Crossword Puzzles

Crossword Puzzles

Summary:	Eve visits Zaharis in the Recovery ward, to pass on some good news.
Date:	73 ACH
Related Logs:	None.

Players:

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Recovery Ward Genesis - Deck 13
73 ACH 23817 Souls

This is a large room holding over twenty bed stations for patients to recover after having treatment severe enough that they cannot immediately return to duty. Each station has various connections for medical equipment, a bed with collapsible railings, fold out table, adjustable positions and a privacy curtain.

< Condition Three —- Duty Area >

Contents: Eve McKenzie Reed Zaharis
Exits: [O] Out [PR] Private Room
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McKenzie sets the earbuds down on the table near the PDA, then tucks her hand into her pocket. This time, it remains there. She smiles at the man's amusement, laughter or something akin to it gleaming in her eyes, "Yeah, well. We were always a hair or ten behind the times slang-wise back home. That doesn't seem to have changed any." Tilting her head, she looks again to where Adele isn't, "Dude, why don't you just tell the cafeteria to bring her a tray when they bring you your grub? It'd make sure she eats anyway." Reed is given a quick smile that grows to laughter, "Yeah…? I dunno, Major. Might be good to spread some of those smart genes around." Clearly, she is teasing, though the laughter fades a bit when the man asks about pain meds. Her gaze drops to the hand that Zaharis has holding the blanket, then lifts to his face.

"Rather she not have to eat here…can't spend every minute in sickbay, it's depressing." Zaharis gives Mckenzie a tight smile, then looks at Reed. "Yeah, it's good stuff. Just been moving around, you know? Takes a while to calm it all back down." He's in bed with reed and McKenzie close by. His hair is damp, having just recently gone for a bath to slough dead skin. The effect is visible; now the skin that shows around the edges of the proective gauze is an angry, wet-looking pinkish-red, a little still blanched white. Swelling still makes the wrapped half of his body strange to look at, especially his face.

<Trait Roll> Eve rolls Willpower and achieves a degree of Mediocre (2).

Reed nods, "Okay. Well, you're all clean and shit now, so.." He thinks, "I guess jokes would be a bad idea. Laughing might not be pleasent, so let's see. I'm wondering if the Naval security might be a bad idea. I spoke with Rue and we'll be having nuggets on the Hera. Young pilots. if there's anything worse than pilots for security, it's young ones."

Off duty, Evelyn slips into the recovery ward, a soft cover book tucked under one arm. She pauses just inside the doors, lips in a thin line as she tries to gather the courage to delve further in. "Baby steps, Eve." She mutters to herself. One step at a time, she slowly draws down the lines of beds towards Z's.

McKenzie pffts a little, but shrugs, "Got it… got it. Manipulation via starvation." Though the words might sound a bit harsh if taken alone, that is offset by the clear laughter in her tone and gaze. "You play hardball, Major. I like it." Looking up at Reed, she blinks in surprise, "Are we going to be doing training, sir? Cause that'd kinda rock. Imprinting young minds an' shit? It could be a hoot and a half." While the tone remains fraught with incipient laughter, she might not be kidding. Which might or might not be a good thing. As she is more or less facing the door to the recovery ward across Z's bed, she notes Eve's entry. The woman is offered a quick smile, though no further greeting just yet.

"Bad idea?" Zaharis fails to parse, squinting at Reed. "Sounds like you need more security, not less." His voice is quiet and wry. He uncurls his left hand from around that fold of blanket, having noticed how hard he's squeezing it. Relax, breathe through pain. "You tell the Major about your squint gun thing there, Lieutenant?"

Reed nods to Zaharis, "I meant instead of the MP forces. I'll talk to the S2 about it, and see what develops." He looks at McKenzie, "Yep, going to start training Viper pilots, like the Hera was meant to do." He looks at Z and McKenzie, "Squint gun thing?" He then glances to Eve, "Well, hey there, Eve."

Eve offers a smile towards Reed and then McKenzie, at least able to muster that even if she's a bit shy on courage facing things like blood, and gore, and burnt bosses. Thirty some odd years old, and Eve still can manage to look like a scared little girl. But. She's here, and she's not going to embarass herself by turning tail.

