OFF: This is a backpost
ON:
[USS Malinche, Various locations, Day 4, 1430 hours]
Renata walked out of the operating room and slumped against the wall. “Computer record onto the ship's medical log that patient Zrel Tanaska, civilian casualty, surgery completed and successful. Date with current stardate and time.” The surgery hadn’t been without its own issues, the young woman had suffered major internal haemorrhaging as well as an oesophageal tear, but for the most part she would make a complete recovery thanks to Renata's surgical intervention.
“Please submit a request with Starbase 386 to transfer patient to their facilities for a further three days recovery time.” Renata requested before removing her surgical cap and taking a look at herself in the reflective surface of sickbay's main diagnostics board. With the exception of hair being almost slick with sweat the young woman decided she was presentable enough to formally introduce herself to Captain Kersare.
“Computer locate Captain Kersare.” Renata ordered, quickly removing her surgical gown and running her finger through her hair, tying it up in a loss knot.
“Captain Kersare is in her ready room.” The computer informed Renata.
Quietly and confidently Renata strode the corridors of the Malinche. As she rode the turbolift to Deck one Renata couldn’t help but muse what the woman she was about to meet would be like. Yes she had of course read Isabel Kersare's Starfleet record, but records could only ever tell you half the story. Exiting the turbolift she surveyed the bridge, the ship’s crew giving her no real attention as they went about their work. Crossing the Bridge Renata pressed the Ready Room door chime and waited to be allowed access.
<Ready Room>
Hearing her door chime, Isabel instinctively looked over at the door before saying, "Come in."
Renata walked into the ready room her eyes quickly surveying the room and all that was in it. She instantly felt at ease.
Isabel didn't recognize the woman who entered the Ready Room, but based on her attire, Isabel had to assume she was a doctor. Her best guess was that this was the doctor that had beamed aboard a few hours ago with a patient needing surgery. "Would you like to have a seat? What can I do for you?"
”I would love to sit.” Renata responded with a smile, before offering her hand out to Isabel. “However as I’ve delayed in introducing myself formally anyway let's get that out of the way first. Lieutenant Renata De Souza, Chief Medical Officer, formally reporting for duty captain.”
Shaking Renata's hand, Isabel gave the woman a nod, "Pleased to meet you, Lieutenant." She waited for the woman to then take her seat before continuing, "I knew Starfleet was on the lookout for a new Chief Medical Officer for us, but wasn't aware one - well, you - had been assigned. Probably in with the latest batch of transfers that I hadn't seen yet..."
Renata nodded politely, “It was a somewhat rapid transfer that much is certain. I actually only received my new orders 48 hours ago, fortunately for me a civilian transport from K-7 was bound for 386 so I decided it made more sense to move sooner rather than later.” Renata looked around the ready room, “I must confess Captain; I pushed hard for this transfer, and missed out on the position twice before hand. I think Starfleet command finally caved and decided it would be more trouble than it would be worth to reject my request again.”
Starfleet command at its best again, no doubt. "A transfer to the Malinche, specifically, or in general a transfer off your previous assignment?" Isabel didn't want to seem overly confident, and she was certain there were other, more prestigious postings than the Malinche.
“I’ll be honest, at first I would have taken any shipboard assignment, but a little over 8 months ago I read over the Malinche's mission logs.” Renata's face almost lit up. “It was at that point I knew this is where I need to be, finally our timings seemed to match up.”
Isabel smiled, "I'm glad to hear it, Lieutenant. We've been without a proper Chief Medical Officer for some time now....though we have had someone filling that role in an Acting capacity. So you were previously posted at K-7?"
“For 8 years.” Renata replied. “Straight out of the Academy, although prior to that I spent three years on Bajor following the Cardassian withdrawal and a further year visiting various disaster areas with Médecins Sans Frontières. You could say I’ve already travelled around a fair bit.”
Raising an eyebrow, Isabel replied, "Yes, I'd say that sounds like a fair assessment. I think we're quite lucky to have you aboard, Doctor."
Renata smiled and shook her head. “I wouldn’t go that far Captain but thank you. The truly lucky one was the young woman on the transport.”
"And how is your patient?" Isabel inquired. "The most I knew was that a doctor and her patient were transferred aboard several hours ago, but I wasn't made aware of anything else... I assume that doctor was you."
“It was indeed captain. I apologise for the break in protocol but I needed to get her into theatre and quickly. She’ll make a full recovery although it was touch and go. Anaphylactic shock in most humanoid life forms is now rarely fatal but factor in Bolian bio chemistry a multiple oesophageal tract and two stomachs; it becomes a different matter entirely.”
Isabel nodded, "I would imagine. I'm glad to hear the patient will recover." Pausing a few moments, she then continued, "We've not been told what our next mission is yet; we'll be docked here at 386 until we receive our next orders."
Renata rose to her feet. “In that case captain if you’ll excuse me I’m starved and I hear that 386 has a passable Italian restaurant. Permission to disembark captain?”
"Of course, permission granted," Isabel replied. "I'll catch up with you later on, Doctor...there are a few items you should be made aware of, but they can wait."
Renata let out a small chuckle. “Captain you can’t leave a girl hanging with a snippet of information like that, imitation Bagna Cauda can wait till later. Please, I’d rather be fully prepped now rather than having something spring itself on me unprepared.”
Isabel gave a brief apologetic smile, "My apologies Doctor, I'll try to be brief. First off, we have an ex-Borg aboard. I'm afraid that overall it's a long story, but suffice to say that the ex-Borg is my husband...for several years I thought he was dead, but on one of our missions we found he was alive, but had been assimilated. He's no longer part of the Collective and has been making good progress; Lieutenant Zeral, our Chief Counselor could likely give you an update on the counseling side of things."
Renata nodded, taking in the details; she couldn’t even begin to understand the confusion that Kersare must be feeling, even if it did not show through her new commanding officer's strong façade.
