The Birdman & The Doctor

Posted on Fri Jul 1st, 2022 @ 1:17am by Lieutenant Kennedy Ryan Walsh & Lieutenant Mothim-Ril

Mission: In the Aftermath
Location: Senior Officer's Quarters
Timeline: Mission Day 3 at 2030

Kennedy sat cross-legged on the chesterfield in the common space with a PADD across his lap. He hadn't been in the headspace to read for pleasure since coming onboard the Sojourner. He chuckled lightly when there was light context of an innuendo. Then his cheeks pinkened when he realized he had gotten it when normally these sort of things would go over his head. The door swooshed open and Mothim stepped into the common space. Kennedy looked up, "Hey Mothim. How're you?"

"Hello," Mothim nodded politely. Despite being "roommates," the Aurelian didn't see much of the Doctor. Mostly because he would rather sit in the comfort of his bedroom, what with Kennedy having requested that Mothim wear clothes in the shared space. The Aurelian shook out his wings a bit once the hall door closed behind him, and one orange shoulder feather fell off. Darn. The scientist glanced at it for a moment before leaning down to pick it up and throw it away. Was it already almost time for another molt? He looked back at the doctor with a slight grin, as if apologetic for the time spent standing there. "I'm good. Always good, always when there's math involved. How about you? Reading something?"

"Yeah, I've been meaning to read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Ever hear of it? It's a perfect mixture of absurd and dark humor. Never thought it'd be my thing," Kennedy sat up to make space on the couch for Mothim if he decided to join him, "Hey, do you have a moment to talk?"

"Yes," Mothim nodded. "Actually, I have read that book." He was not, however, a fan of such book. As much as Mothim liked early science fiction books, he liked them because they made him feel good about the current technology level, and fascinated him with how early cultures thought science would progress. This book, however, felt more like it used science just as an anvil to forge jokes on. His roommate seemed happy with the book though, so Mothim chose not to state his own opinions, instead tilting his head slightly as he requested to talk.

"Sure." Mothim looked between the chair and the couch for a moment. Normally, he would have sat in the chair, as uncomfortable as it might be, to not burden the human with his wings but, well, it looked like the doctor was making room for him. The scientist gingerly sat down on the couch. "What is it you want to talk about?"

"There are two things that I want to discuss with you, Mothim." Kennedy nodded. "The first is that I owe you an apology in our first meeting when I finally had settled into our quarters when we first and only spoke. This is very much your space as it is my own. If you wish to forego pants you're more than welcome to do so in this space. It was very unfair and very," Timmoz's words of messy human came across in his mind. His words still bothered him but he was going to do his damndest to become more understanding and accepting of the aliens. He wasn't a schoolboy in Drogheda anymore. He was the chief medical officer on board a Federation starship, "human of me to say so. I hope you can accept my apology that you can't be yourself in this room."

"Oh." Mothim was pleasantly surprised by what the doctor said. Normally, the scientist made little effort to hide his emotions, as mammals had trouble reading Aurelian body language anyway, but the faint, cheerful chirrup that Mothim released was fairly unmistakable. "Why, thank you." Perhaps this would end up being one of his better roommates. The Aurelian crossed his legs, one of the talons clacking softly against the carpet of the floor. "And what was the other thing you wish you discuss?"

"I don't know if you've met my girlfriend Irynya yet?" He asked, he genuinely wanted to know if Mothim had met her. Hopefully they could arrange for them to meet. He continued onto his next talking point, "The two of us had our first real big fight due to a misunderstanding I had. I'm.... not the best when it comes to any sort of relationship... I... haven't made a real friend until I came to the Sojo. Making friends... has never been easy for me. But anyway, last night I went by and apologized. And heard her out." He found that he was rambling and paused. Perhaps this was definitely too much information to provide nor had he gotten to the next point he wanted to discuss with him.

Irynya? The name didn't sound familiar. Nor did it sound human, but Mothim couldn't quite place what species the name might fit into. He was a mathematician, not a linguist... and besides, all human names sounded pretty similar once filtered through his translator. "I don't think I've met her." As to the not having friends part, Mothim could relate - he didn't have a single person on the Sojourner that he really considered a friend. His roommate didn't seem like a super outgoing party character, but Kennedy still got out more and seemed to have more social connections than Mothim did. Mothim was here for the science, of course, and good thing too. If he didn't have something like science to keep him occupied, well, he would probably be quite lonely. Yep. Probably quite lonely.