McKenzie lowers her gaze to Zaharis and blinks, then chuckles and shakes her head, "Oh, frak. I clean forgot." Lifting her eyes, she focuses on Reed, "Squirt, really. Squirt guns. It goes like this, see?" She lifts her hands from her pockets to gesture. "We use the molds for weapons and pull new molds. Use these to make those plastic squirt guns, right?" Her hands move as though lifting a brand new plastic gun from a mold. "These are issued to teams made up of both pilots and marines. Only the pilots have to do the marine's jobs while the marines do the pilot's jobs." Here, she mimes handing out guns and switching people around. It is really vivid in her own mind, but possibly a bit unclear to everyone else. "This is all in the arena on the Carina… Each team has different colored water or paint or whatever, see?" Her hands lift to wave to Eve, the wave turning to a beconning, welcoming gesture, though she keeps talking over it all… "The objectives change. Frak, we can even use boxes and shit to change the 'terrain' that they play through. It'd relieve tensions and maybe clue one group into the other's work to reduce frictions." Finally, she winds down with, "Either that or just hand 'em out and leave it a free for all. Oh, yeah, which ever team wins gets to give onerous duties to the loosing team. Like… Cleaning the head or mopping the halls an' shit. The doctor and I'll be on opposite teams to balance it out, since neither of us can shoot for shit."

Zaharis is very content to let McKenzie do all that explaining. He looks kind of amused, waiting for Reed's reaction. When his attention's called to the fact that someone else is coming, his brows raise as he tries to see past McKenzie without having to move his head. "Hey, Sloan's back. Not a patient, I hope?"

Reed watches McKenzie explaining the whole idea to him and he nods, thinking, "Okay, sounds interesting, but you know who you really should go find and explain it to? the new S3. Ensign Dane Ramiro. I'm sure he'll have ideas about that, sounds like a MOUT exercize, and he'll be all over that." He nods, "Training and the like." He looks to Zaharis, "Yeah, she's here, but doesn't look like she's here to get a bed, just to visit and make sure you're not too bored."

Eve finally stops at the end of Zaharis' bed, flashing her eyes and a quick smirk towards the CMO. "That's right. Not a patient this time around. I think I prefer to be on this end of things. Less prodding and people trying to stick me with things. Hmm. Come to think, that's not half bad." A joke? See. She's trying. "Actually, I was stuck on these crosswords. Figured I'd pick Jesse's brain for some answers."

"I'm shit at crosswords," Zaharis chuckles under his breath at Eve. "It'll be a good thing Carter's here for the real answers."

McKenzie tilts her head at Reed, then nods, "A'right. I'll find that guy. Ramiro, you said? Cool. I'll tell him that you're on my team, yeah? Unless you want to be with Najor Z? Could be fun either way…" She waggles her brows a little, still teasing. Turning to Eve, she extends a hand, "Hey. I'm shit with names, so if we've met already, forgive me, yeah? Takes a few times before folk stick, if you know what I mean. I'm Lieutenant Maureen McKenzie. Weapons Officer on the Hera and general pain in the ass. Nice to meet you."

Reed smirks, and looks at Zaharis, "It's more fun when you're not good at crosswords. I'm kinda out of practice, so I'm interested in seeing what she's got." He looks at Eve, smiling, "Okay, thrill us with brain teasers."

Eve gives a glance to the end of Zaharis' bed, figuring out where his legs and feet are, then proceeding to occupy an unused portion of the mattress by parking her rump on it. The book of crosswords is set down in her lap so she can offer a hand to McKenzie and offer a shake. "Lieutenant Evelyn Sloan, Em Dee. Company Psych, so if you haven't met me, you just don't know you're insane yet." Her smile warms a touch as Reed seems interested too, so she drops her gaze to the book and flips it open to where a pen is marking her spot. "Alright, let's see." She holds the page at an angle where she's the only one that can read it. Perhaps embarrassed over all the scratch marsk on it. "Seven letter word, starting with 's o' which means to ask or petition for something desired."

"With S-O?" Zaharis smirks, his head making a very minute movement on the pillow. "Only wods I can think of are too long or have the wrong letters." His thumb gently scratches over the blanket covering the centre of his chest.

McKenzie shakes Eve's hand, her grip firmish without being wimpy. "Yeah? My brother was a psych. He used to say that there are two kinds of people. Sane and happy." She winks, then releases the hand. Turning, she moves to lean against the wall at the head of the bed. "So… so… Uh…" Her eyes light up and she nods, "Oh, I know. But, can I play? Don't want to jump in and muck up the game."

