Day 28!
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Karveth approached the door to the captain's mess and sighed minutely. He knew why Tucker was doing this here instead of his ready room - he was sending a message. You're in trouble, don't even think about setting foot on the bridge yet. Very well, if it gave him pleasure. Karveth was an old hand at this; he knew how to let a reading out roll off him like water off a k'mysiss's back.
He touched the door control, and from within came a snapped, "Come in." He entered, and stood with his hands behind his back. It wasn't a comfortable position; the left one, still in a heavy medical dressing, throbbed, and likely would continue to for at least a day to come. It had been a ferocious plasma burn after all, a fact that Doctor Jimenez had repeatedly informed him of, between abusing him for his recklessness and vulgarly questioning his parentage.
Tucker paced in the narrow space between the table and the window, stopping at Karveth's entry. "What the hell was that?" he demanded.
"It had to be done."
"You coulda been killed!"
"I might."
"And that's all you got to say for yourself?"
"You would have done the same thing, Tucker."
"Don't." The human leveled a furious forefinger at him. "Don't you 'Tucker' me - I am your commanding officer."
"Well, technically-"
"DON'T. This is my boat, and my command, so you can take your technicalities and shove 'em." Tucker threw himself angrily into the chair at the head of the table, taking a short, heavy breath through flared nostrils. "You picked a damn stupid way to save all our hides."
Karveth let himself ease into a less formal stance; it seemed safe to now, and besides, his hand hurt. "As I said - it had to be done."
"You think I don't know that?" Tucker glared at him balefully. "The fun part about havin' four of these-" he jabbed a finger at his rank pips "-is that I'm responsible for every soul on this ship. Even the ones with antennae and a bad attitude."
Unwittingly, the corner of Karveth's mouth twitched. "Were you worried about me? Captain?"
"You better watch it, you insubordinate jackass - I will dog walk you."
"I have no idea what that means, but I imagine it's unpleasant."
"You imagine right." Tucker spread his hands on the table, still glaring. "I oughta toss you in the brig for mouthin' off. At the very least, I oughta confine you to quarters until the doc says your hand's healed up."
"At least you haven't accused me of sexual degeneracy the way she did."
Tucker looked at him a disapproving moment, then snorted a laugh. "Really let ya have it, huh?"
"In multiple languages," Karveth said. Tucker sucked air between his teeth.
"Oooo, you know it's bad when she's cussin' you in Spanish." He leaned back in his chair, and jerked his chin towards the small bar against the far wall. "Pour me a drink," he ordered, "and sit."
Karveth did as he was told, and then, in the spirit of it being better to ask forgiveness than permission, poured another for himself. Tucker rolled his eyes.
"You just can't help yourself, can you?"
"Apparently not." Karveth handed the human his drink, and sat with his own. Tucker took a long swig, eyeing his Chief Engineer over the rim of his glass.
"I get it. You had to act fast. And you're right - I woulda done the same thing. But no safety gear? None? For Mr. Protocol? Mr. Do It Right Or Not At All?"
"What's the phrase? 'Do as I say, not as I do?'"
Tucker snorted again, and Karveth took a drink; the burn of the liquor felt good, especially compared to his hand.
"I couldn't have ordered anyone else to do it," he said softly. "It had to be me."
"I know." Tucker set down his glass, scrubbing his face with a hand. "That's why I'm pissed off, y'know. That plasma conduit had to be sealed, or we'd have never gotten the warp core back online. You did the only thing you could. And if you'd been just a little slower, you wouldn't be sittin' here right now drinkin' my whiskey, and I'd be gettin' an earful from Shran."
"Feeling mortal tonight?" Karveth asked, smiling in spite of himself. Tucker took another drink.
"Yeah. You?"
Karveth shrugged. "My hand hurts." He flexed the fingers as best he could, grimacing slightly. "That means I'm alive. Still. The universe continues to decline to end me. Maybe some day I'll know why."
"Wouldn't that be a hell of a thing?" Tucker mused. "Seein' as you're too annoying to live, it must be savin' you for something real special." Karveth shot him a thin, belligerent smile.
"And whatever it is, I hope you're there to see it."
"So you can rub it in my face?"
"Precisely."
Tucker raised his glass. "I'll drink to that." Karveth mirrored the gesture.
"To my inevitable besting of you in all things."
Tucker laughed; their glasses clinked. "Sh’valo, you smug blue son of a bitch."