The Mighty Eagles: Carried Away

What A Mess

"Well, what did they say?" Pennsylvania asks as Lexington and Commander Tran return.

"Well, due to preexisting conditions he'll have these chest pains sometimes. As long as he takes it easy he won't suffer from them." Lexington replies.

"Preexisting conditions?" Pennsylvania asks. "Like what exactly?"

"Before I had these strange chest pains." Commander Tran replies. "It was like someone was stabbing me right through the heart and the pain surged all throughout my chest." He explains, running his hand through his jet black hair.

"It almost looked like you were having a heart attack..." Yorktown says.

"Sadly, that's exactly what it looks like to everyone that's had to witness that." Commander Tran replies. "And it looks like my whole overexertion made it worse."

"They said conditions, not condition..." Hornet says.

"...What else happened to you before you got here?" Enterprise asks.

"Well, I had my kneecap kicked out once, and it sometimes pops." Commander Tran replies. "Hurts every goddamn time and I've had a whole multitude of injuries from when I did martial arts, you wouldn't believe it."

"Geez!" Hornet says. "Well at least you're here!"

"I'm surprised that I haven't ended up in a wheelchair yet." Commander Tran chuckles. "Just that fact gives me some relief." It's then that his stomach starts rumbling.

"Well, would you look at the time." Pennsylvania chuckles. "Here's your notebook back. Why don't we all head down to the mess hall?"

"Sure thing." Commander Tran says as he stashes the notebook back in his quarters before joining the girls in the mess hall amongst countless other soldiers and ships. "Man this really reminds me of high school." The commander chuckles as he finds a spot with the girls.

"It really does remind you of a high school cafeteria." Arizona says.

"But the food is much better." Commander Tran replies. "You would not believe how bad the food was in my high school."

"How bad was it?" Saratoga asks.

"Well... To put it in an AP shell I got food poisoning." Commander Tran replies.

"Oh my goodness!" Lexington says. "It was that bad?!"

"I could have sued the school but I didn't have the money back then." Commander Tran laughs as he starts eating some of his food, a bowl of curry. A few bites in though he quickly reaches for his drink. "Wow, I didn't expect this to be spicy!"

"Isn't it always?" Hornet asks. "Are there even kinds that aren't spicy?"

"I'm sure there are." Commander Tran replies. Eventually the girls start digging in themselves, and banter is kept down somewhat so nobody accidentally chokes on their food. Eventually some of the people around them finish and head off to where they need to be, but one rowdy seaman walks by Pennsylvania and a fairly sharp smack is heard, instantly followed up by Pennsylvania's yelp.

"What the?!" Pennsylvania shouts as she turns to face the snickering seaman. "Are you alright in the head?!"

"Sorry." The seaman replies, not a hint of apology in his voice, but he quickly loses his smirk as he feels Commander Tran staring daggers at him.

"I would apologize if I were you." Commander Tran snarls.

"Wait... Commander?! Is that really you?!" The seaman asks.

"What made you think it wasn't me?" Commander Tran asks right back. "Now I'll repeat myself again, apologize to her and don't ever do that to anyone again. I may be on sick leave but I am still your commander. If I catch you doing that again, I'll have you detained by the MP." The seaman quickly obliged before scampering off. "I'm really sorry about that, he's got a few screws loose."

"Why say sorry? It's not your fault he's like this." Pennsylvania replies. "I mean I'm sure you've tried your best to whip him into shape."

"I have tried." Commander Tran says. "He's... Something else."