Reed thinks about it for a moment, "Ask, petition for something desired. S-O." He looks at his hands and starts ticking off his fingers, "S-O-L-I-C-I-T." He nods, "That's seven, solicit." He nods, and looks at Zaharis, "After putting in military requests for an entire space station, I know the words for 'Gimme.'" He looks at McKenzie, "Sure, jump in on the next one."

Eve gives a laugh, her cheeks tinging slightly red as she scribbles in the answer. "Yes well. Its my job to make sure folks are fit for duty. Sane doesn't fall into that categorey anymore." She murmurs, rewetting her lips. "Solicit. Alright." She clears her throat, "Proximal Phalanges…I should know this one. Four letters, ends in 'd'. Its on the tip of my tongue."

Zaharis' left hand makes a small motion to Reed as he looks at Eve, like 'see?'. "Four with -d? Well. There's 'hand'. Though that's not entirely right, the phalanges aren't hands."

McKenzie grins at Reed, nodding, "That's what I thought too. Made sense, anyway." Her eyes sparkle as she turns to Eve, "Boy, ain't that the truth?" About the sanity, maybe. Then, the smile fades and she blinks, "Well, frak. That figures… I don't even know what the frak a 'phalange' is. Though it must be medical 'cause it sounds kinda dirty." Looking down at Zaharis, she nods, "And, yes. A lot've medical termonology sounds dirty." So, she is giving up on this round.

Reed looks to McKenzie and nods, "It does. I'm sure that the CMO here and his girlfriend have fun reading medical texts to each other." He looks at Eve, and shrugs, "No idea."

Eve quirks her lips, flashing a glance at Zaharis, but it doesn't linger long. "I didn't write it. Hand fits, though." She scratches that in. "Maybe they meant parts of." Her eyes seem to scan the page, looking for for other wholes in her crossword. "The state of being affianced. Usually includes a ring, but in times of war who has time to jewelry shop." She clears her throat, "Seven letters."

Zaharis smirks slightly as that next clue. He knows, but keeps his mouth shut to let someone else chime in. He's nice like that.

McKenzie snickers at Reed, "Dude! That would be hilarious. Read professional texts in some kinda sultry, sensual sort of tone. Might improve retention…" The woman's full of 'wonderful' ideas isn't she? Looking over at Eve, she tilts her head to one side, "Uh… That'd be engaged." A pause, "Wait." She lifts her hand and counts off the letters, "Yeah. Engaged."

Reed nods, to McKenzie, "Oh yeah, you'd have Medical texts with sticky pages." He shrugs, and nods, "Yeah, Engaged. The hint was pretty clear."

Eve glances up, locking eyes on Reed's for a moment. "At least I thought so." She smirks, about the hint, then goes back to the crossword. Her eyes stay on the page for a moment, a lull in the questions and she grows quiet with thought.

"Those anatomically correct surgical diagrams. Know how to get a couple in the mood," Zaharis opens his left arm and picks up his water cup from the stand. The movement is slow and careful, and rather awkward as he doesn't lift his shoulder. It's like watching a chicken flail its wing. But he gets it, rar.

McKenzie says, "Eew. That's a gross thought. Never mind." She shakes her head a little, then turns to watch Eve expectantly. When no new question is offered for now, she grins at Zaharis, "See? That just proves that doctors are wacked. Those drawings of muscles and sh…" She pauses, hoping that they don't actually show the excriment, "uh… Bones and whatnot." Good save! Or not. Her glance flickers to the water cup, but she does not offer to get it for the man. Nope. He can do it himself. Silently, she cheers the man on. "So… Are you wanting books, Major Z? I've a stash of some that aren't too awful.""

Reed watches Zaharis getting his own water, and smiles, nodding, "Alright. Progress there." He seems genuinely pleased at this, "You can be your own water bitch now."

Eve smiles at Zaharis, brave enough now to let her gaze linger longer. Her encouragement, too, is silent. "He'll be dancing soon enough. Perhaps even at my wedding." She flips the book closed, the pen once more trapped within. "What?" She asks, before anyone has a chance to really say anything. "You all weren't getting my other hints, but I've been told I'm not good at subtlties."

