"Okay everyone listen up. I have an announcement and then you're all free to party. You've all completed very exhaustive rotations; flight training, general duties, and medic classes. Congratulations to those who are now pilots for the Hawks, and to the five who are now Advanced Placement Corpsmen. Things are heating up here on the edge of the Briar Patch and I am going to keep pushing each of you for your best. Everyone report ready for more special training in 36hrs--Don't be late or hungover."
Jayme stepped out of the barracks and into the hallway. In the quiet she leaned against the wall and took several breaths. She was exhausted and had completed the same rotations, her double shifts in Sickbay, and her shifts as Officer of the Watch and had earned 36hrs off the same as her teams. She reached up and touched her combadge--"Captain Alcon to Dr. Fletcher."
[Fletcher here.] He said looking up from the chart on one of his surgical patients. He made a note and walked away into a hallway. [Jayme.]
She smiled, and asked, "When are you off duty?"
He smiled, and said, [0700hrs. Why?]
"I'm off duty as of now for the next 36hrs." She said. Then after a minute, added, "Maybe I should join you and put in an extra shift."
[No. You're off duty and if you show up here... I'll meet you at 0730 your place, go see Lt. Vansen or your father.]
"Fine. See you at 0730." He broke the call and headed back to his rounds.
She headed off to her office where she picked up her sketch pad and pen. After a brief stop at Master SGT. Hartman's desk to sign out on leave, she headed to the promenade level and Soma. It was 1500 hrs and her father should be there. She entered and found a booth and her father brought her over a rum and cola. "Hi."
Marcus took a seat across from his daughter and shook his head. It had been three weeks since they'd last spent anytime together and he could that she'd lost more weight and looked exhausted. "How are you doing?" He asked.
Jayme didn't want to make eye contact but she'd been raised in such a way that anything else was impossible and met his eyes. "I'm tired beyond belief, dad."
"I was wondering if you'd admit that. Where is that man of yours?" Marcus asked looking around the room.
Jayme smiled, and said, "He's on duty" Jayme wave at Troy who was at the bar watching people enter and take seats. "How have you been?"
"Ok." He stood, leaned over and kissed his daughter on the forehead, and said, "Your mother sent a letter and wanted to know what you were doing...write her will ya." He left back for the bar and waved when Vansen and Tigre entered.
Shannon spotted Jayme and headed in that direction. Tigre saw where Shannon was headed and reached out and held her friend back for a second. "Wait, Shannon...I don't know if this is a good idea."
"Its okay Talia."
Jayme saw the two and stood at the edge of the booth. "Shannon and Talia." Both women walked over until Jayme and Shannon stood a foot apart, and Jayme said. "Shannon, I owe you an apology for the incident in the flight bay and you're right I had no business flying that day."
Talia relaxed and slid into the booth and watched both women patch things up. Shannon crossed her arms in front of her chest and shrugged. "Yeah, you were wrong, but so was I for the way I handled the situation. Are we still friends?"
"Yes," Jayme said. Shannon smiled and reached out and both women hugged, separated, and slid into the booth. Jayme waved and Marcus brought over a tray of fresh rum and cola's.
"You look like hell!" Shannon said. Talia kicked the other pilot under the table for her lack of tact. Both pilots glared at each other and then the brunette said, "Well she does!" The blond closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall of the booth, then slid out of the booth and headed over to the bar. She returned a few minutes later and said, "I've ordered food."
Several hours later both pilots switched to coffee as they had to be on the flight line at midnight; but proceeded to get Jayme shit faced. Both pilots spotted Colonel Tarik take a seat at the bar and talk with Troy. Jayme was drinking, talking, and working on a sketch and didn't see her senior officer. Tarik noticed the pilots and winked at them on his way out. When they had a hard time getting Jayme to stop giggling they escorted her to her quarters where they left her.
At 0730, Nathan knocked and waited for a response but got none and used the code she'd given him and the door opened and he entered to find her asleep on her bed and a note on the bedside table from the Lt.'s from the 58th. He smiled and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him.