Still, Mothim reckoned, Kennedy must have more to say. There was no reason to bring your roommate into a serious chat just to say that he had gotten into an argument with his girlfriend. The bird nodded along politely, waiting to hear him out.

"I'm trying to be my hardest to do better by her and the other aliens onboard including you. I'm adapting my humanity to be a wider range, a wider berth, to be a better doctor to you and everyone else. Which reminds me, you still owe me a physical..." He shot the Aurelian a playful smile. He nodded his head as he realized he was still quite rambling here and now which he tend to do when he was socially anxious and nervous, usually overstimulated due to social outings and the whatnot but this was different. Mothim was a man of science, Kennedy was a man of medicine, "That being said, Mothim. She and I have seemed to patch up things. And without speaking with you before, speaking as being a human, can be completely irrational. But right now it feels like its all but a bandaid. And that might be an overshare and I'm sorry, Mothim." He paused, "I asked her to move in with me. With us, and I'm sorry for not consulting this with you first. For now, I don't see her here often. She will spend most of her own nights back in her own room."

A physical. Yes. Mothim did still have to do his physical - he had, however, been wrapped up in his work and assumed that medbay could call him when they wanted him. He had not yet been called. Not that Mothim had something against examinations; if anything, it was good to be able to introduce more doctors to Aurelian anatomy. And probably an interesting change of pace for them, what with dealing with mammals all day... though, this crew did have a Gorn. So maybe not all mammals. "Inviting her into your nest." Mothim chuffed in amusement, unbothered by the idea of her moving in. "That's a serious move. How does your nest look? Did you gather enough sticks to impress her?" That, there, was a joke. Aurelians had not built nests out of sticks for many centuries, and he knew very well that mammals didn't really call their rooms or beds nests, no matter now nest-like they might be. "And more importantly - does she mind me not wearing clothes?" Little good it would do for Kennedy to say Mothim didn't have to wear awful pants, if his girlfriend were to request otherwise.

He raised an eyebrow and didn't know if he should laugh at the Aurelian's attempt at humour and at successfully keeping things light. He shook his head at his last comment, "Irynya is a Risan.... I think she'd be more forthcoming in her acceptance of the nature of your dress or there... lack... of." Kennedy continued, "and besides I'm sure she'd speak about it if it does, otherwise I don't think it will be at all a problem on her account or even mine."

Ah. A Risan. Mothim did have some familiarity with the species. One didn't grow up as an overprivileged rich kid without ever having visited Risa. The Aurelian nodded. "Well, I look forward to meeting her." And hopefully she wouldn't be a member of the science department. God, that would be embarrassing. Mothim was pretty sure he knew the names of everybody in his department but then again, all the mammals did kind of look alike.

"Those were the two important things that I wanted to bring up with you, Mothin. There are two others, firstly you should come to Sickbay at your earliest convenience for your medical examination. And the second is... the one thing I loved about being in junior officer quarters is it felt more of a connection with one another. I really want us to grow together and hopefully become friends than just two people that share a common living space."

The Aurelian nodded. "Just let me know when you have a spot free for an exam." Mothim didn't respond to that second statement for a moment. How was one supposed to respond to it? Mothim preferred the larger senior officer quarters over that of the junior officers, but that was mostly because they physically had more room, not because there was more privacy and independence from his roommate. The scientist had never been one to grow too close to his roommate, but, eh, it couldn't hurt. "And, uh. Sure." He shrugged, his wings shifting with very human expression.

"Tomorrow at noon and then we could do lunch?"

"Yeah." Mothim nodded. "Sounds good."

"I'll see you tomorrow, I'm gonna turn in early. Have a goodnight."

A Joint Post By

Lieutenant Mothim-Ril
Chief Science Officer
USS Sojourner

&

Lieutenant Kennedy Ryan Walsh
Chief Medical Officer
USS Sojourner