"Yeah, I'll be going for walkies and scaring children with my face in no time," Zaharis says, a little wryly. He keeps the cup against his chest as he gets the straw with his teeth and takes a few sips. His singed brow raises at Eve. "Ahh, so that's it. Decided to do it, did you then? Congratulations." He smirks a little. "This whole thing has sparked more weddings than I could've imagined."

McKenzie grins at Eve, then more at Zaharis, "Walkies? Frak, Major, that's a term I've not heard anyone actually say. It's like… From a cartoon about a dude and his dog." She tilts her head to look at the man. Really look at him. As though this is the first time it crossed her mind that he would look any different than before. She's just not medically inclined. Sobering notion. Looking back at the other woman, she abandones those images and beams, "No shit? Getting married? Congrats! Who's the lucky guy? Are you going to do something traditional? Or more quiet?"

Reed chuckles, "Your pilot finally decided to commit, did he?" He chuckles, "That's great." He looks to Zaharis, "It's an infection I think, are you sure your biotics are working properly? That's what, three cases so far, six people going through the same thing. Isn't that, officially, an outbreak in medical terms?"

Eve holds up her hands, the book resting in her lap. "Let's not put the cart before the horse. Saint Germain has good intentions, I'm still a bit quirky as to his follow through. But." She smiles broadly, as if unable to contain it. "I'm grateful for small miracles. Six, you say? Who are the others?"

Zaharis doesn't react to McKenzie looking at him like that. All the gauze neatly hides any indications of how severe that scarring will be. "No, an outbreak is restricted to a locale," he informs Reed in a grave tone. "It was an outbreak when it was just Ramiro and his Marine. But now no, no, this has gone interdepartmental. True epidemic on our hands." He looks back at Eve and flicks his eyes towards the sleeping Quill. "Jig and a pilot. Don't know her name, she didn't introduce herself."

McKenzie goes back to her belief that the doctor will look pretty much what he looked like before. Only maybe more rugged than before. Which is appealing in it's own way. She grins at the psych, "Nice… nice. Just don't do that traditional thing where the dude is told 'congratulations' and the chick 'good luck'. That always made me cringe. Like it's saying that he got a prize but she won't know until later if he's a man or a toad. Kinda creepy." Her gaze turns to where Quill sleeps and she smiles, "So, it's affected pilots mostly, then? Good to know."

Reed nods to Zaharis, "It's spreading." He looks to Eve, "Yeah, Jig Quill, and Jig Novella from the Air wing, also Ensign Ramiro and PFC Nico Lex." To McKenzie, "So it's creeping into the Marines, too." He considers this and nods, "It's getting serious. This rash of weddings."

Eve follows Zaharis eyeline, eyes quickly scanning Quill's features. She doesn't know. No filling in the blanks for Evie. She merely shakes her head. "Well. Its good news all around then. Extreme circumstances have a way of bringing people together. I blame it on Jesse Prometheus…Baylee Novella?" She stops, smile slightly quirking a bit downward. "Well. They say wingmates do everything together, why not tying the knot too." Her hand lays briefly on Zaharis' shin. "You look good."

Zaharis smirks at Eve. Every time his face moves, the gauze moves with it. "No I don't. But thank you. So when is this wedding? Need to know if I have to comission a dummy to leave in bed while I sneak out. And I hope there's booze." He sips again from his pretty blue straw and looks at Reed. "There's creams for that kind of rash. Hear the Destiny sells it, right by the condoms." There's a group between his and Rhea's beds as usual. Reed, Eve, and McKenzie today.

Rhea has her eyes closed. Asleep, presumably. Makes the time go by in endless Recovery Ward hours a bit faster. Her head sort of rolls toward Zaharis and the general conversation, but she shows no sign of consciousness. Yet.

McKenzie lnods to Reed, "Man. Makes it hard to know where to look for a date, y'know? Not that there's been much action on that front." Her gaze flickers between the three near her. All happily seeing someone. She flushes a bit, "Er… For /me/ anyway." She chuckles, though, because she is clearly not too concerned by the lack of men in her life. Her attention returns to Zaharis, "Maybe you medical types should consider a water additive to take care of the problem."

Reed grins, looking at McKenzie, "Nono, Rheas already convinced there's something in the water. That's just too scary right now." He chuckles, looking over to Rhea, tilting his head slightly at her as he smiles warmly.

