Mounting Pressure

As Miles finally excused himself from the meeting, he felt a sense of relief wash over him, but it was quickly replaced by a growing sense of unease. The repairs were still piling up, and he was no closer to getting them done. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was failing, that the station was falling apart around him. As he walked out of the meeting room, Miles turned to Julian, who was hovering anxiously by his side. "I'm fine, Julian," he said, trying to reassure him. "I just need to get back to work and focus on the repairs. I can do this." Julian raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "You call that 'fine'?" he repeated, his voice laced with concern. "Miles, you're exhausted, you're shaking, and you can barely stay upright. You're not fit for work, and I'm not going to let you go back to your quarters until you've had some proper rest." Miles tried to protest, but Julian was having none of it. He wrapped a firm arm around Miles' waist and steered him towards the turbolift. "We're going back to your quarters, and you're going to stay there until you're feeling better," he said firmly. Miles tried to struggle, but Julian was too strong. He felt a surge of frustration and worry as he was dragged back to his quarters. The repairs were piling up, and he was stuck in bed, unable to do anything about it. As they entered his quarters, Julian helped Miles onto the couch and made him sit down. "I'm going to make you a cup of tea," he said, moving towards the food replicator. "And then you're going to stay here and rest, no arguments." Miles scowled, feeling trapped and helpless. He knew Julian was right, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was abandoning his duties. The station needed him, and he was stuck in bed, getting weaker by the minute. Julian handed him a cup of steaming hot tea and sat down beside him on the couch. "Drink this and try to relax," he said, putting a soothing hand on Miles' shoulder. "The repairs will still be there when you're feeling better. And even if they're not, what's the point of pushing yourself to the point of collapse? You need to take care of yourself, Miles." Miles sighed, feeling a mix of emotions: frustration, worry, and exhaustion. He knew Julian was right, but it was hard to accept. He took a sip of the tea, feeling a small sense of comfort wash over him. As he sat there, sipping his tea and trying to relax, Miles couldn't help but think about the repairs. He knew he had to get back to work, but for now, he was stuck in bed, unable to do anything about it. The pressure was mounting, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep going.