"Also, our new Assistant Chief Flight Control Officer was through something of an ordeal and has been hallucinating. Lieutenant Zeral had to remove him from active duty. I'm rather concerned and any help you could give him to help him get back to being himself and on duty would be appreciated," Isabel continued.
“Hmm potential PTSD, I’m not a therapist in Starfleet’s definition of one but I do have some psych knowledge, having to deal with the aftermath of the atrocities on Bajor you had to become a quick study in the field of mental health.” Renata walked over to the view port in Isabel’s office and looked upon the star studded vista before her. “I’ll of course further discuss with Lieutenant Zeral but there are a few non standard therapy techniques we could look into using, regression therapy and general interaction.” Renata didn’t add that she also planned to find and ‘bump into’ the ships ACFCO on her own time to gain her own assessment of his mental and physical wellbeing.
Isabel debated how much to tell Renata about the Acting Chief Medical Officer - who would now be the Assistant Chief Medical Officer. Not that she wanted to hold back information, but Nora was more up-to-date. "You may also want to speak with Lieutenant Zeral about Doctor Dormand...Her husband was considered MIA, but we recently verified that he was in fact killed, along with the rest of his crewmates. She asked to come aboard and help out since we didn't have a Chief Medical Officer at the time."
Upon hearing of her deputy’s loss Renata couldn’t help but for the briefest of moments remember how it felt for her losing T’Vel, even after three years sometimes the wounds still felt fresh and Renata couldn’t help but empathise for what Doctor Dormand must be going through. “I’ll schedule the official sickbay handover for tomorrow, it’ll give Doctor Dormand any time she needs to wrap up any projects she may have running as well as get briefing notes for myself ready.” Renata turned round back to look at Kersare and continued with a smile, “On the plus side as my personal effects seem to have gone missing in transit it’ll also give me the chance to go station side properly and get a bit of shopping done. At the moment with only my uniform, medkit and swim suit to my name I’ve taken travelling light to new level.”
Grinning, Isabel replied, "Yes, I'd say that's travelling light. I've seen some of the shops - you're bound to find some good items there. It was a pleasure meeting you, Lieutenant."
“Watch out 386, I’m after a bargain.” Renata joked with a sly wink. “The pleasure is all mine captain.”
OFF:
A Joint post by
_________________
Captain Isabel Kersare
Commanding Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
And
Mission 15 - Be Wary Of Your Friends (JM with Starbase 386)
Moderators: Tournneau, Korath, Kersare
Re: Mission 15 - Be Wary Of Your Friends (JM with Starbase 386)
Lieutenant Renata De Souza
Chief Medical Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Mission 15 - Be Wary Of Your Friends (JM with Starbase 386)
ON
[Starbase 386, Promenade 1500 hours, MD4]
“You have got to be kidding me?!” Renatas face sunk as she stood face to face with one of Starbase 386’s security staff. “I want to speak to the Chief of Station and Security and I want to speak to them now.” Renata kept her voice even but allowed the volume to increase slightly to allow herself to be heard over the chaos of masses of people making their way to the stations combat shelters. She had literally been on the station all of ten minutes when the call to red alert had sounded across the station. She felt a hand tap her on the shoulder. Spinning on her heel she was face to face with a tall and imposing looking woman in security gold with Lieutenant Commander pips on her collar.
“Is there a problem here madam?” Caroline asked looking over the attractive and exotic woman over who was talking to one of her security deputies. Caroline had been dealing with people who seemed to feel that the red alert siren and call to proceed to the shelters didn’t appear to them and she had a feeling that she was about to replay the same conversation with the woman in front of her. “Lieutenant Commander Caroline Roscoe, Chief of station security.”
“A pleasure Commander, Your deputy is refusing to allow me to make my way to docking port 5.” Renata explained.
“You have business with the Malinche?” Caroline asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes, I’m her new CMO and if she is about to go into a hostile situation I should be on her.” Renata replied, the frustration beginning to show in her voice. “However your deputy doesn’t seem to comprehend this fact and only seems to have the phrase ‘report to the shelters’ in his vocabulary.”
Caroline turned to look at her deputy. “Is this true?” She asked.
“It is Ma’am, Captain Langes order were quite clear, all non essential personal and civilians are to report to the shelters. As this individual could not provide identification I felt the best course of action was to have her report to the shelters.” The deputy explained with the occasional glance towards Renata.
“And as I tried to explain to your man here all my identification is onboard the Malinche and I’m not in the habit of carrying around my doctorate in my back pocket! Commander all I want is to get back to my ship and back into sickbay where I should be at this moment in time.” Renata no longer made any attempt to hide the frustration in her voice.
Caroline listened to what the doctor had to say, all the time glancing out of the viewport behind her watching the Malinche as it began to move off out amongst the stars on it’s course to meet the Elyashen fleet. “Docter?”
“De Souza, Renata DeSouza.”
“Doctor De Souza, I appreciate what you have to say, but would you do me a favour and look out the viewport behind you.” Caroline asked whilst pointing behind Renata.
“Thats not?”
“Yes, it is. I will not second guess Captain Kersare deciding not to recal you back to the Malinche the moment Red Alert was sounded, but I will say this. Right now you have two options, you can either go to one of the shelters, or if you want to be useful you can offer your services in the infirmary. If and when the horse hockey hits the fan and battle commences, there will be casualties, quite possibly a lot of them and they will need treating by a doctor. So the choice is yours.” Caroline looked the woman straight in the eye, the conviction in her voice showing through.
“In that case I think you had better get me to your infirmary then hadn’t you commander.”
OFF:
A joint post by
Caroline Roscoe
Chief of Station Security
Starbase 386
and
[Starbase 386, Promenade 1500 hours, MD4]
“You have got to be kidding me?!” Renatas face sunk as she stood face to face with one of Starbase 386’s security staff. “I want to speak to the Chief of Station and Security and I want to speak to them now.” Renata kept her voice even but allowed the volume to increase slightly to allow herself to be heard over the chaos of masses of people making their way to the stations combat shelters. She had literally been on the station all of ten minutes when the call to red alert had sounded across the station. She felt a hand tap her on the shoulder. Spinning on her heel she was face to face with a tall and imposing looking woman in security gold with Lieutenant Commander pips on her collar.