Eve gives a shrug to the question of when the wedding is. "I'm lucky he got out the word 'love' and some rushed insistance that the child and I have his name before he fainted from the effort." She laughs, still flush at the memory. "Well, not literally, but he was looking a little pale by the end of it. So I'm not sure. Could mean a month, could mean several." She glances around, "Come now, weddings are good for morale. Not a sickness that needs to be cured and contained."

Rhea's eyes open a slit at Reed. Watching him, a wry smirk coming to her lips. "I hear something about a rash? You've got to keep me informed about these things, Carter. A burning sensation in the Head isn't a nice way to surprise a girl."

Zaharis chuckles under his breath. "Sense of humour, Sloan. Also good for morale." He gets another sip from his straw, the cup still kind of cradled against his chest. Wrapping his fingers around it, he starts the awkward process of trying to get it back onto the table by solely rotating his elbow…and it's swingannamiss as he accidentally knocks the bedrail with the bottom of the glass. It slips from his fingers and clatters on the ground, spilling about a fourth of the cup. "Ah, shit."

McKenzie grins at Eve, "He sounds kinda cute. Have fun with 'im, yeah?" She turns as she hears Rhea's voice and her chuckle warms, "Oh, frak, no. Not that kind'f'a rash." Lifting a little wave, she misses seeing Zaharis' miss. The liquid splashes her uniform and she looks down, "That's… Cold." Sliding down the wall, she vanishes from sight like a rabbit going back into a magician's hat. There are sounds down there and before long, she has the glass and straw in hand. "You gotta mop or something around here, Major Z?"

Reed smiles to Rhea, and starts to say something when Zaharis fumbles his water handling roll. He looks at the doctor, "you have to be the only man I know who has a problem with water retention." He smirks and moves to Rheas bed, leaning over her, "A rash of weddings. Three so far." He leans closer to her for a kiss, "So I'm safe."

Eve lifts off the end of Zaharis' bed where she's been perched. The book of crosswords is left behind, likely she meant for that to be a distraction for the CMO, beyond just sharing her good news. "I'll get a towel." She offers quietly, knowing where they are kept of course. She's off, returning in short order with a cloth to help McKenzie sop up the water.

"I don't have a straw. Oh. You didn't mean me? There are two Major Zs here, Lieutenant McKenzie. Contrary to popular belief, Jesse and I aren't interchangeable," Rhea replies to McKenzie, smiling at the LT. She doesn't sound particularly sleep-fogged. It's unclear how long she's been semi-conscious. She snorts at Reed, as to rashes. "I'm not feeling particularly itchy. Hope you're not, either. That kind of fungus is *very* unattractive." She snickers, leaning her head up to kiss Reed. There's no tongue involved or anything. Not in front of the kids. But she takes her sweet time at it.

Zaharis' eyes follow the cup as McKenzie stands back up with it, then glance at the table that sits almost at eye level next to his bed. "No, just…" But Eve's already up. "Thank you." He clears his throat, falling silent and looking away from the table.

McKenzie snorts at Rhea, "Pffft, yeah, but as far's I knew you were still cuttin' z's. Or sawin' logs. Seeing as there're Z's here, that second might be better. Welcome back to the land of the conscious, Major." Lowering her gaze, she smiles at Eve, "Thanks." Bending again, she helps with the towel. When the water has been cleaned up, she stands. "I'll stick this in the laundry and tell someone that the doc here needs a new cup." Slipping out from between the two beds, she grins at that lingering kiss. Although she might be one of the 'kids', she resists the temptation to whistle at the couple. She does wave to Zaharis and Eve, "Catch you all later." Threat or promise, the irrepressible Lieutenant makes her way out of the recovery ward.

Reed straightens after the kissing has been done properly, smiling down at Rhea. "Mm. Okay, I forgot what I was talking about before." He smirks, then looks at Rhea, "So how are you feeling now, my sleeping lady?" He slides his satchel around, looking to McKenzie, "See you later, Lieutenant."

Eve straightens up from the crouch, a hand on her back as she stands. "Nothing to thank us for, boss man. Lords of Kobol know that you've cleaned up enough of my messes." On her feet, she glances to the departing McKenzie. "Pleasure to meet you." She offers in parting, before her attention turns back to her boss. "I really do have some crosswords for us to do. But maybe I should leave you to your rest for now." Her eyes flash over to Rhea and Reed, unable to hide the smile that curves her lips.

