more. They kept running into each other while she was doing errands. The Captain sat them next to each other at dinner. Thankfully, he didn't notice that the avoided eye contact at all costs. Malcolm also found that even when he was alone in the evening, she was playing on his mind. He couldn't think. So he went to the only person he could think of who would be able to give him advice on women. Trip was happily sleeping until Malcolm's incessant knocking. 'I know it's late but I need some advice.' 'Late? Malcolm it's.' 'You see its Robijah. I'm just not sure if I can work while she's aboard. I'm sure she's told you that we used to know each other. We were best friends. In fact, we were more than that. But then she left and I didn't see or speak to her again. I never thought I would but now.' By now Trip's eyes had glazed over. In the end he just said, 'Malcolm, why don't you just go talk to her?' 'Are you sure that's a good idea? I don't know what.' 'MALCOLM!! It's 0200 hours. I need sleep. Go and talk to her.' 'Commander I.' 'That's an order Lieutenant!' 'Yes sir.' He said it more through habit than actual obedience. After Malcolm had gone, Trip collapsed hack onto his bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. Malcolm hovered outside Robijah's door before taking a deep breath and knocking. He knew she would be awake, she had always loved the night. 'Come in,' she said brightly, not even a hint of weariness sounding in her voice. 'Malcolm. What can I do for you?' 'We need to talk.'
To be continued...
Part 2: Headaches All Round
'It's.. nice to see you again,' Malcolm said through gritted teeth.
'You too,' Robijah said, half honestly.
'Oh, you two know each other?' Archer asked, confused.
'Yes I suppose you could say that,' was the armoury officer's rigid reply.
'Oh, well that's great! I'll leave Robijah here with you. That way, you two can catch up and the newest member of our crew can get some hands on experience. You could use some help couldn't you Malcolm?'
'Err.actually Sir I.'
'Great, that's settled then, I'll see you both later.' And with that, he turned tail and left so as not to give Malcolm enough time to voice any further objections.
'So.'
'So.'
'So, what do you want me to do?'
'I want you to sit there and not move a muscle.' He turned away and carried on with his work. After a while Robijah said, 'I wasn't lying, you know. It really is good to see you again.' 'Mmm' Malcolm's voice belied him. He actually was glad to see her; he just didn't know how to react. Eventually, unable to think of anything else to say; and unable to concentrate on his work while she was in the room, he turned to Robijah and said 'Look, there's nothing for you to do here. Why don't you go to Engineering and give Commander Tucker a hand. There's always plenty of work to do down there.' He was lying again and Robijah knew it. Malcolm could easily find something to keep her occupied, but she went anyway. In some ways, she was glad. She didn't think she could take a whole day like the last hour had been. She walked to Engineering wondering if this was how it was always going to be between them, all silence and avoiding eye contact. She had immersed herself so deep in such thoughts, she didn't realise that not only had she arrived in Engineering, but she had also knocked a spare part off of the walkway. It was only Trip's yelp of pain as it hit him on the head that shocked her back to reality. 'OWW! What the.?' 'I'm so sorry, I didn't see you.' 'Oh, that's all right. You're the new girl aren't you?' 'Yes. Robijah Lusso.' 'Nice to meet ya. I'm Trip,' he smiled, shaking her hand. There was a pause until he said, 'So what can I do you for?' 'Oh, well, Mal.I mean Lieutenant Reed said I should come down here and give you a hand.' 'Well that's real nice of you but everything's under control here. We just need to replace a few parts and we'll be up and running. I've already got twenty men with me and, without being rude, I don't need any more.' Robijah sighed. She got the feeling that no one wanted or needed her help. Look out for the new girl, that's what they were all thinking. But, she supposed there was one more place to try before she gave up. Smiling politely, she thanked Trip for his time, shook his hand again and made for the bridge. The Captain jumped as she walked through the door. 'I thought I told you to stay and help Malcolm in the armoury,' he said, looking puzzled. 