Divine Retribution; Part 2

Posted on Wed Mar 16th, 2011 @ 1:13pm by Lieutenant Xylia Lischka & Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Marion & Captain Nathan Cowell MD

Mission: Shore Leave 1: Pacifica
Location: Various
Timeline: Just after 'Divine Retribution; Part 1'

Xylia stepped onto the turbolift after leaving the Operations offices, which to her dismay, were empty. Highly annoyed, she barked the command to the computerized voice and headed for the bridge. Perhaps there would be someone there who would be able to help her. Of course, she couldn't be too pissed off. They were currently on shore leave, which meant most people were on the surface enjoying themselves. She, on the other hand, couldn't go back until knowing a problem of this magnitude was waiting for her.

Stepping from the turbolift, she looked around and spotted someone she hoped would be able to help her. She made her way over and cleared her throat, glancing on to the woman's collar so she would know how to address her. "Lieutenant... I really hope you can help me."

Liz looked up from her console, she'd been working all morning on power distribution figures and was thankful for the sudden if not unexpected break, "I'm sure if you let me know what's going on, I could try."

"I just came from my quarters and apparently while I was on the surface, the toilet backed up. Thankfully, the door was closed, but it's still a mess. I went to Operations, but there was no one there, so I'm assuming most of them are on the planet already. I can't go back down there knowing what would be waiting for me here." Xylia stated. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Oh really?" Liz said almost skeptically, "That's funny you should say that, the Assistant Chief was working on that very system not too long ago. But there were no reports of a malfunction. You haven't used it recently have you?"

"No. I've been on the surface up until recently. I was heading to my quarters to take a shower and discovered that waiting for me." Xylia motioned to her torn and tattered shirt. "The smell was so bad, I had to destroy my shirt just to go in there. You said the Assistant Chief was working on the system? Is their any way to determine if there has been any back up in other quarters?"

"No, unfortunately that system isn't monitored like some of the others are. The only way to tell is to have someone report it," Lt. Marion explained, "But I can put in a trouble call and we'll try to get it fixed for you as soon as we can."

Xylia nodded. She wasn't happy with the current situation, but it wasn't directed at Lieutenant Marion at all. She was a bit skeptical herself. "I suppose that's all that can be done at this point, but I find it pretty convenient that the Assistant Chief was working on the system, then I go to my quarters and find... that mess waiting for me. Needless to say, I'm pretty pissed off right now, but it isn't directed at you by any means. Could you get a hold of this Assistant Chief for me and send him to Security, please?"

Of course, she was assuming the Assistant Chief was a 'he'. There were still members of the crew she had yet to meet face to face. "I'd love to have a little face to fis... er... face time and get some answers."

Liz was about to say something when the door to the turbolift slid open and out walked Captain Nathan Cowell, still in the clothing he had on the day before. He took one look at the Assistant Chief of Security and his lips couldn't help but twist into a cruel, malicious grin. Lt. Marion could be heard moaning as she abandoned her station. She'd put the pieces of the whole thing together the moment she saw that look in his eyes.

"You're on your own with that one..." Marion whispered as she retreated to the opposite side of the bridge, where another turbolift was eagerly awaiting her.

"So, Ms. Lischka... What seems to be the trouble around here that you look like such utter gutter trash. And my lord, what a smell... What have you been rolling around in? If I didn't know any better, I'd say karma came out of your toilet and bitch slapped you right across your head. And you're lucky that's all karma did to you... so far..." Nathan wasn't one to cackle maniacally most of the time, but it slipped out nevertheless as he regarded the woman standing before him.

He passed by her, making it a point to strong arm her out of his way, coming to rest in his center chair.

"Next time you want to play fuck fuck games with someone, child, you best take a class or two on covering your tracks. Had your little holodeck scheme gotten any farther than a little fat jiggling in my face for a few seconds, you might have found yourself beamed right in the middle of that pool of shit I asked our little Borg friend to generate for you," Nathan said, never once looking back to regard the woman, "Oh, and you might want to requisition a space suit from one of the airlock control rooms. You're going to need it to clean up that mess you have."

Before the woman even had a thought about protesting, "Yes, I said you're going to clean it up. And when you do, I'll come along and inspect it. Should it not be perfect, we'll flood her again and see how many times it takes for you to get it right..."

Xylia suppressed a groan. She hadn't expected the Captain to be awake so soon, but he was, and she had to face the music. "Captain Cowell... for the record, there was nothing more going to happen than a little 'fat jiggling' in your face. I'm not exactly sure what happened on the surface before you brought on board, but it was intended to be perfectly harmless." She was no longer annoyed with the situation at hand. Who would be when facing the target of what she thought to be fun and games when she was drinking?

"I didn't cover my tracks purposely. The whole purpose behind what was done was an attempt to get you to lighten up a little. You're a good man, Captain, and before you even think I'm trying to suck up, I'm not. I've never been one to suck up to anyone, and I don't intend to start to now." She leaned against one of the chairs. She obviously wasn't done yet. Even if he wouldn't look at her, hazel eyes were locked on him. "I've served on two ships before this one, and I have to say that you're probably the better Captain I've served under. You do need to lighten up before you end up with your heart exploding or something. If you want an apology, you have it. I'm sorry. Perhaps there were better ways to approach the matter. But, when there's alcohol involved..."