"Goodnight." Zaharis says as McKenzie goes, then looks back at Eve. More subdued now after the cup fiasco, he gives her a slight nod. "Sure, if you want. Congratulations again."

"Mmm….I'm okay," Rhea replies to Reed, once her lips are verbal-ready again. "A few hours closer to not being here anymore. I'm very goal-oriented." She offers a parting "Goodbye, Lieutenant" to McKenzie. Then turns her gaze to Eve. "So. I assume you're getting married. You're the likeliest option in this room. I suppose I should say congratulations. I hope it's what you want. No other reason to do it."

McKenzie leaves for Sickbay [o].
McKenzie has left.

Reed looks over to Eve as she heads out, and smiles, "Talk to you later, Eve, and congratulations." He smiles, straightening from over Rheas bed. He then looks to Zaharis, getting a cup and straw, and pouring some water. Nothing about dropping it, but the man will need water. He sets the cup within reach, then looks to Eve.

Eve clears her throat, perhaps to stamp down emotion in case it dares to creep up on her. "I couldn't be happier. Thank you." She tells them all when it comes to the rounds of congratulations. Her gaze falls back on Zaharis' face, hardly noticeable now the way her stomach clenches everytime she does so. A piece of hair is pushed back from the side of his forehead that still remains smooth and unblistered. "You need me, just bellow."

"Get me a cup while you're up. I could use a drink," Rhea says to Reed. Since he's fetching and carrying, she might as well get some use out of him. She offers a faint smile to Eve, simply nodding to the shrink as she goes.

Zaharis glances at the cup as it's left, then back at Eve, moving his head slightly to the cup isn't even in his peripheral vision. "Thanks." That's sort of mumbled, maybe to Reed and maybe to Eve. Hard to tell. His focus pins on the conversation. "Having the wedding in the chapel over here or on a civilian ship, then? Or is that planning that's way too far ahead?"

Reed starts humming as he gets another cup, pours water, adds a straw and moves to Rheas bedside, holding the cup for her to take, looking at Eve as Zaharis asks his question.

Eve ums, lips pressing together in thought. "He changes the subject anytime its brought up. My guess? I'm going to be filling out the form, carrying it handy in my pocket for a time when we coincidently both pass by someone qualified to sign off on it in the corridors." She gives a rueful shake of her head, but at least she's smiling with some sort of fondness at the situation. Its frakked up, but looks like she wouldn't want it any other way.

"Where you do it matters frak-all, remember that," Rhea says to Eve. "Long as the commitment is there. Marriage isn't some kind of bow you put on a relationship to finish it off. It's the start of a job. A long-term build." She crooks a faint smile, then looks to Reed, taking the cup. "Thanks," she mutters, before sipping at it. She drinks slowly.

Zaharis watches Eve as she speaks, resting his hand down across his waist. He's listening. His eyes flicker to Rhea, then back to Eve, his head making a slight movement on his pillow. "Why are you getting married, Lieutenant?" His tone has no judgment couched within. It sounds sincerely curious.

Reed moves to take a seat, between the Majors beds, looking to Eve, curiously.

Eve frowns a touch, when Zaharis asks a personal question and ends it with an impersonal rank. "Because I love him, sir. And when the man you love asks you to marry him, you say yes. And frak all the complications and logistics problems it comes with." She pauses, flicking a glance around. Ahem.

Rhea smirks at Eve's response, though she keeps her attention on her water. Sip, sip, sip. She's not gulping but she must've been thirstt, as the stuff is going down pretty quickly.

"And he changes the subject when it's brought up?" Zaharis offers her a smile. It still looks weird with the swelling pulling at his bottom lip, but it's there. "Seriously. Do I need to send someone to kneecap him? I'll do it. There's nothing in my oath about hired muscle."

Reed nods slightly, "He'll do it." He looks at Rhea, and rises, moving to get a pitcher. that water won't last.

Eve gives a soft laugh, looking to her hands as she knits her fingers together. "I hope that won't be necessary. This is a two day old development. I'll give it some time to sink in before I resort to desperate and violent measures. I'm still reeling myself, which could be a by product of a concussion."