'You did,' she replied. 'But there was nothing for me to do, so he sent me to Trip, and he said that he could manage, so I thought I'd come up here and see if I can be of any use to anyone.' She was speaking so quickly, it took a moment for Archer to register what she had said. 'I see. Well, I'm sorry to say Miss Lusso, that we're all OK up here too. T'pol's just running some final diagnostics with Travis and then we're all done.' 'OK. Well.I guess I'll just go back to my quarters then. I have a bit of a headache anyway.' When she got there, she unpacked her things and tried to make it as homely as possible. After that, she realised that she hadn't actually eaten in two days. She had been travelling and that had kept her fairly busy. So, in spite of her headache, she headed for the mess hall. She sat down at a table in the corner. Although it was common for her people to eat in large groups, she often preferred her own company. It was nice to be able to reflect without being interrupted. Also, she wasn't quite accustomed to human food yet, but she'd get used to it in time. She could always add some of her own herbs and spiced to add a little more flavour. In the meantime, she didn't want to risk causing any offence. Like T'pol she knew how volatile the reactions of humans could be. Just as she finished her meal, Trip came over. 'Hi there, how ya doin'?' 'Um, OK. How's your head?' 'Sore, but it's alright.' 'I'm really, really sorry.' 'Don't worry about it. So, what's the deal with you and Malcolm?' 'Malcolm? Well.err.umm.we used to know each other. It was a long time ago. Why do you ask?' 'Oh, just because he hasn't said a word to anyone since you arrived.' 'Perhaps he just feels ill.' 'Malcolm? Ill? Doubtful I think. Besides, what are the chances of having two English people on one starship?!' 'Oh, I'm not English, I just sound it. Look I have to go. I'll speak to you later, OK?' She hurried away so as to avoid any further questioning about Malcolm. Meanwhile, Malcolm was complaining to Mayweather. 'I mean, why now? And why here? Why did she have to work on this ship? Of all the ships, on all the planets, she had to come here.' 'MALCOLM!! I get the message - you don't want her here. Are you going to do anything useful or just keep going on about something you can't change?' 'All I'm saying is that I want to know why Hoshi's replacement had to be her.' 'It had to be her Malcolm, because the Captain needed someone at short notice and she was the only person near enough who agreed to do it. Now can I please GET ON WITH THIS!?' 'Alright, alright, I get the picture.' Even though he tried not to show it, Malcolm was still tense. He had never been a superstitious man, but he was beginning to think that someone was conspiring against him. As the day went on, he began to believe this even more. They kept running into each other while she was doing errands. The Captain sat them next to each other at dinner. Thankfully, he didn't notice that the avoided eye contact at all costs. Malcolm also found that even when he was alone in the evening, she was playing on his mind. He couldn't think. So he went to the only person he could think of who would be able to give him advice on women. Trip was happily sleeping until Malcolm's incessant knocking. 'I know it's late but I need some advice.' 'Late? Malcolm it's.' 'You see its Robijah. I'm just not sure if I can work while she's aboard. I'm sure she's told you that we used to know each other. We were best friends. In fact, we were more than that. But then she left and I didn't see or speak to her again. I never thought I would but now.' By now Trip's eyes had glazed over. In the end he just said, 'Malcolm, why don't you just go talk to her?' 'Are you sure that's a good idea? I don't know what.' 'MALCOLM!! It's 0200 hours. I need sleep. Go and talk to her.' 'Commander I.' 'That's an order Lieutenant!' 'Yes sir.' He said it more through habit than actual obedience. After Malcolm had gone, Trip collapsed hack onto his bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. Malcolm hovered outside Robijah's door before taking a deep breath and knocking. He knew she would be awake, she had always loved the night. 'Come in,' she said brightly, not even a hint of weariness sounding in her voice. 'Malcolm. What can I do for you?' 'We need to talk.'
To be continued...