[Citadel/Nimbus] A Party On The Rocks (closed)

Temria hesitated at the question, unsure as to exactly what type of response Freh'ya was expecting to that. With some trepidation she rested both hands on the commando's shoulders, leaning in to tell her "Every day." as though sharing a dark secret.

And with that, the contact became precise and professional again, Temria working the interface with precision to highlight a specific point along the injured muscle, highlighted by a red line running through it. "Found it." she said confidently, patting her gently on the wounded shoulder, "I didn't notice the swelling at first, but there it is. You've gone and compressed a nerve."

Rahilan looked glad of the change of topic, and nodded readily when Arina elaborated on the value of thorough intelligence gathering. She listened with interest to Arina and Freh'ya's recent venture as well, although at the same time, she seemed a little hesitant when she spoke up again.

"Every huntress needed," she agreed nonetheless. "Now more than ever, in a way - with the obvious threat gone, I mean to say. Nobody questioned the need then, not with those things landing, spewing out their husks. Every maiden and matron with a good hand joined the effort, it seemed, and the hunt matriarchs - those who survived - could barely pass on even the rudiments of their wisdom fast enough, there were so many eager to learn. Now it's over." She frowned, and looked back at Arina, with a shadow of guilt in her eyes.

"I understand it," she admitted. "Wanting to turn away from the hunt, no more fighting. Before the war I wasn't in service, you know. I'd trained when I was young, but Epira has a lot of potentials, it wasn't... vital that I stay, after my time learning was done. I was more maiden than huntress, travelling, taking whatever flying jobs came my way here and there on the frontier." She looked dissatisfied with her choice, in hindsight, but gave a sigh, and her voice was firmer then. "After the war ended, one of the commandos - from Thessia, sent once the relay opened to help us get back on our feet - took me under her wing, and... Well," she smiled, "I understand exactly what you mean, about needing a 'nudge', an example to look up to."

She nodded when asked about her parentage, appearing quite content with the observation, even as she corrected it.

"My step-father was elcor," she explained. "My birth father was batarian, but most of what I know about him is from my mother. I have... very young memories of him, but nothing entirely clear." She squared her shoulders slightly. "He was first-generation Epiran, his parents came there after being driven out of home in the Castellan Purges. Fiercely anti-slavery. My step-father joined the family when I was fifteen, and then naturally enough my sister came alone... He was a good parent, to both of us - never a word of favouritism, that she was his by birth and me not." She smiled unconsciously at the memory of her family, relaxing into her couch.

Freh'ya sighed heavily, basically shrinking a few centimeters as the air went out. Shared burdens were half the weight. There were things washing up in her she could not ... did not want to really lay on Taleeze. The therapy with her Matriarch on Nevos was doing her good and only now, after some time away, she was realizing how much she was missing the intimate sharing of all her inner horrors with the old asari in melds. She was just opening her mouth to reply something to Temria when the doctor had found her compressed nerve.

Freh'ya exhaled heavily again.
"Great..." she muttered frustrated. I'm getting old. "So what am I doing abot this?" Of course she knew there was supposed to be resting and all that... nerves were just annoying but she still hoped that Temria knew some magic.

Her gaze was travelling to Temria in the window again but dropped away when the doctor looked her way. Coming to rest on something odd she had not realized until now. I am really getting old. There was a surprisingly large guncase on the desk, together with other doctor-ish stuff.

"What is in there? I thought you were wearing a Hae'Shang wrist mod?"

"Well, generally speaking you'll want to treat the tertiary cause of the condition first. In this case, you have some inflammation along that muscle which is putting pressure on the nerve. To relieve it..." trailing off, Temria rounded the chair again and began looking through the overhead containers, reading labels through their glass doors. "Common wisdom dictates minimal usage, a sling, and a few hours daily of meditation and aromatherapy to relieve the pain... I, however, prefer something that works."

