Getting To Know The Boss, Maybe

Posted on Wed Dec 19th, 2018 @ 8:34pm by Lieutenant Cole Dering M.D., M.S. & Commander Lilly Cavallo MD
Edited on on Wed Dec 19th, 2018 @ 8:35pm

Mission: My Place In This Universe
Location: Lilly's Apartment
Timeline: 2388/08/23 1840 (August 23 2388 6:40pm)

Cole and Lilly had walked to administration to get Lilly's access key to her apartment, and then onto the senior staff apartment buildings. Very little was said besides Cole pointing out where different areas of the campus were, and comments on the scenery, including the campus gardens as they approached her building.

"You might be interested in meeting the groundskeeper," Cole said, "He's an interesting man," then he smiled as he faced her before the main door, "and Denobulan."

"Is he now?". Lilly laughed softly. "I will have to be introduced to him eventually." Her soft smile expanded and then she gazed about the campus again.

Cole's gaze was soley on her. He took the opportunity to look over the stunning Denobulan hybrid from head to toe and then discovering he needed to take a deep breath, opened the door. "After you, boss."

"Aha, so the building overlooking the lake is officers quarters eh? I like that, I bet it is breathtaking at sunset" Lilly toyed with a curl that strayed about her face and then wondered aloud, "I wonder if I have a lake or a waterfall side room."

Cole smiled as he followed her in, and his eyes soaked in her mannerisms. "Actually I think you have a mountain view from your balcony." he told her slightly distracted. "Based on the number on your key card, I think your apartment is right below the Deans."

"Truly?". She stopped and stared at him for a long moment as if she can't believe what he'd said. Her icy blue eyes got huge at the honor."

"Truly." he chuckled lightly, and then breathing in deeply, forced himself to look around them. "Here on the ground floor is a community lounge and an exercise room." He then directed her towards the turbolift, "Shall we?"

"Lead on" she said with a mocking little bow following behind him. Her eyes traced his body approvingly as he led her.

They entered the turbolift and he glanced down at her from the side. "So have you meant him yet?" he asked. "Fourth floor" he said to the turbolift auditory receiver.

"Have I met who?" Lilly asked curiously as the turbolift lurched into action.

"Doctor McKinney." Cole replied. "He's an interesting man."

"Doctor McKinney? No I've not met him yet. What makes you say he's interesting in such a tone. Actually no, wait until we're inside and then tell me. I won't have you be overheard if you're going to say something impolite."

The turbolift doors opened, and they walked out into the hallway together. "Tone?" Cole mouthed silently and he looked confused. They headed towards her apartment door, and he walked a little behind her not saying a word and feeling really uncertain.

Her deep breath brought fear pheromones to her nose and she glanced at him Damn I scared him already and decided to clarify her words "I have no qualms about hearing your opinions, I want them. However...what you said, just makes me think you have something significant to tell me that perhaps might be better NOT overheard"

Cole raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps I've given you the wrong impression of me." he half smiled, letting it go.

A delighted little laugh answered him, as she continued down the hallway and she paused to glance at the number on her keycard. 401, the number that was on the door at the end of the hallway. The doors opened to her quarters, in response to the key signal and she stepped in, eyes wide as she turned in place taking it all in. "Wow. All this space for me?"

Wow. Cole leaned sideways against a wall as he watched her. "Check out the veranda." he said gesturing to the french doors that opened up to it. He had his own view right in front of him.

Wandering to the door and holding her hand up against the brilliant sunlight, she held it open for just a moment before closing it again and blinking rapidly. "I think, I will enjoy the view when the sun is not directly above." Moving to stand in a more shadowy place Lilly reached up and rubbed the forehead ridge on the left as she took in the place.

Releasing a breathe he hadn't realized he'd been holding, Cole reluctantly pulled himself away from the wall. "I should get back to work, allow you some time to get settled in." He had noticed her belongings sat in one corner.

"Before you go...tell me what you were going to say in the hall?" Lil requested softly as she took a mental inventory of her things and how she would make this space feel like home.

Cole stared back at her, tempted to tell her to say 'pretty please, perhaps with..." well, with something on top. Instead he said, "Only that the Dean's an interesting man, nothing more." and walked towards her, "But if you want to talk about him, there are some things we need to go over. I 'was' going to wait until tomorrow when we go over patient files."

Casting a look over her shoulder at Cole she spoke again "It can wait, I just thought you had something to say was all. Its all new to me, and if there was something I need to know..." Allowing the sentence to trail off she grinned at him and made a shooing motion with her fingers. "Go do something fun with your evening Cole. I'll see you in the morning."

Cole's eyes narrowed as he regarded her. Damn she was hard to read. He looked at his watch. "No plans tonight. Okay, need to know..." he walked up beside her, "Yeah. According to Doctor McKinney's file, he's been self-treating himself."

Lilly's eyes hardened as she turned to face him. Her voice was crisper than it had been as she instructed "What do you mean, self-treating Exactly?"

"Specifically," Cole answered, " HBOT treatments and neural therapy. His former psychiatrist placed a warning in his file that this may be a problem. I think it is."

Her mouth hardened as well, as she chewed on her lip a trait she'd acquired from her mother. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm and chilled. "Well then we're just going to have to put an end to that sort of behavior. I may be new, but you will find, I will not be pushed around."

Cole raised an impressed eyebrow. "Are you going to have a talk with him?"

"If I catch him doing so." she answered quietly, hoping that she would not have to do so. Readying herself for that might take days.

"Well, that shouldn't be hard to do, he's not sneaking around. Has no problem with walking in and doing whatever he feels like doing." Cole looked thoughtful, "Don't get me wrong, he just has a presence among the staff. Authoritative, but they all seem to like him."

"That's a good thing." she observed quietly with a tiny smile. If Cole was inclined to defend him, that was a good thing in her mind, it meant he was a good man, worthy of defending. But this...it had to stop. "I'll deal with it Cole. And I promise not to alter or harm him in the process" she grinned at him, subtly turning the conversation back to 'safer' ground for him.

"Okay." Cole smiled back, staring at her longer than he meant to before saying, "We have another priority case, a cadet. She became ill at Starbase Zulu with a rare condition. She's responding well to treatment, and the prognosis for her full recovery is excellent. She'll be transferring over in a couple of days."

"Interesting" she drew out the word as if the very word was fascinating to her. "Her name and condition, so I might make sure to have a look later this evening?"

Cole had nodded at her initial response, he had to agree. "Her name is Kelly Khan" he replied and then his brow furrowed, "I...don't recall the conditions name, but it's parasitic in nature."

"I'll look it up presently. If it's as rare as you say, its just as easy to not know the name of it as to know it." Lilly answered as she pondered briefly what it could be. Parasitic infections were rare in this century and intriguing to study.

"Thank you for letting me off the hook." Cole smiled. "Well, I should be going." Not that he wanted to. It was just that the longer he was around her, the more he felt like he needed a cold shower. He started stepping away, "If you need anything..."

"You'll be the first to know" she responded in the same tone that he'd used initially when he was teasing her.

He looked back her as he continued walking, giving her a knowing look and a charming smile. "I'm counting on that." His smile widen, "Dismissed, Boss." and was out the door.


END


Lieutenant Lilly Cavallo
Chief Medical Officer
Magellan Campus

&

Lieutenant Cole Dering, M.D.
Assist. Chief Medical Officer
Magellan Campus