Coffee & Contemplation Part 6

JP with redsword_7, Jaxx, Omni, Kudzu, and CS

"What the hell was that?" asked Roberts, getting up from his seat and walking that direction.

Capt. Kenny nearly spilled his coffee as he was jostled about. "We need to check that out in case it's bad.," said Capt. Kenny. "I really don't want this to be our last meal."
"I am on it Captain," said Roberts, moving quickly.

‘You got this, Bruce. Come on, you can do anything you set your mind to. Remember that night out with that Acturian band? You held it together then.’

Bruce Jensen struggled to stand, his limbs shaking. This wasn’t his first rodeo but it seemed worse than ever. He forced himself out of the pod and out into the corridor. The lights faded in and out, his head spun and suddenly he was on the floor.

Roberts jogged down the first corridor turned left entering the hall leading to the cryo chambers. He saw Bruce laid out on the floor moving slowly.

Roberts almost wanted to just leave him there. But with the others coming, he did not want to look bad. "Jensen" he said, as he walked up.

"You ok down there?", he asked, looking down at him. He turned a bit to face behind him.

"Hey, Doc! Bruce does not look so good. Do you want to save him?", Roberts yelled in a sarcastic tone.

“Uh... yeah, never better. Shit. This is embarrassing. I’ll join you guys in a minute… ‘Oh god, No, keep it down.’, Jensen thought. “I think I just need a... huurk!”, he dry heaved. “Just a... mmmp.”

Roku headed after Roberts and saw the Company Man sitting against the corridor wall with one hand on his stomach and the other on his forehead.

“Help me get him up, Roberts. Let’s get him into Medlab. Try to get some Hydr8tion down him, he’ll be good as new. Good thing he has nothing in there to throw up. Not always a graceful process, eh, Jensen?”, she joked with the man.

They’ve all been in this spot at some point. He probably partied too hard before Cryosleep or didn’t watch his nutrition intake.

"I got this!" Vera said confidently. She paused to see how best to grab him, and then basically scooped him up in her muscular arms and started walking to the medlab with him. "I gotcha buddy...no worries."

"Go for it. You're the luckiest guy around to be carried by Vera.", said Roberts.

Ogai followed behind everyone and tsked at Roberts' comment. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Just take him to the medlab. It's no good keeping him here and he's evidently more shaken up by coming out of cryo than the rest of us."

“No, really, I’m oof!”

Vera carried Jensen to the medlab bed as easily as a sack of potatoes. The doc checked him out; he was fine.

Roberts watched as the doc worked on Bruce. He could see there was no danger.
"I am going back to the mess. See you all there.", he said cheerfully. Then walked back to the mess.

After only 5 minutes or so, drinking some Hydr8tion and taking it easy, Bruce Jensen, HR, was in the galley with the rest of the crew feeling sheepish and weak. His ‘be the best’ attitude soon gave way to ‘go team’.

These guys didn’t hesitate to help him, maybe they didn’t hate him after all... maybe? The Captain and Pilot were against the idea of having him on board from the beginning 6 months before Cryosleep, evaluating performances. No one liked to be evaluated, understandably.

The Technician, Asahi, who did excellent work and was due for a promotion was always at his best when Jensen was around. His work ethic was fine, it was his attitude that was the problem. Negativity can quickly make a toxic work environment, but the Cargo Handler, Vera kept him mostly in check.

Speaking of which, Vera was perfect and seemed to love the work she did, Jensen was positive she could make it anywhere. It was hard not to be attracted to her positivity and confidence. Not to mention she took great care of herself.

The medic, Hikari, was a new face to the Montero crew; she was good, but seemed a little distractible.

Jensen’s insight told him that their passenger, the Colonial Marshal, was hiding something. He was an ex-marine though, there was probably a lot he didn’t speak of.