| Episode: | Season 1, Episode 1 – Chaos! At The Gala |
| Location: | Helix Medical Center |
| Written By: | Hayashi Elle Jonah Webb |
| Date: | 08/06/2026 |
| Word Count: | 1,154 |
Jonah didn’t care much for the fancy do’s of station life. As far as the primary security officer was concerned, these things were better served as something else. The people of the station loved this event, the government officials were often regarded with near reverence. Jonah knew little about the latest Primarch, but he did know that the previous one had served multiple terms before retirement.
He leaned against the white washed wall with a content expression on his face, the hospital room was empty. Except for the Doctor that was standing there in the room watching the security officer carefully. “If I have to go to this thing and suffer than you should have to suffer with me,” Jonah told her playfully.
Elle laughed and rolled her eyes as she continued to inspect the supplies inside the hospital room. Typically a technician did this, but Elle was by all accounts between patients and this kept her conversation with Jonah private to some degree. The young medical doctor turned her back from the cabinet and looked at Jonah.
“Who said I wanted to suffer?” She asked him casually, her arms crossing over her chest as she spoke to him. “Did I say I wanted to suffer?” She asked while pressing her hand into the very edge of her collarbone. “I’m pretty sure I didn’t say that at all.”
Jonah laughed and shook his head, “I can take a plus one,” He told her. “It’ll be more fun if you’re there with me.”
Elle took a step to the next cabinet and opened it by pressing her fingers against it’s surface. There was a sound of releasing air, and the cabinet sprung open as the door slid into the side. “More fun for you or for me?” She asked him casually. Elle wasn’t going to say no to his invitation, she did like Jonah quite a lot. They’d been friends for a number of years.
Jonah had known Elle since middle school, and for the longest time he’d had a crush on her. But, she always had a boyfriend and Jonah had always been a friend. In some ways he still really liked her, though Jonah said nothing about it to her. “For us both.” Jonah told her.
“Right,” Elle remarked as she looked around the innards of the cabinet. “And so you want me to spend part of my three days off with you going to this Gala?” She turned and looked at Jonah. “I don’t really watch it on the tele-net.” She told him. That was an absolute lie, Elle had watched it every time since she was a teenager.
“That’s not true,” Jonah quipped with a sly grin. “I remember when we were both in High School and that’s all you ever talked about. The week of, and after the event had been all over the tele-net.”
Elle found herself laughing almost immediately after he’d called her out on that. “All right,” She said and shook her head. “You win,” She turned and looked directly at him. “I’ll go with you. It’ll be an experience anyway.” Elle had always wanted to go to one someday, but she wasn’t part of the government nor was she part of any of the major corporations.
That typically meant that Elle wouldn’t have gotten an invitation unless someone she knew asked her. And here was Jonah asking her, she considered him to be her best friend. “I’m not doing anything too important that evening,” She admitted rather sheepishly. “What am I supposed to wear?”
Jonah shrugged, “You could wear that gown you wore at the hospital charity event from last year?” He suggested.
Elle thought about what he’d suggested, the dress he was talking about was a dark gray strapless dress. And there had been reasons she wore that one, “I don’t know if that’s fitting for this event.” She told him, “But if you insist.” She shrugged.
“Thanks for doing this,” Jonah told her. “Besides you owe me.”
“Oh really?” Elle asked him.
Jonah nodded as he crossed his arms over his own chest while continuing to watch her. “That hospital charity event was very boring.” He told her. Jonah had gone with her because she’d asked him if he wanted to go. It wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time, but seeing as how he had nothing really better to do he went. Besides, when he saw the dress she’d picked out… His thoughts went back to that and he swallowed them down.
Elle nodded recalling that moment and shrugged. “All right,” She said in agreement. Though, Elle was impressed that he’d not used that line earlier in their conversation. She didn’t think she really owed him anything at all. But, she’d secretly wanted to go to a Gala since she was fifteen years old, so being invited was tempting. Even if Elle had been acting like she didn’t really want to go to it in the first place.
“I can meet you out front of my apartment and we can take the tram to the event center.” Elle told him. “What time will you be there to come get me?”
Jonah shrugged, “That depends on how long it takes you to get ready. I already have the suit I’m wearing, it’s at the cleaners. I’ll have to pick it up the morning of the event,” He told her confidently. Jonah took a step forward so that he wasn’t leaning on the wall anymore.
Elle didn’t know how long it would take her to get ready, she’d have to do her hair, though she was already thinking of something simple for that part. A loose fitting bun or something would probably work best with that dress. And, it wasn’t as if she was really trying to impress her best friend with her appearance.
Elle also considered some other details, including how this was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. Unless she went into politics, but the hospital needed her and she really wasn’t all that interested in political stuff anyway. “It shouldn’t take me more than an hour or two to get ready. I’ll message you over the communications system when I’m almost ready.”
“That’s fair,” Jonah replied. There was an alert suddenly over the loud speaker and he looked at Elle who had suddenly perked up. “I’ll leave you to it then. I can find my way out of here.”
Elle nodded, “Sorry,” She told him. Then Elle patted him on the arm before she’d disappeared around the corner.
Jonah stood there watching her for a brief moment, then with a heavy sigh he left the vacant room and headed for the way out. Someday he’d either stop having the feelings for her and just accept that they were friends, or he wouldn’t. Jonah tried his best to not think so much about that as he departed from the medical center.