A Helping Hand

Posted on Sun Nov 24th, 2019 @ 4:41pm by Lieutenant Commander Lily Snow PhD, MD & Patton O'Sullivan

2,155 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Atlantis

Patton walked into the science department, carrying something in his hands that was covered in protective plastic. He looked around, hoping to find Lieutenant Commander Snow. Science had always impressed him and intimidated him at the same time. He was good at what he did and he liked his work but it took a lot of intellect to work in science.

Lily's almost 6th sense told her that someone has invaded her domain. She exited from her office looking around the lab. Then she spotted the intruder. She glided across the room. "Commander, do you want or need something?" She asked in her usual icy tone.

“I do,” Patton said, a bit uncomfortable. Not because she seemed cold or kind of like he was bothering her today but because of the nature of his visit. “I would like to ask your assistance with something, if you have the time.”

"I was just reviewing the evening shift's reports." Lily stated with her icy tone. She looked the man over and noticed the something with protective plastic in his hands. "Lets go to my office." She said turning and heading off.

As the two entered the office, Patton noticed no human touches to the room. No pictures on the desk or walls, no degrees either. There was two stacks of 5 PaDD each on the desk, but beyond that there was no signs of use. "What kind of project do you wish to run?" She asked as she took her seat behind the desk.

Patton unwrapped the potted hibiscus. It looked sad, the leaves were drooping. “I have had it for a long time and I don’t know what is wrong with it. I am hoping you, as a scientist can help me save it.” He looked at her but she showed no emotion. She probably thought he was stupid and it was just a dumb plant but it meant something to him and he didn’t want it to die.

"This isn't my field of expertise." Lily said in a neutral tone. She looked the plant over. "Have you watered, given it some fertilizer, a larger pot, or have you attempted using a sun lamp?" She asked.

“It started wilting when I came in board,” Patton explained. “I haven’t done anything different. I thought you dealt with plants and life in general?”

Lily did something that no one on the ship had ever heard from her, a chuckle with a even rarer smirk. "Someone has done their research into my degrees." She said still looking at the plant. "Without doing intensive scans, I would say that its bio-rhythm was been thrown off in the move. I would suggest that you transplant your plant into a larger pot, a healthy dose of fertilizer, some fresh soil, and replace the sun bulb that you are using."

Patton sighed in relief. “You probably think it is stupid, my worry over a plant but it was given to me years ago by someone I cared a great deal about. It is all that I have left of her and I don’t want it to die.” He looked at Lily. “Thanks! I really appreciate the advice.”

Lily cocked an eyebrow at the man. "Not at all." She said. "This is how interest in the sciences is generated."

Patton glanced around. “You redecorating?” He asked her, curious as how plain the office looked, as if no one worked here.

"No." Lily said. "I just finished packing the previous Chief of Science belongings." She stated. "Besides, this is an office, not a home." She said a bit more icy.

“I see,” Patton replied. He smiled at her. “I am kind of the friendly type. I like having a good relationship with those I work with. What is your take on crew socialization?”

Lily leaned on her elbows and folder her hands before her. "Have a good working relationship with your co-workers is always a good idea." She said. "As for 'crew socialization', it allows the exchange of new ideas and on the occasion the exchange of genetics." She stated with a semi-neutral/icy tone.

“And it allows us the chance to be a friend to one another.” Patton added. “See, I asked for help and you came to my aid. If you ever need something, as long as it doesn’t get me in trouble, I will help you. Like it or not, you have a friend now.” He didn’t know why but it seemed to him that she needed one, not that she would ever admit it.

Lily sighed at the man. "Why do you feel that I need a friend or even want one?" She asked flatly and very icy.

“Everyone needs a friend at some point,” Patton explained. “I’m not talking about sharing deep dark secrets. I get that you aren’t that kind of person, neither am I. It is however good to know that if the time comes and you need something that person is there. You get what I am saying?”

With the look that Lily shot the man, the temperature in the room almost felt that it dropped 10 degrees. She was now suspicious of what the man was truly after. "Commander, as I said, I'm not interested in a friend. I'm here for the Science and to work."

“I get what you are doing,” Patton smiled. “She was so cold he swore it was like sitting in the Arctic circle, maybe colder listening to her voice.” He leaned forward. “But I know you hear me and that was my goal.” He looked in her eyes, he had been the victim of a man who beat the hell out of him for looking at him the wrong way. “You can tuck that away for safe keeping when the time comes, be paranoid that I want something or dismiss it.” He smiled then. “The funny thing about words is, no matter how hard you try to forget them, they pop up at the most annoying times and remind you they are still there.”

"I have an eidetic memory with near perfect recall. So I couldn't forget what you said if I wanted too." Lily said studying the man.

