My Brother's Keeper

Posted on Thu Nov 5th, 2009 @ 9:10pm by Lieutenant JG Drew O'Connell

873 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave - Welcoming Old Friends and New
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Current

Drew burst into sickbay with two concerns; make sure his brother was alright, and then, once he was, to beat him to a pulp. 'Parrises Squares,' he thought angrily. He already forbade the boy from the game within the first week of becoming his guardian. It was a deadly, dangerous game. Now, Ian was paying the price. Crossing to a nearby nurse, he was visibly attempting to calm himself before asking, "Where is Ian O'Connell, Miss Stetson?"

The nurse turned to see O'Connell come to a rest before her, his arms crossed and his patience clearly gone. Placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, she said, "He's with Doctor th'Zahn, suite four."

Nodding with clear anxiousness, Drew moved off. "Thank you," he said a few steps away and as an afterthought.

Stepping into the medical suite, Drew caught the Andorian doctor off-guard. He was maneuvering an osteogenerator over his younger brother's leg with precision, even distracted. With a raspy, quiet tone, the Andorian doctor ordered, "You'll have to wait outside, Lieutenant."

Squelching the desire to pummel the doctor, Drew's already serious face became a mask of clear anger. "I don't think so, Doctor. I'm Ian's guardian and I'll be waiting right here until you're done with him. Will he be alright?"

The Andorian scowled, a seemingly permanent expression among their people, before returning his attention to Ian's leg. It was clear he didn't like Drew hanging over his shoulder, but then, Drew really didn't care. th'Zahn spoke in that quiet, raspy tone of his, making Drew strain to hear him. "He will be fine. He sustained a broken leg after a fall. Quite routine at this age, really. The osteogenerator will mend the bones and a few days of limited activity and physical therapy will take care of the rest."

Taking in the view of Ian, Drew instantly understood where he had earned his newest war wound from. "I assume this injury is from playing Parisses' Squares." It was a statement, not a question.

"It is," th'Zahn replied, his antennae twitching as he did. "Parisses' Squares is not a game I would recommend for one so young. It is dangerous as his injury can attest."

Leaning back against the wall, Drew responded, "It's not a past-time I condone, Doctor. In fact, I believe I forbade it when Ian came into my care."

Ian glared at his older brother, his face reddening in anger. Before he could say anything in his defense, a new body entered the room. Drew looked at the new entry, a few years older than Ian and wearing the same padded uniform of the game, Drew deduced this was the likely antagonist. "Sorry to interrupt, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. I'm afraid Ian playing Parisses Squares is entirely my fault."

Standing off the wall, Drew crossed his arms again and leveled his unwavering gaze on this new person. With malice in his tone, he asked, "You are?"

Without seeming uncomfortable or guilty, the newcomer responded easily, "Petty Officer Third Class Markus Ramsey, sir."

"Well Petty Officer Ramsey, you'll find I'm not easily impressed at admissions of guilt from the wrong party. Ian knew my rules about playng the game and he ignored them."

Finally annoyed enough, Ian interrupted. "Jesus, Drew, are you ever going to let me do anything other than sit in our quarters and study? I didn't go to the arboretum to play Squares, I went to get out of that damned place you call home. You've got a job to do here and I've got nothing. Now you're trying to take whatever fun I could have been having and shove that out an air lock too." Ian's eyes flashed with evident anger.

Distracted from dressing down the enlisted man standing before him, Drew suddenly realized the room was a little more crowded than he would like, especially to have this conversation. Blowing out a frustrated breath, Drew moved to stand beside the biobed Ian lay on. "We can talk about this later."

Turning to Markus Ramsey, Drew said, "I apologize...I'm just a bit...confused. If you'll stop by my office later, we can resolve this issue without the shouting."

"I'll make an appointment to stop by later this afternoon, sir." With that, Ramsey exited the room, leaving just the three original occupants together.

th'Zahn looked up from his work and announced, "I've finished. The bones are stitched back together but the callus will take a few days to harden before you are cleared for regular activity. I'd like to see you in three days for a recheck. Until then, stay off your feet and much as possible. It seems, young man, that you'll be holed up in those quarters you dislike so much for a few more days."

Ian looked at the blue doctor, his eyes flashing with as much anger as he'd directed at Drew. With a sarcastic tone the doctor didn't obviously get, Ian responded, "Thanks, doctor, I'm looking forward to it.

The Andorian smiled at Ian and nodded at Drew as he too exited the room. Deciding they were still not in the time nor the place, Drew helped Ian down from the biobed, handed him his crutch

 

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