The Doctor and the Pilot

Posted on Thu Feb 25th, 2021 @ 6:23pm by Karen Dawson MD & Alison Bliss

Mission: Fortune & Glory
Location: Kitchen
Timeline: A Few Hours Before Alden's Return

Alison changed the red-cropped tank for a flannel shirt that she had carelessly buttoned up. Considering that she didn’t have a big bust, she could get away leaving a deep cleavage. The denim shorts and leather ankle boots remained. She also kept the belt with holster and secured in it SIG pistol. With all the new people around, Alison decided to remain armed considering recent betrayals, staying on the careful side.

She entered the kitchen looking to make herself a tea when she saw Karen sitting at the table and reading something. Alison grinned under her nose and without a word, she went on preparing the tea. While not with such formality as a companion would do, Alison made an extra effort, preparing Karen’s favorite - green iced tea with honey and sugar. At least that seemed to be something Karen enjoyed, based on Alison’s observation of the doctor so far.

With two mugs, Alison approached Karen and stopped next to her placing one of the mugs in front of the doctor.

“What you are reading?” She asked with a friendly smile.

"My dad's a neurosurgeon," Karen explained off-handedly. "Occasionally he sends me new frontline surgical journals on spine and head trauma patients... Considering how often people on this ship get their heads cracked in bar brawls, it's not a half-bad idea to learn new skills."

The doctor looked up in that moment, smiled thankfully to the offered cup, and gestured to the seat beside her. "I suppose we've needed this conversation for a while, yes?"

Alison sat down and put her hands on the table and flexed her left one.
"If you are up for something else first... I am more than happy to..." She leaned forward, putting her chin on the propped up hand in a semi-sweet and semi-seductive way. At the same time, Alison was clearly relaxed, making this whole gesture playful if anything. "But yeah, at least a conversation would be nice. So... how do you feel about it?"

"I'm asexual," Karen confessed albeit a bit uncomfortable. "It's why I never fully committed to someone I wanted as a fiance - before the war... I being drunk the night we humped? Well... War-related PTSD tension I needed to release. Other than that, I'm not really sure what I should feel."

"I am only interested here in what you feel and not what you should feel, Karen." Alison said softly straightening up. Playfulness was replaced with open amicability. She was glad that Karen was open. Honest discussing expectation was always preferable. "I hope you don't regret."

Karen rolled up her navy blue henley's sleeves before she took a few sips of her tea. Truth be told, her night with Alison was not at the forefront of her thoughts. At least, not as often as one might think. She had other thoughts. Of Hera after Serenity Valley was bombed, of Noah's death and malpractice that came with it.

Was her act with Alison important to ponder? On a military ship, maybe. It was frowned upon due to conflict of interest issues. Romantically? Spiritually? Karen had pondered it a few times before but those stirrings she held for Alden also confused her.

With a resigned sign, Karen slouched lower in her chair. "I don't know how I feel... Both you and Alden picked me up at a time I was very vulnerable. I've always tried to remain loyal and friendly because of it. Truth is, however, outside a professional working relationship with you, I don't know you well."

"We can change that..." Alison said with a gentle shrug. "I am promiscuous, bordering hypersexual. Probably not enough though to consider that a disorder worth treatment." She grinned innocently. "Honestly, hearing that you were just releasing tension with me is a welcomed honesty and maybe also a bit of relief, because I know that because of my libido I often seduce people not always thinking about consequences." She sighed and picked the mug. She took a sip of tea, pausing.

Night with Karen was very much interesting and something to cherish, and especially now, with the context, Alison could explain better what she sensed back then. Did their, humping, as Karen called it, emotionally touch her? Was she expecting something more from Karen? No and no. She welcomed it for what it was and now, Alison was happy to hear there was not much than physical engagement on the other side too.