“Is there a problem here madam?” Caroline asked looking over the attractive and exotic woman over who was talking to one of her security deputies. Caroline had been dealing with people who seemed to feel that the red alert siren and call to proceed to the shelters didn’t appear to them and she had a feeling that she was about to replay the same conversation with the woman in front of her. “Lieutenant Commander Caroline Roscoe, Chief of station security.”
“A pleasure Commander, Your deputy is refusing to allow me to make my way to docking port 5.” Renata explained.
“You have business with the Malinche?” Caroline asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes, I’m her new CMO and if she is about to go into a hostile situation I should be on her.” Renata replied, the frustration beginning to show in her voice. “However your deputy doesn’t seem to comprehend this fact and only seems to have the phrase ‘report to the shelters’ in his vocabulary.”
Caroline turned to look at her deputy. “Is this true?” She asked.
“It is Ma’am, Captain Langes order were quite clear, all non essential personal and civilians are to report to the shelters. As this individual could not provide identification I felt the best course of action was to have her report to the shelters.” The deputy explained with the occasional glance towards Renata.
“And as I tried to explain to your man here all my identification is onboard the Malinche and I’m not in the habit of carrying around my doctorate in my back pocket! Commander all I want is to get back to my ship and back into sickbay where I should be at this moment in time.” Renata no longer made any attempt to hide the frustration in her voice.
Caroline listened to what the doctor had to say, all the time glancing out of the viewport behind her watching the Malinche as it began to move off out amongst the stars on it’s course to meet the Elyashen fleet. “Docter?”
“De Souza, Renata DeSouza.”
“Doctor De Souza, I appreciate what you have to say, but would you do me a favour and look out the viewport behind you.” Caroline asked whilst pointing behind Renata.
“Thats not?”
“Yes, it is. I will not second guess Captain Kersare deciding not to recal you back to the Malinche the moment Red Alert was sounded, but I will say this. Right now you have two options, you can either go to one of the shelters, or if you want to be useful you can offer your services in the infirmary. If and when the horse hockey hits the fan and battle commences, there will be casualties, quite possibly a lot of them and they will need treating by a doctor. So the choice is yours.” Caroline looked the woman straight in the eye, the conviction in her voice showing through.
“In that case I think you had better get me to your infirmary then hadn’t you commander.”
OFF:
A joint post by
Caroline Roscoe
Chief of Station Security
Starbase 386
and
Lieutenant Renata De Souza
Chief Medical Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Mission 15 - Be Wary Of Your Friends (JM with Starbase 386)
<Starbase 386, Station day 4, 1100 hrs, holosuite 2>
Roen looked up from the floor of the internment camp with a bleeding lip and bruised arm as the Cardassian guards stood there looking on.
The commandant folded his arms and tilted his head.
"Well, well haven't we lost our zeal? See, if you hadn't stolen the fighter...again, we wouldn't be worrying about this right now."
Anara rolled her eyes and sighed. "This is not worth it right now. Computer, End Program." The room flashed into the gridwork formation and she closed her eyes.
The lip had stopped bleeding but her bruises were still sore. Holodeck without safeties was a thrill for the hardened soldier. When she got to the promenade, she realized a couple hours had passed and she was quite hungry.
She ordered some food and sat down at the edge of the entrance to eat. About the time the Warrant Officer began to eat, she was greeted by a soft-spoken voice. Self consciously, Roen put a hand over her bruised lip hoping to hide it.
Myralia had just finished her "session" with Captain Conaway when she noticed an injured member across the room. She wondered if this person had also been part of the tragedy aboard the Destiny. She studied her for a moment. She sensed frustration and slight aggression but no signs of depression. She concluded this person was either not from Destiny or very good at controlling her emotions. Curiosity had beckoned her over. "Excuse me Warrant. I couldn't help but notice your injuries are you alright?"
The bajoran straightened up a little, easing her hand down a little.
"I am fit for...duty." She paused a little feeling a bruised rib. "It's nothing." She was never one to show her personal side readily, but she thought the stranger seemed the sort to be conversational.
"Warrant Officer Roen Anara. I will be Shuttle Bay manager on the Malinche when she docks finally." She hoped deflecting may take attention away from the bruises.
Myralia sat down. She found it an interesting coincidence as Captain Conaway had just mentioned one of his Flight Control Officers had also been transferred to Malinche. It seemed like Starfleet was making alot of changes to the fleet. Myralia looked at the Warrant. She could sense she was hiding something. She knew the Warrant was not feeling as well as she had stated. She came across as a strong willed woman willing to fight through the pain. Myralia decided she would try to convince her to atleast see a doctor and kill some time in the process.
Myralia believed it was always wise to begin with a warm greeting and an introduction it helped the other person feel more welcome and willing to open up. Normally she would have offered to shake her hand but she noted her obvious discomfort by the positioning of her hands. Instead she sat down and gave Anara a warm smile. " Lieutenant Myralia Constantine, I will be the Chief Counselor aboard the USS Orlando. I have no doubt you are quite fit and able to perform your duties. However there is no shame in taking care of yourself. I am no doctor but broken bones and bruising can be healed quite quickly and of course you would want to be 100 percent should a situation arise would you not?"
Anara nodded slowly. The counselor's demeanor was inviting and relaxing in a way. She paused for a moment before replying, staring into her drink.
"I assure you my bones are intact, however I wish I could say my lip was. Cardassian guards are not so gentle." She muttered. It slipped out without her noticing until a moment later when she shook her head for saying it.
