I Need Your Help

Posted on Sun Sep 20th, 2020 @ 7:32pm by Ensign Duncan McManus & Ensign Alexandra 'Lexi' O'Connery & Lieutenant JG Mattias Constantine

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Various
Timeline: Day 56, Month 2, Year 0 18:30
3812 words - 7.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Duncan looked around the mess hall in a panic and grinned as he saw Mattias and Lexi sat together in the corner and promptly sat himself down without a care in the world. “Hello, love birds.” He said in a hushed tone looking around that no one had heard him. He had not seen them together properly outside of sickbay and that had not been the time or place to openly mock Mattias like he intended to before he requested his help for something.

"There's hardly anyone in here, Dunc - no need to whisper," Matt grinned, recognizing his friend approaching from a distance. The tabletop between them was cluttered with a variety of duty related paraphernalia, including several PADDs and the synthetic dummy that the doctors in sickbay had entrusted him with. Thanks to the medical staff, his skills in basic triage and suturing were improving, at least to the point where he would no longer be a liability in a emergency scenario. Though he still had work to do, Constantine welcomed a break so he cleared some space at the table and invited Duncan to sit.

"Sit and stay a while. What's up?" Matt looked across at the engineer.

"I like whispering. It makes it all feel important instead of SHOUTING." Duncan said the last thing as a yell making everyone turn and look at the three in the corner for a moment before they returned to food or conversation. It was nice of Mattias to offer for him to sit but he was already down and not planning on moving. Lexi offered a smiled to the Engineer as she took the hint and moved the PADDS that she had been working on aside. "That can wait for a moment. What are you up too?"

"Not a lot actually. Now that we're not being constantly attacked, there's a little time to catch up on some work that we've been neglecting on refining the translation algorithm for the Vrav. Never hurts to be able to communicate more effectively," Matt offered a shrug. "I like a little background noise, so I decided to work in here. Oh, do you like my new doll?" Constantine noticed Duncan glancing over the training device laying on the table. "Yeah, I'm learning how to suture. Gonna need to wear a couple of different hats to keep myself useful around here moving forward. So I'm a medic in training, mule for engineering, and every once in a while I do what I signed up for and communicate."

"So get yourself, two girlfriends, then? Lucky son of a gun." Duncan teased nudging the blonde woman sat next to him who was diplomatically staying quiet and out of the conversation. She had seen how this tit for tack went often. They were both fully grown men who did not need her getting into the middle of it. "You are a very good donkey though Matt," Duncan assured. "Which actually is why I need to borrow you both. I need short fry here for something delicate and you for lifting something."

"You know I am pretty useless with my shoulder right?" Lexi finally wondered.

"I promise it won't strain you or anything." The engineer quickly explained kicking himself for not saying that before.

"Well, Dunc, we're all ears. And, other than Commander Leroux, it's probably the four best ears on the ship, all things considered," Matt tilted his head slightly, admittedly intrigued by whatever it was his friend was about to say if for no other reason than it was taking him a long time to spit it out. "I'm almost afraid to ask again, but what have you got rolling around in that brain of yours."

"I need help with one of the resequencers." He admitted in his hushed tones of before. "I need your smallness to climb behind and wire it up and get out and your brawn to help me lift the things." He did not want to play on sympathies but he was truly tired of fighting it and needed some help. Everyone else with any hints of engineering expertise was busy else where. He really was just hoping that the pair as they knew consoles could help.

"Hey, don't look at me, Duncan. You've got to convince her," Matt remained facing forward towards his friend, but pointed to his left where Lexi was sitting and following the conversation. He finally cracked a smile before glancing over towards his best friend. "Well, what do you think? Should we help my neighbor, our mutual friend, with his engineering problem? We fixed the hell out of the communications center console not too long ago, we should be able to recreate some of that magic."

Lexi sat up a little straighter as it was mentioned she needed convincing. "I am not the boss? Am I the boss of this relationship?" She wondered looking at Mattias before she looked at Duncan who was doing his best puppy dog impression. "And is he a mutual friend of mine?" She added in a whispered making Duncan gasps.

"I sat there where you were pretending to try and die on us and told you my best stories." He gasped before Lexi grinned.

"Boomers. So easy to tease." She said with her accent sliding through for a moment making Duncan glare at them both.