She smiled, withdrawing a small glass jar with a dense, thick cream settled inside. "This, is your standard anti-inflamatory balm. Non steroidal, of course. Available over the counter without prescription. It'll relieve that swelling around the injury and so relieve the pressure on that nerve. That should provide enough relief for you to give that shoulder the rest it deserves. That said, you'll still want to reduce stress on that shoulder as best you can, for someone with arms as heavy as yours I actually would recommend a sling, but I won't force the issue if you feel you can do without. Before going to sleep, I recommend giving it a half hour to absorb into the skin. Of course, if you need help reaching I can assist."

"Either way, I guarantee you'll feel a measure of relief after using it. Give the injury another couple of weeks and have it assessed again. There are options if the nerve continues to give you trouble, but I expect after the sprain heals up you won't even notice it... at least until you're well on in your Matriarch years."

"As for that... actually yes, Arina was alarmed by it too! I'm afraid I miss-spoke. It's not the Hae'Shang, but the Hae'Shang mk2 Refit- the one that's thermal clip compatible." She smiled, "The thing looks ridiculous, like I'm wearing an arm-brace, it doesn't even leave your hand free like the original did."

"As for the case... it's one of those rigged ones with the alarm built in. They only came in the one size and they're meant for heavier things in general but it was a requisite for me to be allowed to take it with me when I imigrated to the citadel." She sighed, looking at the case with visible wariness, "Its regular unlocking mechanism takes 28 hours to open, it has a quick release that alerts C-Sec... at least it's supposed to. I suspect it'll start screeching as soon as I open it and won't stop until it gets shoved out of an airlock..."

Arina was nodding in appreciation when Rahilan told her story. I sounded good that she had found motivation in the sisterhood of others. While she herself wasn’t among those criticizing Maidens hard for going the Maiden ways instead of taking up arms, there were many that were suspicious about those still following the old ways as it was the custom before the war. But such was the asari way – nobody would be forced into military, everyone was expected to find out what her place in the galactic context would be.

“You know, I was never very much into military action. Between the Republics this wasn’t a topic – aside from coordination the combined fleets and stuff like that, but never about any conflict – my ways were the way of diplomacy, of negotiating, talking, finding common ground. Can you imagine how hard the Reaper was on me? There simply was no use for us in any way, it was the total helplessness. Niacal was isolated and I did find a place to be of use, but… even now, two years after everything, it sometimes seems the universe is in a limbo. I couldn’t say what will happen, it is as if a big reset happened and all our intel about a lot of species was worth nothing. We’re puzzling this together slowly though.” She grinned. “Thanks to pilots like you, giving us the information we need mostly.”

Arina raised an eyebrow at Rahilan’s family heritage. There had been times when batarian fatherhood had been nearly as unpopular as purebloods. The species had never been present in the core republics in large numbers but the Reach was another thing. Arina had her own history with them… or better, one in particualar Not the nicest memories.

She would have liked to know what had become of her father but of course didn’t ask. She could relate though as she herself had only bee in her early twenties when her salarian father had passed away.
“That’s a typical elcor spirit. A lot of people could learn a lot if the listened to them and their ways more. Also and especially when it comes to pacifism.”

Freh’ya looked at Temria bewildered. Heavy arms? Helloooo?
“Doctor, I am sure you will understand that I can’t take up your suggestion with the sling, right? That would not look too good during the mission.” she was almost amused by the thought of being the assigned security detail with her arm in a sling. Maybe she’d need a cane too.

“I promise I’ll give it proper rest when this is over. It is not unbearable after all, just annoying.” She had suffered through serious pains for prolonged times on various occasions after all. This wasn’t going to affect her performance but of course she knew that even though asari had a wonderful healing capacity, she was taking loans on her later life. Probably Temria was right about her feeling it in her later years.

She took the balm and sniffed it. There was slight stingy smell to it, but not enough to be abhorrent. Most likely, when spead on the skin, you wouldn’t smell a thing.
“Sounds good…” she hesitated, thinking for a second. “What about just now? It’s still early but I don’t think I will be forced to much activity throughout this day. We’re going to spend it in transit anyway, so I try and rest the arm as good as I can. You could indeed help me… maybe.” She handed the jar back. Someone massaging her shoulders… was she bad to think about that now?

