Paddy, Glowbug and Oz

Posted on Sat Jan 2nd, 2021 @ 3:55am by Lieutenant Lily Marlow

Mission: End of Line
Location: Adna Station
Timeline: MD 3
1667 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

A few moments after Murphy faded from sight, Glowbug moved towards Paddy, its abdomen blinking. Then darted upwards again, moving to and fro. A musical note rang out from Glowbug, then a voice wizened voice could be heard. "I'm coming, I'm coming."

A small old man stepped out from behind a bush with leaves and twigs stuck in his turban. "Blast it all, stupid glitch, I missed my target and.. oh my it looks like I arrived too late." he grumbled quietly moving over towards where Paddy was. "I'm here... My name is Oz. Can I help you? Are you hurt?" looking at Paddy. Not knowing if the man before him was injured.

Patrick was near frantic as Murph disappeared right from under his hands. "No no I'm not hurt," he managed, looking down at his bloodied hands, "this isn't mine. A little bruised, maybe from when the Klingon threw me...." Palefaced, he looked up at Oz. "Where is he? I need to go to him.... I need to make sure he's alright."

He stood, less concerned about his lack of dress than he was about his partner. "Please... if you know, take me to him, please."

"Glowbug and I can take you there, and.." giving Paddy a once over. "You look like you need something to keep you warm. Let me see if I've got something in here." digging through a pocket of his robe, which was covering the long tunic he was wearing. "Just now where is it? Oh here it is." Oz pulling out a long tunic along with a robe. "This should fit you, and its comfortable. Oh and something for your hands." handing Paddy a towel. " Once you are dressed, we'll go find your friend."

Oz glitching slightly after he gave the items to Paddy, then back to normal. He turned to Glowbug, "Okay you need to get the directions. I can't just snap my fingers to get us to the other one. Adna's trying to exert her will, but she can't get you." cackling slightly.

Glowbug chimed, bobbing up and down in agreement.

Hands shaking, Patrick slipped the robe on and cleaned his bloodied hands. "He's my partner," he said shakily, "I can't lose him. Please if you know where he is..." He extended a hand to the newcomer. "My name is Patrick...most call me Pat or Paddy..."

Oz thought for a moment "I'll call you Paddy, Unless you prefer Patrick." he looked at Paddy. "Shall we be off, Glowbug?"

A chime from Glowbug who then led the way, towards the exit out of the sauna. It wasn't the normal exit, instead it had the sign of employee's only. "That's not the normal exit,its for-" Oz stopped when Glowbug turned towards him, and chimed angrily. "Okay Okay, yes I asked you to find the way and I will not question you."

Another huffy chime sounded, then Glowbug went towards the employee entrance, the door opening. Glowbug went through then sounded a chime.

"Okay its all clear." Oz proclaimed, turning to Paddy, and held out an arm towards him. "Shall we go?"

Beyond the door were corridors, leading three ways, one to the left, one to the right and one straight ahead. Glowbut chose the left one. "

"Looks like we are on our way, now. Also tell me about your loved one, Paddy how long have the two of you been together?" Oz asked.

"A.. a few months," Patrick answered as he followed, not quite sure what to think. "We both lost a husband and we ah.. I guess we just got together. It just...happened. It started with me bringing him food, and I kept doing it and I suppose in the end I never really left. He's a decent man, very hard working who needs someone to remind him to eat and sleep." Patrick offered a sad smile. "He's all I have at the moment, besides my family of course. But he's all I care for."

Oz nodded, "Even though it may sound strange, but I can empathize with you. I had a someone, well make that, two some ones that were important to me, besides Gwendolyn; a woman I adored and my father. I should probably call him more of my creator but I seemed to have acquired an affection, a love if you will? I wish I knew where he is located, if he is even alive. When he left last time, he said he'd be back to retrieve us. Its been...25 years your time since he was last here. I have no clue as to what's happened in those years. He was about 20 years old when he was around. And we had such great adventures."

"Maybe my captain can help you find him," Patrick mused, only briefly glad for the distraction. "You're a hologram right? But you seem... alive? Sentient?"

"Yes, I am a hologram, and in someway I am alive, I am sentient. I hope your captain would help me out, help us out. Whomever is still around. " His brow furrowed.