"Ah, cut him some slack. Poor guy just wants some help, and seeing how we're not technically on duty and are just being a bunch of dorks by working when we don't have to, I think we can help him out. C'mon, let's go put all of our stuff away," Matt started to amalgamate all of the items scattered on the desk. "I'm not sure how this always seems to happen, but there's more more stuff here than we walked in with, I swear! Anyway, be a hero Duncan and help us out, we'll drop this stuff off in my room, and then we're off to the magical re sequencer. Wait, unless it's the one in here?"

"No certainly not the one here why it is delicate." The boomer admitted rising to help gather stuff. He glanced at Lexi as she hesitated for a moment. "You okay?" He asked wondering if he had considered her too soon. He knew it had been three weeks since the attack that had left her fighting for her life.

"Yeah. Where is it that we are going?" She wondered quietly avoiding both men's gazes. She was trying to not let on that the thought of going to deck D scared her endlessly. She had not even admitted to Mattias that was why she avoided going to his when he now had the better quarters.

'"We'll swing by my quarters really quick so I can drop all of this stuff off. I don't think we should leave things here considering that the dinner rush is going to start soon, and we'd be taking up a table," Matt explained as he walked towards the door leading out of mess. After taking a couple of steps, he stopped and turned back towards the table, realizing that Lexi hadn't followed them. "Everything okay? Need some help with something?"

Lexi opened her mouth a few times but Duncan spoke up seeing something in her that reminded him of himself after being spooked in his first engineering exam. "I think she meant where our final destination was going to..." He stopped as she took in a deep breath.

"I haven't been on Deck D since that night," Lexi whispered looking everywhere but at Mattias and Duncan. The Engineer smiled kindly, his estimation correct on what was going on.

A wave of realization that had been lurking just offshore for days finally washed over Mattias as he stood in the corridor. The reasoning behind why they had been spending their time in Lexi's E deck quarters over his D deck living space finally sank in. Had either of his hands been free, he would have given himself a concussion from the force of the facepalm, but instead, he mustered up the most apologetic look he could before speaking.

"So remember when I told you that you were the brains of this operation?" Constantine lips twisted into a combination of a grimace and a smile. "I'm sorry Lexi, we don't have to go there. Let's drop this stuff off in the office or somewhere else. Then maybe later we can talk about it and get some help from the medical team if and when you're ready to face this. I should've realized sooner, I'm an idiot."

The look on the man's face said it all as he realised what had been occurring between them recently and what she had going through in her head every time she had made an excuse or something. It had been something she had thought she could handle alone but she had been wrong and his offer of talking and the mere mention of we made her smile and nod. "As you said I am the brains of this operations," Lexi said glancing to Duncan who had taken the opportunity to inspect everything around him instead of the pair that were stood there. "You are not. I just... I did not want to scare you off." She whispered.

"Hey, I'm in it for the long haul. You're not going to scare me off now, Lexi. I think it's important that we are able to bring these things up between us without the fear of judgment or retribution of any kind," Matt explained, taking small steps down the corridor to resume their progress. "I promise you can tell me anything at any time. I trust you, okay?"

The blonde just nodded and offered a shy smile to the Engineer who was not grinning from ear to ear as he took in the pair and how he was seeing his neighbour in a different light. It was humbling as much as it was good teasing material.

"Oh, and sorry for putting you through our relationship drama, Dunc. It's not too late to bail and get someone else to help. I won't blame ya," Constantine grinned at his friend.

"If you were not dating someone I would date you myself. You are adorable." Duncan said without a hint of irony before he grinned at the man who was his closest friend in years. They had all know each other long enough to joke and play around. He respected them both enough and it was not like it had been an argument just a very adorable moment. "I would not say that is drama my friend." He whispered as they got to the turbo lift that would take them where they needed.

"Look at you going all serious on me," Matt chuckled as he playfully slugged Duncan's shoulder. "So you never actually mentioned where it is we are going. Wait, we're not fixing the one that we're sending to the Vrav, are we?"

Duncan winced and shook his head. "No, I would not to that to you. That was had been taken from the Captain's Mess to the fabrication workshop. I am still figuring that all out. The one I am playing with is in Marine land." He admitted softly. It made sense that they had one in the mess there and as the least used it was perfect to attempt to get working.