Myralia chuckled. She realized that Anara must have been in the holodeck with the safeties off. Despite her cheerful demeanor she could now sense a deep feeling of aggression and anger in the Bajoran. Perhaps some residual resentment with regards to the occupation by the Cardassians. Anara looked to be of age to be affected by the crisis. "I myself have never encountered a Cardassian before but I have heard some troubling stories about them. May I ask why you chose a simulation involving Cardassian guards?"
Anara sat back and tilted her head at how directly the counselor pinned her setting. "I was born immediately following the occupation, but my family was heavily affected by it. I know they are just another people group, but I would have a brother if it weren't for them. He died of injuries after they decided he knew too much." She gripped her drink firmly as she sloshed it around a gentle circle.
She was aware that the counselor was leading her to say far more than she was meaning to, but decided it was just as well.
"The fleet life sometimes lacks feel. When I was in the Militia we had qualifiers and hand-to-hand to keep physical feel. It doesn't seem right."
Myralia knew she had begun to uncover some deep feelings from Anara. She would have to tread carefully as not to cause a scene by stirring Anara the wrong way, normally she would be much more aggressive. "Although the fleet does not enforce mandatory physical training, it does not mean one must not strive to become better. There is a time in life when we must realize we need to take responsibility for our own well-being and not solely depend on others to maintain ourselves. Your life is only what you make of it, good or bad." She paused to allow the thought to sink into the Warrant's mind. "Now, you say you had a brother what was his name? What was he like?"
Roen sighed. "He was one of the best pilots the resistance had. Or at least that's what I always heard. He did not survive the third escape from an internment camp. All through my childhood and military academy years I heard of how great his record was." She glanced at Myralia and then closed her eyes before commenting. "I just hope I have even a shred of that, sometimes I wonder though."
Myralia felt she was making good progress now. She had figured Roen was not the type to openly express her emotions to just anyone. "Yes it was a terrible time for many families I cannot imagine the grief you must have gone through." She paused briefly. "So Anara, what causes you to question your piloting abilities?"
She thought for a moment. It had been a long time since anyone had asked such a question of the pilot. "I guess it's just hard when I have to follow his footsteps. No matter where I went in the Militia forces I heard 'It's Roen, oh wait it is his sister." She looked back at the counselor's eyes then leaned back in her chair, arms behind her neck to support her head. "I figured by joining the fleet at least I could be my own person. I still question whether I could do something better every day."
"It is hard when you feel you have to live under someone's shadow, especially if other's around you are adding the extra pressure. You must learn to look beyond that and realize you bring your own unique skill set to the table, skills your brother may not have had. A lot of people who model an older sibling or parent tend to place that person on a pedestal seeing them as doing no wrong or being perfect. However they do not realize the struggles that individual made to achieve their goals. You will experience some of the same struggles but you must move forward and soon enough you will become a better person and the rest will follow suit. It is that sense of individuality that gives us all a purpose, otherwise we would all just be shadows of someone else." Myralia replied.
"I can see the merit of that." Anara said softly. "Don't get me wrong, I do look up to him as a role model, but part of me wishes I could have been there too. Maybe if I was there he wouldn't have been shot down or captured. Every time I lost a pilot the thought comes to mind." She stopped in thought before continuing a moment later with a distant expression. "During the Dominion conflict I lost three as a wing leader."
Myralia leaned forward in her chair. She could tell the story she had just heard had been bottled up inside Anara for quite some time. Anara seemed to be experiencing a slight relief from talking with her however she would need further counseling if any real progress was to be made. Although the thought did not sit well with Myralia, she realized she would have to do what she could now and hopefully steer Roen in the right direction.
"It's quite common to feel that way about a loved one who has died by some tragic event. What you must realize is that you could not have saved him, you were too young. You must also learn that part of becoming a leader is accepting the circumstances as they come. Unfortunately death is an eventuality of any great war. There is a time to grieve but a good leader must step up and allow himself and his crew or squadron to carry on."
To hear Myralia present it that way made it seem obvious in a way that was different. That set her to thinking but she was still not quite sure. A few people had mentioned things along the way to help her cope with losses, but Myralia was the most perceptive of all.
"I...don't know if I...can." Roen said slowly with a slightly worried tone. It was hard for the soldier-pilot to say.
"The first step is believing you can. It will take some time, there will be heartaches but you will overcome it once you start believing in yourself, the rest will fall into place. I know it can be hard for soldiers like yourself to admit when you are not well as it is perceived as a sign of weakness. However I see it as a sign of strength, the willingness to identify a problem and take the appropriate steps to rectify it. It is one of the best qualities an individual of any stature could possess." Myralia smiled at Anara looking her in the eyes as if to give her a sense of approval and admiration.
Anara looked back with a subtly warming gaze. It betrayed the fact that her interior wall was softening with contemplation. It was some time before she said anything, and without blinking leaned forward and said a simple "Thank you." In a subliminal way, she had hoped something like this would happen. In a flash of self consciousness, she put her hand against the bruised lip, almost with a feeling of regret. The counselor could see the expression change in her eyes.
Myralia reached over the table and placed her hand on top of Roen's. "Live with no regrets and remember. Everyone falls, just be sure you are one of those who get back up because there will be someone who may not possess the strength at the time to do so on their own and will need a good friend. I have no doubt in my mind your skills as a pilot and as a leader. I know somewhere beyond this life, you are making your brother proud. One day people will remember you for you and not as a shadow."
That statement was enough that Roen refused the urge to pull her hand back. Her eyes began to water a little, though she tried to hide it out of reflex and habit. "I wish you were assigned to my ship, counselor." She wiped one eye, then continued. "In one conversation you know more about me than almost anyone that I know, and it does not make me feel scared." Her expression began to smile, which was apparent that it was not used often in this way.
Myralia returned Anara's smile. She felt overjoyed knowing she had helped her with this very deep and personal issue. She was relieved to see Roen on the right road to a recovery. Seeing Anara's tears caused Myralia to have to fight back some of her own. "I am sure the counselor aboard the Malinche is very capable and I would be happy to speak to her on your behalf should you wish. Also I would welcome any subspace messages to my ship from you, I would love to see how you progress and continue to help you in any way I can."