Down another hall and through another door, which opened up into a rather large kitchen. On the big black stove there was a black pot bubbling merrily and the scent of good food. There was also a muffled voice calling out, "Help,will somebody help me? I am stuck in here." The cries for help coming from a closed pantry door.

"Okay, I wonder just what that is all about. Could be part of your crew, or maybe even one of my crew." Oz said.

Patrick was distracted by the sheer size of the kitchen, part of him itching to go peer into the black pot, the beautiful scents of food reaching his senses. "Uh what?" he managed as he pulled himself back towards the hologram's attention. "Maybe we should let them out?"

Oz nodded, "Yes, we should indeed." walking over towards the pantry door. He put his hand upon the door, it not budging. "Not going to be easy is it. " he muttered.

Looking at Paddy, Oz asked, " I don't suppose you know how to pick locks do you?"

Glowbug chimed.

"I know you know how to pick locks, I was asking Paddy here. He looks to be a bright chap." Oz replied to Glowbug's chime.

Patrick shook his head. "No I'm sorry... I'm just a simple chef, I'm not even Starfleet..." He smiled ruefully. "I'm assigned as the captain's chef, but I cook for everyone." He looked up at the glowing creature. "But he seems to want to try?"

Glowbug bounced up and down and chimed.

Oz nodded, "Then we shall let him."

At the nod of Oz, Glowbug darted to where the keyhole was, paused there for a moment as if examining the lock, then did a quick small blast disabling the locking mechanism. Glowbug moved back, as the door inched its way open, and then a head carefully poked around the door. It was a man with dark hair, a thin musstache looking rather worried, then his eyes lit up.

"Oz is that you?" the man glitching. He came out of the pantry dressed in a chef's outfit, carrying his chef's hat in the other hand.

"Abner? What in the world? You are a chef now?" Oz exclaimed.

"Oui.. I mean yes. Adna she ees, crazy." Abner replied, with a slight French accent. "I see Glowbug, but I've not met this new program before. Is this part of Adna's madness?" looking at Paddy.

"Er, no he isn't a program, he is one of the visitors who have come to the station. His name is Paddy, and he is a chef." Oz answered.

"A chef!" Abner's eyes widening, in one motion he is kneeling at Paddy's feet, his hands clasped together looking at him beseechingly. "Please I beg of you, take me with you!"

Patrick looked from Oz to Abner and back. "Is he uhm... real?" he asked carefully, "a person, like me?" He bit his lip, not wanting to offend either of them. "I'm not sure I can take a hologram you see," he added, "and I need to find my partner first. He got hurt, and disappeared and I don't know where he was taken."

Panic started to rise again as he looked at both other men. "Do you know if people are beamed somewhere, if they're really hurt by the programs?"

Oz looked at Abner, "Get up."

Abner getting up from the floor.

"Paddy, we've got one more door to go through." Oz said with a gentle smile. "I wasn't certain if there was one of your crew stuck in there or one of mine."

He walked over towards the other door, and looked at Paddy. "Come this way. You should be finding him through there."

Patrick followed him eagerly. "Oh I hope he's alright," he fretted, "what if he isn't? You're sure he'll be through there?"

"He should be, hopefully I am not mistaken, and hopefully I can go through there. Abner won't be able to do so though. He's not got this." indicating some sort of arcane looking necklace clasped around his neck. "I've not had the chance to truly test this out. I've been afraid to do so." he looked at Paddy, then at Glowbug. "Glowbug, you need to go back to Gwendolyn, Paddy and I will step through the door."

Glowbug chimed with some concern.

"I'll be okay, just go to Gwendolyn, I feel she's going to need your help." Oz said.

Glowbug chimed and then darted off to go find Gwendolyn.

Oz took a deep breath, then clasped the necklace in his wrinkled hand and said, "Exitant!" the necklace glowing after the word was spoken. "Okay, time to test this out." he stated to Paddy. "If it doesn't work, Its been a pleasure meeting you, Patrick."

"And you sir," Patrick answered, longingly looking towards the exit. "Let's do this."

Oz nodded and taking a deep breath, stepped through the door, with Paddy.