Together, the trio continued to walk down the corridor away from the general mess. Matt carefully balanced the items he was holding in his hands. Even though they were not particularly heavy, the lack of uniformity in shape or size made it difficult to walk without dropping anything. He was so focused, that he very nearly kept walking before he noticed in his peripheral vision that the other two had stopped their journey.

"Oh, yeah, good idea," Constantine looped back to the group. "Let's leave this stuff in your quarters Lexi, and I'll swing back by and grab my stuff after we get done."

Lexi just nodded. She was feeling a bit drained from her admittance but she was happy that is was now out there in the open and she did not need to worry or hide it. She was a terrible liar and it had been fear more than anything that had made her hide what was going on in her head. But just like that with a few words, it was gone. The stuff piled on her bed meaning they had no choice but to come back and allow her space to sleep.

"Alright, off to marine land. I don't have my usual offerings of crayons or snacks, so I'll let you do the walking and talking Duncan," Matt jested.

"Ah, I see why I am here now." Lexi finally spoke up and decided to tease the man just a little. Duncan said nothing for a moment before he looked sheepish.

"Sorry, mate. She's right. She's the sacrifice." He said with a grin. "I needed someone small and would not put up a fight." He said knowing that was far from what Lexi is. The woman was a fighter.

A ripple of laughter spread between the three friends as they approached the turbolift door. Matt pressed the pushbutton and stepped away from the entry on the off chance that someone might be exiting on E deck. Looking back at Duncan and Lexi, a rush of emotion materialized out of the ether and very nearly overwhelmed him. The constant struggle had worn him down, but he relished those moments that provided perspective - he was fortunate to keep such great friends.

The hum of the turbolift approaching broke him out of his reverie, and they all stepped onto the vacant car for the short trip down to the barracks on F deck. Constantine leaned against the railing and rode along in silence, vaguely aware of a conversation ongoing between the others.

"What?" Matt asked as two blank stares met his gaze. He realized he had not been paying close attention. He took a the first steps out of the turbolift before explaining himself. "Sorry, I must've zoned out for a second, did you say something?"

“I’m just selling your girl for passage in Marine land. Nothing major.” The Engineer commented on with a small roguish grin. “You should have gone on that offered date dear. This one is cute but you definitely have the brains.” Duncan would have to have a catch up properly with Mattias soon. It seemed a lot had changed since the boarding party.

"Hey, I have lots of paperwork saying I have a brain," Constantine replied flatly, though the rest of his expression remained lighthearted. He barely contained a smile as the approached the entrance to the barracks. "I can read, write, fold my own clothes - heck, I'm even housebroken! But on a serious note," he reached for Lexi's hand on the side with her good shoulder and twirled her once in the middle of the corridor, "sometimes she smiles at me, and I do sort of forget where I am."

"And then he smiles back and I remember where I am and what it is like to be alive," Lexi said back smiling brightly as she ignored Duncan making gagging sounds next to her. They really needed to have a moment to talk better.

"You two are too gooey." The Engineer muttered leading the pair into the barracks into the mess area they had that looked destroyed with panels off.

"Any price to annoy you a bit," Matt winked at his friend. "Now, let's go see what we can do about this resequencer."

As the trio of officers had walked through the double doors into the barracks, they barely seemed to register on the radar of the MACOs inside, much to Constantine's surprise. Usually a bout of good-natured teasing was in order, but they were left alone for the most part. A few sets of eyes glanced them over as they had entered the mess, but nary a word was spoken as they made their way over to the malfunctioning piece of equipment they had come to fix.

"You're smarter than you lead on, Ensign McManus," Constantine teased and rolled his eyes as he spotted no fewer than a half dozen able bodied persons within ten meters able to help with the engineer's problem. "You only really needed her the entire time, didn't you?"

"Nah I just wanted my friend," Duncan said with a shrug. He trusted Mattias and it was a good opportunity to catch up. It had been perfect to check on him and acquire Lexi. The blonde communication officer smiled as the Engineer started to show her what was needed to be done. She turned to look at the hole and grimaced. It would be tight even for her but she was sure she could do it.

"Now who's being gooey!" The sudden outburst and subsequent laughter turned a few heads in the area. "You're a good friend Duncan," Matt began again in a lower voice. "I don't know if I say that enough, but I just wanted you to know that. But before we all get thrown out for sentimentalism, show me what needs doing!"

