SGU Fic Challenge #001 - midnight
Title: Late Shift
Author: raptor-moon
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Prompt Challenge #001: Midnight
Author's Notes: Not exactly sure when this would take place…but sometime around midnight. ;-)
At first they had been in emergency mode, putting everyone on eight hour shifts and rotating through. It was best practice to keep the ship running, but harder psychologically. Now that things had stabilized and they were focused on long term survival, a standard day shift with skeleton evening and night shift rotations to deal with emergencies had been established. This gave people more opportunities to work together and socialize. So as Lt. Johanson returned to her quarters after checking on a minor injury she was only slightly surprised to find Dr. Rush working.
“Dr. Rush, aren’t you supposed to be resting? You really should be; it’s almost midnight.”
He looked up, startled. His eyes had a dazed, almost glazed look. “Is it? I hadn’t realized it had gotten so late. It can’t be…” he turned back to the console.
Tamara noticed his ration bowl, sitting untouched on the console. “Dr. Rush…Nicholas…” she touched his shoulder and he jumped up startled again, as if he had forgotten she was there in those few brief seconds. “When did you last eat or sleep?”
“Don’t want to eat - stuff makes me nauseous. Too much work to do to sleep.” He turned back to the console and again seemed to forget she was even there. His obsession frightened her. They needed Dr. Rush if they were to survive and find a way home. No food, no sleep. He would make himself sick…unless he was sick already. She watched the clock tick, 11:59, 12:00, 12:01. He showed no sign of stopping work.
“Dr. Rush, we have no current crisis. The work can wait until morning. It’s after midnight, you need to rest. “ When she managed to get a hand to his forehead, he seemed feverish.
“After midnight…he stared at her uncomprehending. But that means another day…another disaster waiting to happen. I have to solve this…” His voice trailed off as he turned back to the console again. She grabbed his shoulder to try and lead him away and he spun on her. “Who is going to save us all when Destiny shows her darker side again? The universe is unforgiving. I have to solve this, before…I can’t.”
“Nicholas,” he made direct eye contact when she used his first name, “If you collapse again from exhaustion, you won’t be able to save anyone. Let me walk you to your quarters.” He finally nodded his assent and his shoulder sagged in defeat. She took his arm and guided him away from work.
When she finally got to lie down for the night, she could not fall asleep. Her mind was focused on her work. Was Dr. Rush falling ill? What would she do if he or another crewmember became seriously ill? As the only trained medic, if something happened to her who would step up. Who could keep the crew from falling apart as Dr. Rush and the others worked to find a way home? She stared at the clock, it was well after midnight before she finally slept.