"I am a former companion and a former gold-digger. I did my share of things that tend to follow me around and maybe it's just my instinct but I do find you a bit of a kindred soul. Especially in trying to find a way forward." Alison put the mug down. "I won't lie that as a woman, you are gorgeous and whenever you'll feel like releasing tension with me, you'll know where to find me. No strings attached. That also applies to simple talk. So if you want to talk, I am here for you. I think there are levels we can actually understand one another quite well, and if there is anything more you want to know about me, just ask."

"Companions have a world of coin from the services they provide," Karen replied with confusion. "I've shared many a bed, snuggling with companions for a few nights. Hard to imagine you'd give it up. Then again, my father wasn't all too thrilled when I gave up a good surgical appointment either."

Alison sighed somewhat sad and leaned against the back of the chair. Pulling closer the mug, she twisted it on the table with her long fingers.

“I was banned by the guild, for my actions in the war.” She said quietly, so quietly that no one eavesdropping would be able to hear it. “It wasn’t my choice.”

Karen gave Alison a warm shoulder squeeze in support. "Wasn't mine to fight in the war, either... But you seemed to land on your feet. Same as me. Can't imagine this life is your end goal though."

"Why not?" Alison smiled thankful for the shoulder squeeze. "I like to wander and I do enjoy new adventures. Where else I'll get this to such extend?" She tilted her head slightly curious of Karen's point of view.

"My clinic was neutral ground for all the underworld elements of Persophone," Karen explained with a half-smile. "There, I could treat those too poor to go to a hospital... But here? You live the life of a criminal. And I'm just not cut for this life."

Alison took a sip of the tea considering what she heard and as she put down the mug, she looked Karen into her eyes. She understood where Karen was standing, coming from the core worlds it wasn't easy to find yourself in the outer worlds, especially on the move like here, on the Echo, with mounting recently problems.

"I understand..." Alison said softly. "But what's stopping you from making us your hospital, in similar vein to the companion, or to the shepherd. Make our infirmary a clinic that you can use to aid the poor on the outer worlds. It probably won't be the most profitable directly, but indirectly we could use it as a good PR, support among locals, get discounts, etcetera. It would also steer us toward the right side of the law as I see Alden lost his way and I am unable to help him."

"I don't know if Alden would like that. Too many people coming in and out the ship," Karen admitted while she sipped on her drink with a small smile. "I do love the idea, don't get me wrong... But there's a lot that could happen with people unchecked moving through here."

Alison laughed and flapped her lips like a little girl. "Hey, we supposed to have security here... although recently it is failing letting the captain be captured. But, James should be able to keep an eye on civilians or we are paying him too much. He can let them one by one and we can always get Daiyu to help. You know, put a fancy plaque near the ramp, with something like 'beware of...'." Alison giggled.

Karen let out a hysterical laugh as she imagined a rabid Daiyu chasing unwanted people out of the ship.

"That could work," the Doc agreed, sipped more on her tea, and then nodded again. "But clinics aren't free. We'd have to put more coin in our jobs to ship needs, to keep antibiotics, bandages, and diagnostic supplies stocked... Could mean we all take a cut in pay to make this happen."

Alison leaned back, keeping one hand wrapped around the mug and nodded slightly.
"True. I can take pay cut for that, but the rest... you'll need to convince them yourself. If you believe it could work, I don't think you should have problems with that." She smiled. "I would risk a statement that we all have certain goodness in our hearts unfitting the common criminal element." She leaned back her lips twisting mischievously. "Besides, you can always threaten to not patch someone up if they will resist your persuasion."

"Not sure the new, big, hairy one would be phased," Karen half-smiled, drank more of her tea, then said, "...Come to think of it. That's a crewmember I've yet to get to know. Seems a bit too trigger-happy for my liking."

"Hmm... but he's shwai." Alison voice became slightly dreamy for a moment. She took another sip of the tea and shrugged. "Everyone bleeds, everyone needs doctor attention sooner or later. Maybe he won't be phased but I am sure he'd appreciate keeping his doctor happy." Alison made a 'pistol gesture' aiming her index finger at Karen. "You can always have everyone consider that a happiness tax."