Finally, she pushed herself away from the chair she was leaning on, something he said replaying in her mind. "And for the record, Grumpy, I'm not gutter trash. I never have been, and I never will be. Captain or not, that was really un-fucking-necessary." The more she spoke, the thicker her German accent got. After shaking her head, she turned and made her way toward the turbolift. She stopped suddenly, glancing at him over her shoulder. "Are you so pissed off because of what happened, or is it because your ego took a blow? I'm guessing more of the latter."

And with that, she began walking toward the turbolift once more.

"Please, I've had better pranksters than you do worse than summon fat chicks from the ether. Now, being drugged... that's another issue entirely that I plan to repay in kind later, but for your part in it, be thankful you got the short end of the stick. I could have chucked you both in the brig and decompressed the compartment if my ego had anything to do with it," Nathan countered, turning in his chair, "But if you're hinting at what I think you're hinting at, kiddo, I think you might want to reconsider before you get a mud hole stomped into your ass. I'm not half as frail as I let on."

Xylia stopped and turned to face him once again, unable to hide her shock. "Drugged? I wasn't aware that you were drugged." She shook her head. She and the Captain may not be seeing eye to eye and possibly never would, but even he didn't deserve that. "I'm aware that you're not as frail as you let on, Captain Cowell. I may be a woman, and as such, most underestimate me. What say we settle this once and for all? You... me... no rank... boxing. Think you have it in you?"

She kept her eyes locked on the man in front of her. The challenge was out there, and she knew there was a chance that he would beat her, but there was also a chance she would beat him. After all, in past years, she took down men twice his size.

Nathan had suffered about as much lip and lamentation from the woman as he was going to take. The elder officer rose and stretched pointedly before replying to her challenge.

"You, me, holodeck two, ten minutes. Woman or not, if you want to get your ass kicked, I'm happy as hell to oblige you. Don't puss out," Nathan said, disappearing into his office.

=Ten minutes later, Holodeck Two, USS Arizona=

Contrary to what most people held as the popular notion of what boxing was meant to be, Nathan had lived in the era when boxing had come up from street fighting to a professional sport. In fact, during World Wars I and II, kicking the living shit out of subordinates and superiors alike to settle scores was a popular method and after being a member of the enlisted corps and a member of an infantry unit in WWII, the old man had become rather adept at using his medical knowledge to levy a type and kind of whoop ass that people seldom forgot.

Having opted for the old school style boxing arena, namely the dimly lit brick warehouse motif complete with an old style boxing ring, and all the grungy, dirty boxing enthusiasts that Nathan remembered from back in the 1930's and 40's. The computer had done a wonderful job recreating the atmosphere, mobsters and street hustlers, rich and poor, a gaggle of every type and walk of life all packed into a crowded space to watch people pummel one another. It was, in a word, glorious. Nathan had taken it upon himself to find his way up into the ring, and had perched himself onto a stool in one corner to await his victim.

Xylia wasn't one to 'puss out'. She walked through the door of holodeck two and straight for the ring, looking around as she did. The scene that awaited her was impressive, one that she had pictured in her mind when she issued the challenge to the man who was waiting for her in the ring. Her entire purpose behind her actions was simple enough. He took it upon himself to verbally attack her by calling her gutter trash, and there was no way she could let that slide. Her honor was a factor as was her fiery temper, and neither would allow her to back down from the aging man.

Sure, most people seemed to fear him, but she wasn't amongst them. She respected him as the Captain of the Arizona, because as she told him, he was the better Captain she had the privilege of serving under, but that was about as far as that went. As a person, or in his case... not, he was about as pleasant to be around as a pit full of rabid machete wielding clowns. There was a lesson to be learned in all that happened before they found themselves in their current situation. Of course, the stubborn old bastard hadn't even made an attempt to even see what it was. But, that was neither here, nor there.

Stepping into the ring, Xylia moved to the corner opposite the man and settled down on the stool that awaited her. One thing she didn't do where he was concerned was underestimate him. He may have appeared frail and fragile on the outside, but she knew better. She knew this was going to be brutal right up to the very end, but she would give just as good as she got, and she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of beating her, either. No matter how bad the pain, no matter how bloody and bruised she would be... she would force herself to take him down. Even if it took her last breath to do so.

Round one was decidedly Nathan's round. His vast experience and deceptive power threw the woman off guard and gave him plenty of openings to literally pummel the woman. He hardly even needed to shift positions when Lt. Lischka attempted to counter attack, her jabs were coming up short and they lacked any real power. By the time the bell rang, Nathan had worked her over rather well. His opponent didn't, however, show signs of giving up. Round two was a complete reversal, the woman exploded into a fury of energy, relentlessly throwing punch after punch, jab after jab. It was all Nathan could do to keep his guard up to avoid the dangerous head shots that were being attempted every so often. As much as she had wished for the bell in round one, Nathan was counting the seconds impatiently in the second, and when if finally came, it was clear to him that neither one of them had the upper hand.

This back and forth between them lasted a full eight more rounds, each trading off the assault, each of them growing more and more tired, bruised, and battered. By the end of the last round, neither one of them had much power, much breath left, and much drive to continue.

"Alright kid, that's enough. We've gotten all the whoopin' we can get out of this and it's been an even haul. What say we call it a day and get back to our vacation?" Nathan said from his stool.

Xylia nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow. She was impressed with the old man. She was, in fact, bruised and beaten, but it was well worth it. "I agree, Captain. What say we head down to the surface and have a drink together?"

"I'm going to take a rain check on that, I need to make a stop by sickbay and see if my ribs are cracked. But I'll come find you later," Nathan said, trying not to chuckled too much, "Good effort, kid... good effort."