Then she looked at the gun case.
“Oh, I know these. Do you have trouble with it? You said something about needing help?”

"I can imagine how it must have been, I think," Rahilan admitted. "A little, anyway. Flying during the invasion was... I wouldn't care to repeat those kinds of experiences in a hurry. But in a way it helped - to keep my mind off other things. To feel that I was doing my part, even if 'my part' was just a piece of one region on one world." She swallowed almost imperceptibly. "I can't deny there were times I welcomed the distraction. Especially near the end. Having a mission - any mission - was better than wondering if... any amount of fighting would really make a difference."

She paused a moment, then looked back up at Arina.

"If you'll pardon my saying so," she offered, "but your 'way' was far from useless. It wasn't anyone's skill at arms that saved us. Not even the human Spectre, from all I've heard. Cooperation gave us life." She returned Arina's grin. "We huntresses win battles, but it's you who win the peace... If, Athame bless, the future is bright, you're the ones our daughters will thank for building it." She chuckled quietly. "We just watch you backs while you do it."

Temria crossed her arms, responding to the commando's surprised expression with an almost playful grin. Oh yeah, I said that.

"Of course, of course. I understand your circumstances. Still, I couldn't let it go unsaid in good conscience. The risk is yours to take."

"Of course I can help you." She took the jar back and held it daintily in one hand while she checked the lid, evidently finding nothing wrong with it as she set it down gently on the counter. If Freh'ya had loaded the statement with meaning the doctor had clearly missed it, "It's what I'm here for after all, right? I think in your case a regular application every say... four to five hours is probably best and-" she hesitated, looking towards the case as well. "And of course, it's no trouble. I don't consider it an unusual duty by any means, but that said..."

She looked to Freh'ya with a smile, "I'm more concerned that I haven't properly field stripped a weapon since the War. If you're so inclined, perhaps you'd care to oversee while I do so... later?"

“That’s nice of you to say. But I am fairly sure the Reaper War will always be remembered for those who fought with a weapon in their hands.” The world of diplomacy was one of secrecy and not much fame.
“When was the last time, anyone has erected a monument for a hero diplomat after all?” But that was the price she was gladly willing to pay. Arina was doing her job out of belief for a peaceful galactic future after all.

Arina got up and straightened her dress.
“Watch my back while chauffeuring a Matriarch to her therapy.” She put a hand on Rahilan’s shoulder briefly. “Just a moment.” Then she went to the back of the cabin and through to the VIP cabin. Looking around inside she noted the second bunk for the assistant of the Matriarch, her eyes came to rest on the kitchenette and the kaffe maker. A smile crossed her face as she activated the device. With a hiss two cups of hot steaming fluid materialized. Arina took the two cups and left the cabin again. It was a shame that kaffe makers weren’t standard equipment on bridges of Republican ships.

She went back to the pilot couch and offered one of the cups to Rahilan.
“Inspection of the equipment. We have to make sure everything works to the Matriarchs satisfaction,” she said with a grin.

The ever-so-lame ‘risk is my middle name’ joke came to her mind and she had to grin, which probably looked sheepish from an outside perspective. “I’m used to risks and this is one I probably can manage.” she said, the line at least somewhat fitting her expression.

When Temria sat down the jar again, Freh’ya was raising an eyebrow. “I was thinking about help rubbing it in right away? I can then apply it again before I lie down tonight. Just so I get a feeling about the right amount and so on….I want to get rid of this as soon as possible of course.” And I won’t run around with my arm in a sling while on duty, sorry.

She eyed the case again and then the doctor.
“Sure I can oversee you strip it. Whenever you like, but I’d say not drag it out too long, you should have it ready when we make the entry into Nimbus.”

Temria looked surprised, turning back to the jar and snatching it up. "Oh! Yes, of course we can do it now." she smiled, opening it with a quick easy twist and nodding to the commando. "Please excuse me, I tend to get all turned around when I start talking about guns..."