"Oh, I know." The Engineering assured with a wicked grin. He wished at points that he could capture moments like this on camera just to watch back when things made things less than optional for his mental health downgrade. "Just the finishing touches that blondie is doing in silence then some brute force and we might have lift off." It really was that simple. He knew he could kill two birds with one stone.

No sooner had Duncan finished his explanation than a series of lights illuminated on the front panel of the resequencer, followed shortly thereafter by a melody of chimes that ascended in pitch as if they were indicating a power up sequence. The combination of light and noise drew Constantine's attention away from his friend for a moment. Over their shoulders, a few MACOs looked on, wondering if their visitors would be able to fix the machine. Tilting an ear towards the front panel, Matt closed his eyes and listened as some inner mechanism inside the device began to hum - slowly at first - but eventually rising in volume and frequency to match the hum of the electrical system of the ship.

"Well," Matt opened his eyes and looked towards the engineer. "That's a good sign, right?"

"Things are alive back here!" Lexi called a bit panicked from where she was. It was one thing to be behind a dead device but a totally different thing to be behind something that was humming and obviously just waiting for someone to order something.

"Careful now Lexi, if you do Duncan's job too well for him, you might put him out of a job," Constantine called out with a wink, knowing his voice would carry far enough for both her and him to hear. He grinned as he flashed his most innocent look. "Sorry, sir, should I run a diagnostic now, sir? I would like to volunteer to taste test the first cup of coffee that comes out of the resequencer, sir. Am I saying 'sir' enough, sir?"

"You are saying Sir was too much for a Lieutenant," Duncan said with a roll of his eyes. "You want to be helpful go and get your girl out of that hole." He muttered as he at least started to

Matt continued laughing as he took a few strides towards the gap in the deck plating and knelt to the ground, offering an arm to Lexi as she maneuvered her way back towards the opening from her workspace in the sub-floor. Peering inside, Constantine realized that his friend had been correct with his assessment. With the amount of room available, neither of them could have contorted themselves into a shape capable of reaching the connections that needed to be made. Feeling the weight of Lexi pulling on his arm, Mattias braced himself and nodded.

"Ready Lexi?"

"Always." The woman replied squeezing his hand relieved that someone was ready to help her out.

"Okay, one, two, three!"

The three friends were standing on even ground once again, but as soon as Lexi emerged from the gap in the floor, Mattias walked over and picked up the sub-floor grating and heaved it back into place. All that remained was to replace the deck plating above, and their job as described by the engineer would be complete.

"Give me a hand, Dunc? This bastard is heavy."

"It has got to be for our muscles. We are not all like you Fleeters and weaklings." A Marine pipped up finally taking an interest in the trio and deciding a bit of friendly teasing was in order. McManus chucked and moved to help Constantine before he started teasing the Marine back.

"Oh, finally!" Constantine exclaimed as they muscled plating into place. "There's some of the MACO hazing I was looking for. Took you long enough! I was starting to think that Major King had issued quiet hours or something, marine. You laugh at us now, but you'll be thanking us when you have all of the crayons your heart could ever desire, assuming we were successful in fixing this damn thing. Speaking of which, it's your honor on the line, Ensign McManus. It's only right that you use it first."

"To kind my fine gentleman." McManus almost exploded with pride as the thing burst to life and a plate of fries appeared with a few buttons pressed. He gingerly grabbed one up and tasted it before moaning in pleasure. It seemed his luck was finally finding its feet.

The aroma of deep friend carbohydrates served as a far more effective call to attention for the MACOs than any bugler's horn had ever done. It started slowly, but individuals become groups of two or three, and eventually seemingly half of the marines on the Atlantis crowded around Duncan, Lexi, and Mattias. With a wink, Constantine stole a small handful of fries for himself and Lexi before mouthing, our work here is done to Duncan. The three fleeters made a hasty retreat as the others formed what to the MACOs qualified as an orderly queue. Laughing at the sudden commotion, Constantine held out his bounty offered it up to his friends before putting one arm around both of their shoulders.

"Good work, team. You've heard of happy wife, happy life, right? Well, the lesser known corollary is - happy MACOs, happy everybody."

Duncan just grinned and rolled his eyes. He had never heard of it but who was he to argue with the corollary when people were happy.