When the Sun Turns to Darkness

When the Sun Turns to Darkness

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter Seven

Laying Down the Law

Rebecca felt herself abruptly yanked from her position while her display pad was taken from her at the same time. So intent had she been on her job she was taken totally by surprise. Confused it took her a moment to figure out what was going on. By then Rake had her halfway across the bay and Blanca had taken over her position. "RAKE!" she yelled, then snapped her transmitter back on to the correct channel. "DAMMIT RAKE..."

"Pardon Mam. Doctors orders" he responded so quickly she was silenced halfway through her sentence.

"Doctor? What stupid doctors pulling me off my job?"

"I am" Kathleen answered over the same channel, shutting down Rebecca's building tirade. She was standing just inside the airlock, not having suited up. In her hand was a filled hypo, just waiting for a certain half-breeds arm to arrive. That only took five minutes, when Rebecca stormed out of the airlock leaving Rake to recharge the suit she'd been wearing.

"Kathleen" she yelled, stepping through the hatch. Her answer was a sharp pain in her arm, spinning she found Kathleen holding an empty syringe. "What the hell?"

"Mild stimulant since you seem to have outlasted the first one. By rule you should be passed out right now. Still your forbidden a suit for one hour. Starting now" Kathleen ordered in her sternest voice. "Food, drink, see the CO before he skins your people alive. Get an overview if you have too. But sixty minutes out of a suit or I take you off duty for a week. Got it?"

Rebecca's normally gentle face hardened. "I've got a job to do.." she started when Kathleen slapped her. Hard. She spun in the zero G, coming to a stop against the far wall.

"You listen to me you hard headed half breed dyke" Kathleen snapped back. "You wanted a MO, you got one. You do what the nice little doctor says or God so help me I'm gonna strap you down in Sickbay isolation, shove a couple of catheter's up you to your belly-button and leave you alone for a week. Understand?" She shivered in anger, her voice lowering. "Dammit Becky, your killing yourself. You haven't peed in ten hours. Your killing your kidneys. You do that... Up here? You’re a dead woman. You want to do that to me? Take your sixty minutes and see me after. If... IF I'm in a good mood I might let you back in a suit. Maybe. But right now, this instant your half a hair from getting yourself a medical and you know it. Now go. Before I

change my mind and write you up anyway."

Rebecca.... Got. She found the nearest toilet, locking herself in until she could calm down. Kathleen was right of course, but... "She slapped me" Rebecca whispered to no one. "How many people have I pounded into the ground for something like that?" She shivered in reaction, calming herself before leaving the toilet. Rake was waiting just outside with a laptop in his hands.

"Main Buss D is on-line Mam. DISCOVERY is inhabited and the rear bay doors are closed." He handed her the device. "That's the update. Your headed?"

"Bridge" Rebecca sighed, defeated. With her bladder empty she suddenly felt her exhaustion. Even over the new stimulant. "Anything else?"

"Yep." Rake handed her a large drink bag. "Two pints pineapple juice. Doctors orders."

"Oh flippin great. Pineapple. She must know I can't stand the stuff." Rebecca took the offered bag, forcing herself to swallow a large amount of the horrid tasting liquid before continuing. "Rake. Don't ever marry a doctor. She'll kick yer ass."

Rake laughed. "At least she hasn't lost your shot records mam."

"Days young Rake... Days young." She finished the bag, handing it back to Rake. "See if you can find me a suit I can wear will you? One with plumbing for a woman?"

"Already done Mam, doctors orders" he replied. "F-102, I've got a couple people working on it now. It'll be waiting for you when you get back." He looked at her. "102 pounds?"

"One seventeen" Rebecca admitted. "And thanks. Now to get yelled at by the Captain. Pineapple... bleaugh..." Rake's laughter followed her as she headed topside.