Rounding the chair, she ran three fingers over the waxy surface inside. Coming around she paused, and withdrew them to show Freh'ya, "Just enough to cover the fingertips..." she explained, stepping behind the commando and pressing those cool fingertips to her toned back. "Start with the epicenter of the swelling, from over here it seems to be about... here. From there..." she continued, working the medicine in through slow concentric circles, "expand outward until you have an uneven coverage over the muscle."

"Then, we'll work it in- try to get a good, thin coverage, like water. It will feel very, very warm at first. That'll pass... Once that's done, you'll find you have some excess around the edges which you can spread outward until it's just as thin. For the first twenty or thirty minutes it's good to let it air."

"You know how it is... better safe than sorry. we will drop to Trategos, load our passengers and will be off again in no time. I do admit, I am curious to get to know the Matriarch they are going to such great lengths for. Trategos bunch ...." she chuckled, but when Temria started rubbing her shoulder and the warmth of the balm started expanding in her flesh a "hrrmmmmmm...." escaped her.
That's good, mummy...

She had no idea how long she had just closed your eyes and had just sat there with a stupid grin. at one point the doctor had stopped obviously.

She felt wonderfully relaxed, when she slid of the bed she had been sitting on, currently no pain in her very warm shoulder.
"That's great, thank you, Temria."

She put her uniform shirt back on.
"We could get to this," she nodded towards the gun case, "right now or in a bit. From my estimation we should enter the Panitha Relay soon. I asked Rahi to swing us through the asteroid belt, I would like to play with the defense systems a bit." She grinned.

"I expect we will take a sleep cycle in transit to Pelion, so we'd have a bit of time then...." she raised an eyebrow as if she just had realized something. "Actually... who's the designated cook on board? We never talked about that!"

"I've collected a sample of some of her writings in preparation for the trip. I plan to review them before we arrive- hm..." The doctor couldn't help but smile at Freh'ya's pleased vocalizations. The commando's reaction to her ministrations not in the least bit unexpected, given the stress that poor sprain must have been putting on her, but none the less quietly amusing. It didn't matter if you were mighty huntress, a good proper back rub could do anyone in; it was the great equalizer between the most powerful matriarchs and any maiden scattered across the galaxy. She fought down a tiny laugh as she turned to rinse off her hands.

"Of course there's no rush. Well... a slight rush, obviously, we don't need to strip the weapon now. For the time being I can just unpack it and check the clearing mechanism before I stow it. We can... set some time aside later, shall we?"

She looked surprised, "I hadn't even considered it. It wouldn't be my first trip subsisting entirely on instant-food and rations... Well, perhaps Arina can shed light on that question. I suppose I could be convinced to whip something up for you girls, mm?"

Yes, stripping and whipping later sounds like a plan... the thought formed itself, poked a virtual tongue at Freh'ya and vanished into the dark again, chased by a frowning face of Taleeze. She chuckled for no obvious reason.

"Fine with me. I suppose you don't need help with that? I'd love to see the thing though. It's been a while since I saw someone use a wristmod. And after that we should check with Arina. The thing is... my last posting on earth was all rations, so something handmade would be nice." She remembered the dubious piece of meat from Dano's grill. She still had to find out what 'Lul' was supposed to be and wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Relay travel was in reality a boring experience. The ship was propelled along a FTL tunnel like a projectile, not much to do, not much to observe. Nobody really thought about anything going wrong with the relays because nothing ever did. There had never been instances of ships not coming out the other end. Breakup in transit was a possibility, if someone would set of, say, a bomb. The tunnel itself would still propel the wreckage to it’s destination as the ship was not an active part in all this it didn’t matter if it was intact or not. Of course, should the tunnel collapse suddenly, the ship would drop into some lost region of space. Or be totally destroyed right away, nobody knew since that had never happened and if it had (which it had not), nobody would be able to tell about it anyway. So, nobody aboard the Sala T’Era was thinking about that.

~~~~
After a while, the diplomatic shuttle was entering the Aralakh relay. The traffic had increased significantly since before the war as this relay now was a mandatory stopover between Thessia and the Citadel. The T’era wasn’t the only ship on this route and the traffic control was sorting all incoming ships for their destinations, Palaven or Thessia or Kahje.

Arina locked out the windows, nothing to be seen as ships were dark in space but the tactical overlay pointed out the positions nonetheless. She realized how central this system was for all C-Space traffic.

The diplomatic code gave the ship a spot on the very next transfer to Parnitha and Rahilan operated their ship with a casual perfection. As again the flickering illumination effect of the FTL tunnel engulfed them, they had again a couple of hours time with nothing to do but watch the life support system support their lifes. The clock had progressed to a relative time of evening ….

