It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift
Two days after the battle, and Paula had only been in her quarters for a brief shower and what felt like an even shorter nap. She'd found Hikaru passed out on the bed, a towel wrapped around him as though he'd meant to wait for her but had fallen asleep before he could even get under the covers. She'd curled up next to him, and vaguely remembered him slipping out of the bed to return to the bridge an hour or two later, his lips warm as they pressed against her shoulder. She'd fallen back into a dreamless sleep after that, and hadn't woken until the alarm had begun to ratchet up in volume, the sound not immediately enough to rouse her.
Coffee and adrenaline had gotten her through that next long shift, and when at last the science department were all accounted for and the labs cleaned up, contained, or sealed until the energy could be spared to decontaminate them, she was exhausted. Sometime in the intervening hours she'd remembered to find her spare communicator. It had been comforting to get the occasional update or concerned message from Hikaru, though neither of them had time for more than a quick text or a few stolen moments after the officers' briefing.
All that was left was to wait; nothing else could be done until they reached Starbase 78. Paula pulled her communicator out as she left the CSO's office and sent another message.
Private to Lt. Hikaru Sulu:
Where are you?
Coffee and adrenaline had gotten her through that next long shift, and when at last the science department were all accounted for and the labs cleaned up, contained, or sealed until the energy could be spared to decontaminate them, she was exhausted. Sometime in the intervening hours she'd remembered to find her spare communicator. It had been comforting to get the occasional update or concerned message from Hikaru, though neither of them had time for more than a quick text or a few stolen moments after the officers' briefing.
All that was left was to wait; nothing else could be done until they reached Starbase 78. Paula pulled her communicator out as she left the CSO's office and sent another message.
Private to Lt. Hikaru Sulu:
Where are you?