Rhea stays well out of the shrink-CMO consultation. Her smile warming as Reed moves to get a pitcher. "Thanks," she repeats softly to him. Her eyes go to the paper flowers in the little vase by her bed. Curious. "Been meaning to ask if you know where those came from. No offense if they're yours. They're pretty. But the laptop seems more your speed."

Zaharis glances over Eve's face again. "Okay. Been feeling alright otherwise? How's the head?" His eyes flick up to the bump, or cut, or whatever it is where she hit it.

Reed smirks to Rhea as he carefully comes back and fills her cup once more, then sets the pitcher close at hand. He looks to the flowers, and smirks, "You're right. Peters did this I believe. She sent them and told me about it. She's learning my style."

Eve touches a finger to her forehead where there is nothing more than a red line of a scab on a bit of raised flesh. Certainly nothing serious. "Headaches are constant, but manageable. And other than having to pee every fifteen minutes or so, I'm good. Even the morning sickness has alleviated some what. Lost some weight though, but Lieutenant Craven doesn't seem to be concerned as long as my belly is growing." Two hands smooth over her shirt and trousers, drawing the fabric taunt. Definitely an itty bitty bump she's sporting.

"Well, give her my thanks. I appreciate the effort," Rhea says, before sipping at her water again. Not quite so quickly this time. "Wasn't necessary, though. You do just fine on your own. She's working out well, then? Good. Whatever the frak prompted that transfer, I think you both came out ahead."

"Good, he'll take care of you," Zaharis agrees without moving his head, then chuckles under his breath. "Wherever you will go we'll be there for you, with vitamins and everything else you may need. Promise you that…though not if you're still considering 'Prometheus'. I may have to retract the offer in that case."

Reed nods, "Yes, Promethius as a name tends to bring up images of pyromania and kleptomania." He advises Eve, then looks at Rhea, nodding, "Indeed, she's taking care of a lot of the legwork in the Heras refits and inventory stores."

Eve grins as she relaxes her stance a bit again. "Hey. No mocking your loaner middle name. I'll revoke it and give you something truly awful. Like. Pickles. Jesse Pickles Zaharis. Everyone will start calling you gerkin for short." She flashes a grin towards Reed and Rhea.

Rhea snorts at the name 'Promethius.' "Just remember, your kid is going to have to live whatever you pick down. That's what got me to talk my husband out of 'Feivel.'" That memory makes her smirk. To Reed, she nods. "Good. She's got a fine head for Logistics. Almost a pity she didn't go that route on her career track. But not many see the appeal of it."

"Why does every middle name you come up with me start with 'P'?" Zaharis gives Eve a look of mock-suspicion. "Jay Pee Zee, am I missing some weirdly unflattering acronym here?" He smirks at the shrink, then at Rhea. "Yeah, really. You don't want to know what was on the list he didn't even show you."

Reed smirks, looking at Zaharis and Eve, nodding, "That would be horrible. When he switched from his duty shift they'd say the CMO was gerkin off." He looks to Rhea, and nods, "I don't know, honestly, she might end up doing most of the Heras Logistical work regardless."

Eve shrugs at the suggestion that she's just trying to set up Zaharis for some greater joke. "I think having the middle name of a sandwich garnish is punishment enough as it is." She sighs, but it sounds content. "I know. Names are serious business. But I haven't even given much thought as to gender much less names. I promise to get the collective thumbs up before I stick them with anything permanent."

"She'd be good at it, and gods knows you'll need a good one. Those frakkers run a ship. The rest of us just fool ourselves into thinking we know what's going on," Rhea says. The 'gerkin off' comment makes her dissolve into chuckles. They still make her wince a little, but she can manage actual laughter without morpha now. Progress. "Not going to 'surprise' yourself with the gender, are you, Sloan? I never understood that. It's going to be one or another, and knowing just lets you better plan ahead."

"Wait…wait, Carter. Check this out." Zaharis' head rolls very slowly towards Reed, moving the little bit it can with those neck bandages. "Been practicing." His left hand trembles as he raises it and sloooowly cranks the middle finger and smirks amiably. Then back to Eve. "Well, you've still got a few weeks before an ultrasound can tell you if it's a boy or girl, if my mind's working right…how many weeks are you right now?"