"Thank you." Anara said softly. "I will try, but I don't know if I will be able to. This is hard for me. Stepping out I mean. It has just been easier to hide for so long. At least Malinche will be a new ship and new crew. My last crew was anything but friendly with me, perhaps that was mutual."
Myralia looked her in the eyes and smiled. "I will do everything in my power to help you along the way. Coming out is never easy it takes a lot of courage to do so and you should be very proud of yourself for doing so. Now tell me about your old crew why the animosity?"
Roen thought for a moment before smirking sarcastically. "Because I expect precision from my subordinates and accept no less. Mistakes kill pilots, so I earned the reputation of being a stickler to say the least. My crew received commendations on a regular basis, so I suppose it worked." Then she closed her eyes and sighed. "But it does not make for many friends along the way."
"Well Anara that is an unfortunate hazard of being a leader. Not everyone will see eye to eye with you. Your main goal as a leader is to not only promote the well-being but provide what you believe is the proper training and skills to ensure they are able to function is real life situations. However you must also realize there is a place for taking time away from training and drills to relax and enjoy what we have worked so hard to accomplish. There is nothing wrong with being a stickler, however being a stickler every moment of everyday can be overdoing it. I think you need to learn to relax sometimes." Myralia chuckled a little after that statement. She herself knew Bajorans tended to be a more serious goal-oriented people who did not always put relaxation at the top of their priorities.
Roen harumphed with a smirk. "Relaxation is so over rated. Most humans would call me, um... workaholic? Perhaps you are right, though. It will be a stretch to let it go. I have held such a tight record for so long." She took the last bite of her meal, realizing it had been a sizable amount of time since Myralia had come over.
"What do you do to relax, if I may?" The bajoran asked.
Myralia left out a small laugh. She was happy to hear the Bajoran was open to new ideas. "Well sometimes if my workload has been a little overwhelming I will simply take a nice hot bath with some scented candles and listen to some soothing music. You would be surprised at the therapeutic value of music I recommend it to all of my patients. For those times where I need to take a longer period to relax I will go to the Holodeck and run a Risa program. I always enjoy my time there and can think of no better way to settle the nerves. Perhaps giving something like this a try will relieve some of your tension."
"Perhaps you could give me a tour of this 'Risa' place." Roen smirked as she sipped some more drink. "It sounds more relaxing than Maquis scenarios, I think." She looked around then back to the counselor, wincing a little at forgotten soreness. "I should probably be off to the doc for that. Will you be about later?"
"That would be a good start. I don't imagine the Orlando will be around anytime soon so I will most likely be touring the station or giving out more free sessions." She said ending with a short laugh. "I would be happy to give you a tour anytime, good company always makes for a better time and I assure you it is one of the most magnificent things you will ever experience."
The bajoran smiled. "I will be looking forward to it, Counselor...er...Myralia." She corrected herself. It was unusual for her to use a first name, but it seemed somehow appropriate. Anara stood up from her seat with a stiff slowness. "Do they have massages there?" She asked with a smirk.
Myralia closed her eyes and sighed. "Yes they do, some of the best I have ever had." She began to imagine she was on Risa getting a massage whilst laying on the beach under a warm golden sun. The feeling was intoxicating, for a moment she forgot she was on a Starbase."
Roen leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms as she watched Myralia's demeanor toward the description. "I'll be there then. How's 1600 hrs?"
Myralia snapped out of her daydream just in time to hear what Roen had to say. She smirked. "That would be perfect."
Roen smiled and nodded, turned and walked out to the promenade to contemplate the time spent.
Lieutenant(JG) Myralia Constantine
Chief Counselor
USS Orlando
and
Warrant Officer 2nd Class Roen Anara (PNPC)
Shuttlebay Manager
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
played by: Ensign N'rass
Roen looked up from the floor of the internment camp with a bleeding lip and bruised arm as the Cardassian guards stood there looking on.
The commandant folded his arms and tilted his head.
"Well, well haven't we lost our zeal? See, if you hadn't stolen the fighter...again, we wouldn't be worrying about this right now."
Anara rolled her eyes and sighed. "This is not worth it right now. Computer, End Program." The room flashed into the gridwork formation and she closed her eyes.
The lip had stopped bleeding but her bruises were still sore. Holodeck without safeties was a thrill for the hardened soldier. When she got to the promenade, she realized a couple hours had passed and she was quite hungry.
She ordered some food and sat down at the edge of the entrance to eat. About the time the Warrant Officer began to eat, she was greeted by a soft-spoken voice. Self consciously, Roen put a hand over her bruised lip hoping to hide it.
Myralia had just finished her "session" with Captain Conaway when she noticed an injured member across the room. She wondered if this person had also been part of the tragedy aboard the Destiny. She studied her for a moment. She sensed frustration and slight aggression but no signs of depression. She concluded this person was either not from Destiny or very good at controlling her emotions. Curiosity had beckoned her over. "Excuse me Warrant. I couldn't help but notice your injuries are you alright?"
The bajoran straightened up a little, easing her hand down a little.
"I am fit for...duty." She paused a little feeling a bruised rib. "It's nothing." She was never one to show her personal side readily, but she thought the stranger seemed the sort to be conversational.
"Warrant Officer Roen Anara. I will be Shuttle Bay manager on the Malinche when she docks finally." She hoped deflecting may take attention away from the bruises.
Myralia sat down. She found it an interesting coincidence as Captain Conaway had just mentioned one of his Flight Control Officers had also been transferred to Malinche. It seemed like Starfleet was making alot of changes to the fleet. Myralia looked at the Warrant. She could sense she was hiding something. She knew the Warrant was not feeling as well as she had stated. She came across as a strong willed woman willing to fight through the pain. Myralia decided she would try to convince her to atleast see a doctor and kill some time in the process.