Patton looked at her seriously. “That can be both an asset and a pain in the ass. There are some memories I never want to forget.” He thought of his mother with her flowing brown hair and a smile that lit up a whole room. “And then there are the ones you wish you could block out and never think of again.” Sitting at the hospital, lying to the doctor when he checked out your arm to see if it was broken. “I work hard at shutting the bad things out, they don’t do me any good and I want to be the best man I can be. I can’t imagine not being able to shut it off.”

"Yes it is a royal pain in the arse." Lily said with a very haunted and British tone. She did catch the change in the man when he mentioned about blocking some memories. "Commander I would like to apologize for my earlier outburst. I know you are attempting to be friendly and make me feel welcome on the ship." She said with a British accent. "So as part of the apology I would like to..." She seemed to get a tad uncomfortable. "Invite you over for a meal.... Tonight."

Patton was surprised, shocked even. He had a feeling this wasn’t something she did very often...if ever. “Yes, I would like that.” Patton nodded. “Just a warning, I have this huge crush on Jasmine Haynes. Don’t be surprised if I bring her up a time or two. That woman has me going in two directions.”

Lily only looked down at her folded hands before her. "I understand." She said. "Perhaps I could give you some advice, but my knowledge of relationship's is sadly lacking."

“We are kindred spirits,” Patton said quietly. “The dew times I dated, they stabbed me in a way that changed me. But Jasmine has given me hope.”

"Well you have more experience then I do on the relationship side of things." Lily said still staring at her hands. "You have to understand that I had a PhD in Genetics and 4 other Doctrines in Biology; Xeno-Biology; Botany, Xeno-Botany, by the time I was 14. When I joined Starfleet I spent my 4 years getting more Doctrines, in Zoology, Geology, Ecology, Toxicology, and Infectious Diseases and my Masters degree in Criminal Forensics." She admitted. "So everyone in my early childhood use to make fun of the hyper intelligent religious freak." She said bring her Turquoise eyes to bare on the man.

“People can be cruel,” Patton informed her. “When I was young I was the poor kid in hand me down clothes who the bullies chose to follow home and humiliate, with a step father who thought I was his personal punching bag. I should be angry but I got some counseling, thanks to my father.”

"I never had that problem." Lily said. "I only had one girl attempt to humiliate me. Lets just say that when I was finished with that girl, she wished she had never targeted me." She stated. Then she looked at the man. "What happened to your biological father?"

“He was off on a starship,” Patton explained. “When he found out he filed to get me out of there but before that happened my mother and her husband were killed in an accident.” He could see how Lily wouldn’t take being bullied. “Living with my Dad toughened me up. I worked my ass off so I could go back and teach those bullies a lesson.” But he hadn’t, by the time he was ready they weren’t worth his time and the anger was gone.

"I see." Lily simply stated. "Now here you are on the Federation President's Flagship as the Hazard Team commanding officer and the second in command of Security."

“I learned something along the way,” Patton murmured. “I can’t change other people I can only control myself and who I want to be. Going back and beating the hell out of them would have changed nothing. They didn’t win because I didn’t end up like them.” He took a deep breath. “That isn’t to say a time might come where I would react differently. Someone hurts someone I care about and I can’t say how I would react. If I did, I would be lying.”

"That is normal humanoid behavior." Lily said. "Revenge is a concept that isn't normally found in nature." Then she looked down at her desk with a haunted look.

“But it happens and we are all capable of it,” Patton returned. “I broke a guys nose while in training at the academy because he kept throwing a taunt at me that triggered my past.” He looked at her with her head down. “I learned you just let go of the past and live for tomorrow.” He smiled then. “That jerk deserved his broken nose but I don’t dwell in it I live for now.”

"Hmmm." Lily said. "Sometimes it isn't that easy to let go of ones past." She stated looking at the man with haunted looking Turquoise eyes. "Don't ask about ones past. It can cause more problems then it solves."

“Then don’t,” Patton said quietly. “But I bet you had good reason for whatever it was and it probably made things better for someone. Maybe what you did saved someone from a lot of pain, you never know.”

"It was a reaction to an event." Lily said. "That event is still causing pain and will until the day they pass away." She stated.

“Some pain can’t be forgotten,” O’Sullivan admitted. “Some days a person can almost forget and others it is all they can do to get threw the day. Embrace the good days, it is really all anyone can do.”

"This event brought a new life into the universe." Was all Lily wanted to sat about the matter.

“Then something good did come,” Patton replied. “What time did you say for dinner?”

"Depends on who you ask." Lily said. "How about 18 hundred hours?"

“And where is this dinner?” Patton grinned. “A necessary detail.”

Lily seemed to get a bit uncomfortable. "My quarters." She said. "It is just a friendly meal."

“Of course,” Patton nodded. “Just what I had in mind.”

"I'm sure you want to get your lovely there, feeling better." Lily said standing up and running her hands over her skirt to smooth it out.

“Yes,” Patton smiled. “Thanks again, I will see you tonight.” With that he turned and headed out.

"See you then." Was all Lily said as she watched the man leave.

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