~~~~

Arina swung around in her commando chair (she was definitely getting the hang of this): ”Temria, would you really like to treat us with dinner? That would be amazing…” Judging by the taste the doctor had shown at the Forrest, Temria must know something of good cooking, Arina mused. Besides she was indeed quite hungry by now and even centuries of space travel had still not produced enjoyable dry-frozen rations. With no species, funny enough.Since Freh’ya had mentioned the doctors offer earlier, she was more than happy to take her up on it.
“I’d of course help you!” She looked at Freh’ya who was lounging in her chair at tactical and staring at a monitor, daydreaming, then at Rahilan.
“We could have a community dinner down in the quarters, I am sure the pilot seat can be left unattended while we are in transit?”

"Yes Ma'am," Rahi replied with a smile, putting the ship into autonomous mode; the panoramic view shuttered down to just the physical viewports and standard monitoring screens on the active bridge stations. She slid her seat back from its nest of controls and stood, stretching for a moment as her chair folded itself neatly into the deck, and nodded to herself as the VI shimmered into view in its place, patiently watching the forward controls in her place. It was a purely aesthetic touch - the VI was the ship, and needed no visible presence to be aware of everything Sala's sensors captured - but she had found, on undertaking solo flights, that it made her feel a lot more relaxed leaving the helm unattended.

"Would you really?" she asked eagerly, following the group to the elevator. "I'd be ever so grateful." She had a minor flair with a grill, but only really with fresh seafood, and comfortable or not this was nowhere near the kind of luxury liner that would carry that sort of stock in its kitchen supplies. Out of necessity - anything to avoid standard rations - she muddled along with a few basics using the stocks Sala did carry, but it was always a joy to have passengers who could make up for that shortcoming of hers.

Temria nodded her head deferentially to Arina and Rahi with a smile. "Of course, I would be honored to do so."

This was exciting! Temria couldn't remember the last time she'd been asked to treat anyone to a home cooked meal. Actually, on reflection she could: it was so long, years ago, and the memory remained vivid for the intern who had been moved to tears at the first taste and had been inconsolable for hours afterwards. The thought gave Temria pause, and a swell of pride she had to fight down, not bad at all for a girl who'd taught herself to cook in her maiden years with nothing but bulk spices, instant meals, and a hot plate.

"Though I don't want to get your hopes up..." she said jokingly, following them into the lift. "I haven't even seen what you've stocked up."

“Someone said ‘dinner’?” Freh’ya turned around with alert eyes. A big girl liker would probably need a hearty meal to sustain good operations. “Community dinner sounds even better, I am afraid I am not of much help… my mate does all the tricky things in the kitchen.” Taleeze would frown if she knew what Freh was living on when she was away. But now, with the three of them and mostly someone else being around the house it had improved! The only thing Freh was good at was living in the wilderness and from an open fire with no fancy things. But that was not going to happen here.

The community dinner sounded like a great opportunity to get to know everyone more. She already knew a lot about Arian from previous encounters but Rahi and the doctor had peaked her interest. Of course her disciplined self did not allow her to be too open about it yet. She stood and stretched.
“It’s been a while since I was appreciating the joys of asari navy customs of communal quarters and meals.”