Myralia believed it was always wise to begin with a warm greeting and an introduction it helped the other person feel more welcome and willing to open up. Normally she would have offered to shake her hand but she noted her obvious discomfort by the positioning of her hands. Instead she sat down and gave Anara a warm smile. " Lieutenant Myralia Constantine, I will be the Chief Counselor aboard the USS Orlando. I have no doubt you are quite fit and able to perform your duties. However there is no shame in taking care of yourself. I am no doctor but broken bones and bruising can be healed quite quickly and of course you would want to be 100 percent should a situation arise would you not?"
Anara nodded slowly. The counselor's demeanor was inviting and relaxing in a way. She paused for a moment before replying, staring into her drink.
"I assure you my bones are intact, however I wish I could say my lip was. Cardassian guards are not so gentle." She muttered. It slipped out without her noticing until a moment later when she shook her head for saying it.
Myralia chuckled. She realized that Anara must have been in the holodeck with the safeties off. Despite her cheerful demeanor she could now sense a deep feeling of aggression and anger in the Bajoran. Perhaps some residual resentment with regards to the occupation by the Cardassians. Anara looked to be of age to be affected by the crisis. "I myself have never encountered a Cardassian before but I have heard some troubling stories about them. May I ask why you chose a simulation involving Cardassian guards?"
Anara sat back and tilted her head at how directly the counselor pinned her setting. "I was born immediately following the occupation, but my family was heavily affected by it. I know they are just another people group, but I would have a brother if it weren't for them. He died of injuries after they decided he knew too much." She gripped her drink firmly as she sloshed it around a gentle circle.
She was aware that the counselor was leading her to say far more than she was meaning to, but decided it was just as well.
"The fleet life sometimes lacks feel. When I was in the Militia we had qualifiers and hand-to-hand to keep physical feel. It doesn't seem right."
Myralia knew she had begun to uncover some deep feelings from Anara. She would have to tread carefully as not to cause a scene by stirring Anara the wrong way, normally she would be much more aggressive. "Although the fleet does not enforce mandatory physical training, it does not mean one must not strive to become better. There is a time in life when we must realize we need to take responsibility for our own well-being and not solely depend on others to maintain ourselves. Your life is only what you make of it, good or bad." She paused to allow the thought to sink into the Warrant's mind. "Now, you say you had a brother what was his name? What was he like?"
Roen sighed. "He was one of the best pilots the resistance had. Or at least that's what I always heard. He did not survive the third escape from an internment camp. All through my childhood and military academy years I heard of how great his record was." She glanced at Myralia and then closed her eyes before commenting. "I just hope I have even a shred of that, sometimes I wonder though."
Myralia felt she was making good progress now. She had figured Roen was not the type to openly express her emotions to just anyone. "Yes it was a terrible time for many families I cannot imagine the grief you must have gone through." She paused briefly. "So Anara, what causes you to question your piloting abilities?"
She thought for a moment. It had been a long time since anyone had asked such a question of the pilot. "I guess it's just hard when I have to follow his footsteps. No matter where I went in the Militia forces I heard 'It's Roen, oh wait it is his sister." She looked back at the counselor's eyes then leaned back in her chair, arms behind her neck to support her head. "I figured by joining the fleet at least I could be my own person. I still question whether I could do something better every day."
"It is hard when you feel you have to live under someone's shadow, especially if other's around you are adding the extra pressure. You must learn to look beyond that and realize you bring your own unique skill set to the table, skills your brother may not have had. A lot of people who model an older sibling or parent tend to place that person on a pedestal seeing them as doing no wrong or being perfect. However they do not realize the struggles that individual made to achieve their goals. You will experience some of the same struggles but you must move forward and soon enough you will become a better person and the rest will follow suit. It is that sense of individuality that gives us all a purpose, otherwise we would all just be shadows of someone else." Myralia replied.
"I can see the merit of that." Anara said softly. "Don't get me wrong, I do look up to him as a role model, but part of me wishes I could have been there too. Maybe if I was there he wouldn't have been shot down or captured. Every time I lost a pilot the thought comes to mind." She stopped in thought before continuing a moment later with a distant expression. "During the Dominion conflict I lost three as a wing leader."
Myralia leaned forward in her chair. She could tell the story she had just heard had been bottled up inside Anara for quite some time. Anara seemed to be experiencing a slight relief from talking with her however she would need further counseling if any real progress was to be made. Although the thought did not sit well with Myralia, she realized she would have to do what she could now and hopefully steer Roen in the right direction.
"It's quite common to feel that way about a loved one who has died by some tragic event. What you must realize is that you could not have saved him, you were too young. You must also learn that part of becoming a leader is accepting the circumstances as they come. Unfortunately death is an eventuality of any great war. There is a time to grieve but a good leader must step up and allow himself and his crew or squadron to carry on."
To hear Myralia present it that way made it seem obvious in a way that was different. That set her to thinking but she was still not quite sure. A few people had mentioned things along the way to help her cope with losses, but Myralia was the most perceptive of all.
"I...don't know if I...can." Roen said slowly with a slightly worried tone. It was hard for the soldier-pilot to say.
"The first step is believing you can. It will take some time, there will be heartaches but you will overcome it once you start believing in yourself, the rest will fall into place. I know it can be hard for soldiers like yourself to admit when you are not well as it is perceived as a sign of weakness. However I see it as a sign of strength, the willingness to identify a problem and take the appropriate steps to rectify it. It is one of the best qualities an individual of any stature could possess." Myralia smiled at Anara looking her in the eyes as if to give her a sense of approval and admiration.
Anara looked back with a subtly warming gaze. It betrayed the fact that her interior wall was softening with contemplation. It was some time before she said anything, and without blinking leaned forward and said a simple "Thank you." In a subliminal way, she had hoped something like this would happen. In a flash of self consciousness, she put her hand against the bruised lip, almost with a feeling of regret. The counselor could see the expression change in her eyes.