"So who on this crew, isn't on your list to conquest yet," Karen asked with much intrigue. "We've a fair amount of lookers, it seems."

Alison laughed softly, almost inaudibly and her eyes flashed mischievously.
"I am open for everyone." She said with lustful sincerity. "But I imagine I might not be on everyone's list." She gently shrugged. "And it is not my style to force myself on anyone."

For a moment, Karen almost divulged her feelings about Alden, but thought better. Once a secret like that was out of the bag, you could not take it back.

Alison raised her eyebrow leaning slightly forward. She could sense there was something in the air.

"Yes?" She invited Karen to share.

"There's one on the ship I more than like," Karen half-confessed while she drank on her tea. "Just not sure how to tell them."

Alison took a sip of the tea considering who Karen had on mind.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She offered softly as she had some ideas who Karen might be talking about.

"A bit, yeah," Karen admitted. "We've a fair amount of alpha males on the ship... I'm wondering what sort of things they might be into."

Alison lips twitched in a grin. The choosing of words was at odds with what Karen stated about herself before. Maybe she wasn't as asexual as she claimed to be.

"Well, each alpha is a bit different. Your best chance is to talk to them, find out what are their interests and play of those, unless you are willing to step out of your comfort zone into more sexual grounds."

"Yeah..." Karen seemed a bit saddened by the confirmation. "I hate sex as a focal point for relationships. But I suppose it's a necessity if I'm to have a relationship with an alpha, yeah?"

Despite being who she was, Alison disagreed with Karen but decided to leave it as is for now.

"Not necessarily. It really is down to the relationship you want to have. Love? As if, creating a family? Or just friendship? Or something else?"

"You can have a meaningful relationship with a spouse on a near-spiritual level," Karen countered a bit offensively. She'd had similar arguments with her parents, every time they tried to arrange a marriage. "It's just... Most people are too impatient to find a soulmate, so they find a sexual equal instead."

"Very true," Alison said raising her hand in a calming gesture. "Every relationship should be meaningful otherwise it is not worth pursuing. Sex is just one of many aspects that defines relationships and from my experience people in the relationship should be compatible in that level to make it work." She said patiently. "Take friendship for example. This is very much a deep and spiritual type of relationship. It can include sex, but it doesn't have to. Family is another type of relationship that not always require sex." She picked the mug and took a sip of the tea. "That is why I ask, what type of relationship are you interested in? With this alpha you find attractive..." Alison trailed off meaningfully.

"It feels like we already have much in common," Karen confessed with a blush. "Both of us play music, for instance. We like similar foods too, yet our pasts seem to be the biggest pull I have toward him... Not sure building a relationship while trying to deal with our past tragedies is a good thing though. Nightingale Syndrom and all that."

"If you have a healing effect on each other's past..." Alison sighed. "Then I see no risk here. Sometimes, two broken souls can become stronger together." She tilted her head slightly oozing curiosity. "So... who is it, Karen?"

"I'm fairly sure you know that answer," Karen half-laughed. She didn't want to speak the name aloud due to the ship being so small.

Alison sighed. "Oh, come on. I might know, but you don't even want to admit to that out loud?" She shook her head. "That's the basic step if you consider this relationship seriously." It wasn't that she wanted to force Karen to say anything aloud, but it did speak volumes on her actual commitment to it.

Karen shook her head in defiance, then finished her tea. "This is a small ship. I don't want the ones I don't like or know very well, hearing gossip I'm not yet ready for them to hear."

Alison open her mouth thinking of confronting Karen with the name more to confirm her guess but something held her as she looked into Karen's eyes. Even after all those years, privacy was a foreign concept for Alison but she understood that some people had different point of view on that. Alison was also loyal enough to accept that sometimes she had to bend for others if she liked them.

"All right. Have it your way." She conceded and finished her tea as well. Standing up, she took both empty mugs and went back to clean them. "I hope you'll find the way."

Karen, not offended in the slightest, smiled at Alison, then stood up and began to walk out of the kitchen. "I typically do," she answered in parting.