A Night to Forget

Miles woke up in a coughing fit, his body wracked with a violent shudder that left him gasping for air. He sat up with a jolt, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings in panic. He was in Julian's quarters, and the memories of the previous day came flooding back. He had been feeling terrible, and Julian had taken him under his wing, insisting that he rest and recover. Miles tried to recall the events leading up to his current predicament. He had been working tirelessly on the repairs, pushing himself to his limits. The EPSILON II airlock, the cargo bay's gravity compensator, and the mess hall's food synthesizer were still waiting for his attention. As he lay back on the couch, trying to catch his breath, he could feel the fever raging on, his body aching all over. He seemed to have gotten sicker overnight, and a sense of unease crept over him. The repairs were piling up, and he was stuck in bed, unable to do anything about it. The door to Julian's quarters slid open, and the doctor entered with a tray of steaming hot soup and some medication. "Ah, Miles, I see you're awake," Julian said, his eyes scanning Miles' face with concern. "How are you feeling?" Miles tried to speak, but a fit of coughing interrupted him. He hacked away, his body shuddering with the effort. Julian quickly handed him a glass of water, which Miles gratefully sipped. "Better, I suppose," Miles rasped, his throat sore from the coughing. Julian nodded sympathetically. "I've brought you some medication to help with the fever and the cough. And I've also made some soup to help soothe your throat." Miles took the medication and sipped the soup, feeling a tiny bit better. But as he lay back on the couch, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. The repairs were still waiting for him, and he was stuck in bed, unable to do anything about it. As the day wore on, Julian did his best to take care of Miles, administering medication, and bringing him food and drink. But Miles was on edge, his mind racing with the repairs that needed to get done. The EPSILON II airlock was still malfunctioning, and he had no idea how much longer it would hold out. The cargo bay's gravity compensator was on the fritz, and the mess hall's food synthesizer was on the verge of breakdown. He tossed and turned, feeling restless and trapped. He knew he needed to get back to work, but his body seemed to have other plans. Julian tried to reassure him, telling him that he needed to rest and recover, but Miles couldn't shake off the feeling of responsibility. As the hours ticked by, Miles' anxiety grew. He knew that every minute he spent in bed was a minute that the station's systems were running at risk. He could almost hear the airlock's seals creaking, the gravity compensator's motors whining, and the food synthesizer's machinery grinding to a halt. "Miles, you need to calm down," Julian said, sitting beside him on the couch. "You're not going to get better if you keep stressing about the repairs. Let me take care of you, and I'll make sure everything runs smoothly on the station." Miles nodded, trying to trust Julian's words. But as he lay back on the couch, he couldn't help but wonder what was happening back on the station. Were the systems holding together? And how much longer would it be before they failed completely? The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and he knew he had to get back to work as soon as possible. But for now, he was at Julian's mercy, forced to rest and recover while the station's systems teetered on the brink of disaster. As Julian continued to care for him, Miles couldn't help but think about the repairs that needed to get done. He knew that he had to get back to work, but he also knew that he had to get better first. He took a deep breath and tried to relax, letting Julian's care wash over him. Maybe, just maybe, he would be back to his old self soon, fixing the station's problems with ease. But for now, he was at the mercy of his illness, and Julian's care.