Myralia reached over the table and placed her hand on top of Roen's. "Live with no regrets and remember. Everyone falls, just be sure you are one of those who get back up because there will be someone who may not possess the strength at the time to do so on their own and will need a good friend. I have no doubt in my mind your skills as a pilot and as a leader. I know somewhere beyond this life, you are making your brother proud. One day people will remember you for you and not as a shadow."
That statement was enough that Roen refused the urge to pull her hand back. Her eyes began to water a little, though she tried to hide it out of reflex and habit. "I wish you were assigned to my ship, counselor." She wiped one eye, then continued. "In one conversation you know more about me than almost anyone that I know, and it does not make me feel scared." Her expression began to smile, which was apparent that it was not used often in this way.
Myralia returned Anara's smile. She felt overjoyed knowing she had helped her with this very deep and personal issue. She was relieved to see Roen on the right road to a recovery. Seeing Anara's tears caused Myralia to have to fight back some of her own. "I am sure the counselor aboard the Malinche is very capable and I would be happy to speak to her on your behalf should you wish. Also I would welcome any subspace messages to my ship from you, I would love to see how you progress and continue to help you in any way I can."
"Thank you." Anara said softly. "I will try, but I don't know if I will be able to. This is hard for me. Stepping out I mean. It has just been easier to hide for so long. At least Malinche will be a new ship and new crew. My last crew was anything but friendly with me, perhaps that was mutual."
Myralia looked her in the eyes and smiled. "I will do everything in my power to help you along the way. Coming out is never easy it takes a lot of courage to do so and you should be very proud of yourself for doing so. Now tell me about your old crew why the animosity?"
Roen thought for a moment before smirking sarcastically. "Because I expect precision from my subordinates and accept no less. Mistakes kill pilots, so I earned the reputation of being a stickler to say the least. My crew received commendations on a regular basis, so I suppose it worked." Then she closed her eyes and sighed. "But it does not make for many friends along the way."
"Well Anara that is an unfortunate hazard of being a leader. Not everyone will see eye to eye with you. Your main goal as a leader is to not only promote the well-being but provide what you believe is the proper training and skills to ensure they are able to function is real life situations. However you must also realize there is a place for taking time away from training and drills to relax and enjoy what we have worked so hard to accomplish. There is nothing wrong with being a stickler, however being a stickler every moment of everyday can be overdoing it. I think you need to learn to relax sometimes." Myralia chuckled a little after that statement. She herself knew Bajorans tended to be a more serious goal-oriented people who did not always put relaxation at the top of their priorities.
Roen harumphed with a smirk. "Relaxation is so over rated. Most humans would call me, um... workaholic? Perhaps you are right, though. It will be a stretch to let it go. I have held such a tight record for so long." She took the last bite of her meal, realizing it had been a sizable amount of time since Myralia had come over.
"What do you do to relax, if I may?" The bajoran asked.
Myralia left out a small laugh. She was happy to hear the Bajoran was open to new ideas. "Well sometimes if my workload has been a little overwhelming I will simply take a nice hot bath with some scented candles and listen to some soothing music. You would be surprised at the therapeutic value of music I recommend it to all of my patients. For those times where I need to take a longer period to relax I will go to the Holodeck and run a Risa program. I always enjoy my time there and can think of no better way to settle the nerves. Perhaps giving something like this a try will relieve some of your tension."
"Perhaps you could give me a tour of this 'Risa' place." Roen smirked as she sipped some more drink. "It sounds more relaxing than Maquis scenarios, I think." She looked around then back to the counselor, wincing a little at forgotten soreness. "I should probably be off to the doc for that. Will you be about later?"
"That would be a good start. I don't imagine the Orlando will be around anytime soon so I will most likely be touring the station or giving out more free sessions." She said ending with a short laugh. "I would be happy to give you a tour anytime, good company always makes for a better time and I assure you it is one of the most magnificent things you will ever experience."
The bajoran smiled. "I will be looking forward to it, Counselor...er...Myralia." She corrected herself. It was unusual for her to use a first name, but it seemed somehow appropriate. Anara stood up from her seat with a stiff slowness. "Do they have massages there?" She asked with a smirk.
Myralia closed her eyes and sighed. "Yes they do, some of the best I have ever had." She began to imagine she was on Risa getting a massage whilst laying on the beach under a warm golden sun. The feeling was intoxicating, for a moment she forgot she was on a Starbase."
Roen leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms as she watched Myralia's demeanor toward the description. "I'll be there then. How's 1600 hrs?"
Myralia snapped out of her daydream just in time to hear what Roen had to say. She smirked. "That would be perfect."
Roen smiled and nodded, turned and walked out to the promenade to contemplate the time spent.
Lieutenant(JG) Myralia Constantine
Chief Counselor
USS Orlando
and
Warrant Officer 2nd Class Roen Anara (PNPC)
Shuttlebay Manager
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
played by: Ensign N'rass
Lieutenant JG L'Randil N'rass
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Mission 15 - Be Wary Of Your Friends (JM with Starbase 386)
ON: <Starbase 386, Ops, Day 4, 2315>
Lange had given up sitting and was now pacing around the main level of the Operations Center. He wanted this stand-off over, yesterday. While he didn't want a fight, he was starting to think that a battle might be preferable to waiting to see what would happen. "Any change in the Fleet's position or status?"
"None," Quinn reported. "I would say that your bluff has so far worked sir."
Although to be honest Quinn would have preferred anything over the waiting game they had been in. He was getting antsy and was almost convinced that shooting at something might be better then just sitting around. He wondered what was going through the minds of the others in the fleet.
Kaylin stood in anticipation. Captain Lange’s bluff was a gutsy move. A move that she had seen fail many times before in other situations. Ships had been destroyed, people killed, diplomatic relations strained or even severed. But this situation was different. This time she was on the receiving end of the powerful aggressor. And diplomacy, well….