Reed looks at Zaharis and nods, smiling, "Excellent. good work." He smirks at Rhea as she laughs, "She would be. But hey, I covered myself on the baby gift front, no matter what gender." He looks at Eve, "I can't wait to see the baby in what I got it." 'It' being used as an out for the whole gender problem.

Eve gives a sudden laugh as Zaharis flips off Reed, her eyes shining with amusement. "Um..uh.." She shakes her head, pulling herself back to the conversation. "A little over eight weeks, if I successfully pinpointed the conception date. So yes, a few weeks shy of finding out whether it will be an inie or an outie. And yes, I intend to find out. I've had enough surprises for one lifetime. But girl or boy, they'll look splendid in blue." Navy blue, to be exact.

Rhea nods firmly at Eve's decision to figure the gneder. I guess it's kind of sweet, the whole surprise thing, but I always fond it decidedly silly. Still think it's smarter to amass all the information you can. Those things are confusing enough even when you're well-armed." She speaks with a certain wry fondness of babies.

Zaharis, for a split second, seems about to say something to Rhea as she finishes. An impulse that disappears as quickly as it came. He smiles at her and Reed and looks back at Eve. "Eight? Yeah, it'll be another month or so, at very least. And hey, blue's good. Never did like the whole girls-must-be-in-pink thing, myself."

Reed leans to Rhea, "Baby jumper, Officer Blue, but the kicker is there's a Battlestar Genesis emblem on the chest, so you know, in case this baby is found, please return to the Genny."

Eve gives a nod to Zaharis at his approximation of when the ultrasound can be done. "I'm anxious, but not in any hurry. I imagine that the nine months will fly by faster then I'd like anyways. Preparation is slow going. I'd like to pick your brain some time when you're up to it, Major Zimmerman. About babies and child birth. My attending specialized in optometry." As that might explain there are likely at least a few gaps that need to be filled in.

"Never did, either," Rhea agrees with Jesse, as to pink. "Never quite got the whole gender-color thing. Reece got swaddled in whatever the frak was laying around. He didn't much care at that stage." She chuckles a little at Reed, though she doesn't comment. She pours herself another cup of water. The 'fly by faster than I'd like' bit gets a snort. A deep, deep snort. "I'm up for it anytime, Eve. Though I warn you, I lack sentiment. The experience is different for everybody. About the most personal thing you're ever going to do."

"When you move to the Carina," Zaharis tell Eve, "We can change your attending if you want. I'll just need to check through their staff for their background training. I know we have no OB-GYNs." He grimaces slightly. Reality bites. "But whoever you're most comfortable with, that's who you can have."

Reed looks between the Doctors and the experienced mother. Of course, being neither, he just sits there and looks pretty.

Eve reaches out to touch Zaharis' hand lightly. "Wouldn't dream of it. Craven's doing a fine job, and besides, the less people to see my personals propped open like a car hood, the better. Just looking for a wider resource base. I'm not worried about sentiment, either, more like what aches and pains and late night feedings are going to mean, that's all."

Rhea chuckles wryly. "Let's wait until I get sprung from here, at least. This place is depressing enough without adding that to the mix." She looks up at Reed. She, at least, enjoys the pretty.

"Right-o." Zaharis makes no further comment on aches, pains, and late night feedings. Or her personals. That'd be rude.

Reed can either join in the discussion of what's under Eves hood, or look at Rhea and make sappy eyes. So he does the latter, and smiles warmly to her.

Eve straightens up again. "Yes of course. More rest, less gabby psychiatrist." She smiles warmly, "I'll leave you all be, but don't worry, I'll be back soon enough to torture."

Rhea reaches out to squeeze Reed's hand. She's getting sleepy again and is inclined to let herself drift off. She offers a parting nod to Eve. "I'll look forward to it," she says dryly.

"Be good." Zaharis offers in parting to Eve.

Reed smiles to Eve, turning and squeezing her hand, then releasing it, and turning the Laptop to himself, opening it and typing briefly, before he then turns the monitor to face Rhea, tapping the side of it.

Rhea drifts off, letting Reed play with the laptop to his heart's content.

Eve returns the hand squeeze of Reed and offers a smile to Zaharis. "Aren't I always?" A brief pause. "Don't answer that. Rest well." Her eyes flit over Rhea's features as they even out with sleep, then she ducks her head and slips out, leaving crosswords behind.