Once again standing at the main Engineering console, Kilana's eyes moved slowly about the room. By now, everyone seemed tired of waiting. Actually that point had likely passed hours ago, if they were to be honest. The defense platforms were still "powered up" and the Bajoran was simply standing by - there was nothing else she could do,
Raven watched the Captain and wondered how long this standoff could continue before someone snapped. She wasn't worried about Captain Lange, it was the Elyshan commander that remained an unknown quantity. Quinn's words struck her as a bit premature. "Let's hope he doesn't play poker Lieutenant," she said, fixing Quinn with a look and a thin smile.
Quinn nodded, turning his gaze back to his various displays.
<USS Orlando>
Commodore Androski sat on the edge of his seat on the Orlando bridge, helpless to do much more than sit and wait with the rest of them. While he knew he had the authority to order the next move, he also knew that there were bound to be officers on the starbase with much better strategic thinking skills than himself trying to think of what the next move should be.
As always, Turok (NPC) was standing with a calm expression on his face. Based on his observations the Terrans were, for the most part, unsettled and anxious. That was one advantage of being Vulcan - he had the necessary patience and demeanor. Looking over at Tobias, it seemed the El-Aurian also shared that advantage.
Janis (NPC) had been at her station for quite some time now. She'd tried her best to remain quiet, but it was difficult. Her nerves and need to do *something* were taking over. Absentmindedly she started tapping her fingernails on the side of the console.
Suddenly hearing a tapping sound, Jason twisted around to investigate the noise. Finally he saw Janis drumming her fingers on her console. Her eyes were running back and forth around the room, so Jason tried to catch her eye. She must have noted the look he was giving her, as the sound stopped abruptly.
<Starbase 386>
Sitting still was not something that Quinn Scott was good at, a fact that had become painfully clear during the first hour of the standoff. At the moment Quinn was running another check through the sensors, making sure that they were in top condition. Next, he ran a check on the ships targeting sensors; they too were in perfect working order.
Thank god for small favors, Quinn thought. Having to be in their current situation with a station that was breaking down all around him was not something that he wanted to do. Even more so when they were surrounded by a bunch of very trigger happy enemies.
From where he stood at one end of the command table, Thomas (NPC) had been watching the deployments of both fleets with somewhat of a detached interest. All this tension and anxiety that he was sensing, both from himself and from everyone else on the station, was starting to give him a headache. He'd tried a few different techniques, but the effects were starting to wear on him as the situation continued to hold at a standoff.
A new signal on the command table drew his attention and he glanced down to see that an incoming message was being received. He tapped in a simple command and frowned when he saw where the message was coming from. "Captain," he said, looking up from the table, "I think the sovereign wants to talk...again."
Kilana's eyes snapped quickly to James, wondering what his reaction would be. Part of her was glad that something was happening, but she was also concerned about what exactly that something would be. Would the Fleet finally leave, deciding that they didn't want to call James' bluff? Or would they give the Federation "one last chance" to surrender before blowing them out of the galaxy?
This was what Kaylin, along with everyone else in Ops, was waiting for. She clasped her hands in front of her and took a more diplomatic and less casual stance. She smiled, happy that something was about to happen. She also hoped that the diplomatic smile might be somewhat disarming. Hoped. Kaylin wasn’t sure what sort of help she could offer by being there. It had turned into more of a military situation than anything. But maybe having her there was at least comforting.
"Then by all means, Ensign," Lange said in reply, "put him on screen." Lange stopped pacing and took up a position at the head of the situation table, facing the main viewscreen straight on.
<USS Orlando>
Just turning around from glancing back at Janis once again, Jason was a bit surprised when he looked at his console. Typing in a few commands, he turned towards Quinn, "Sir, it appears the Elyshans are signaling Starbase 386!"
Quinn nodded in response to the operations officer's comment. "Thank you, Ensign. Let's see if we can't eavesdrop on the conversation, shall we? Put it on screen." he said, almost thankful that things would hopefully be coming to a head at last, for better or worse.
"Aye sir," Jason nodded as he turned back to his station. The fingers of his left hand quickly tapped at his screen to carry out the request. "On screen, sir."
Finally perking up, Janis straightened herself slightly. She'd been slightly embarrassed when Jason had shot her a look, but she recovered nicely - in her opinion at least. Now, perhaps there would be some action or it would be over. Perhaps both...
Turok stood quietly, watching the bridge seem to magically come to life at Jason's announcement. Perhaps the long wait was over, or perhaps it would simply be more posturing. Either way, they would soon find out.
<Starbase 386>
The familiar, perhaps unwelcome, visage of the Elyshan fleet commander, Sovereign Yatan, appeared on the screen. There appeared to be no attempt on his part to hide the frustration and contempt that he held toward them for continuing to defy his demands. "Captain Lange, you have not surrendered the station as ordered," Yatan snarled, fixing his gaze on the station's commander.
Quinn bit his tongue, trying to not say something like 'thank you captain obvious'...or in this case would it be Sovereign obvious... He shook his head, turning back to his instruments. He was still working on a way to track the jamming signal, mainly for lack of anything else to do. So far he had it narrowed down two 7 of the large battleships out there and even doing that had taken him a considerable amount of time.
"As I already said, Sovereign," Lange replied calmly, "I cannot and will not surrender this station to you. You'll just have to find someone else to bully."
For an infinitesimal moment, the sovereign looked ready to order his ships to open fire on the station right then and there. He turned his attention to something off screen and when he looked back, the moment had passed. "You may have survived this day, captain," Yatan snarled, "but rest assured, you will not be so fortunate next time."
Kilana raised an eyebrow, rather surprised at the new development. She found it odd that Yatan would simply give in and leave. Of course, there was the threat of his return - which they would undoubtedly be sure to be ready for - but after bringing this size of a Fleet, it still was strange that the Elyshan would leave after having a standoff for hours. Perhaps it was just a test though....
The screen snapped to an exterior view of the lead battleship as the sovereign severed the connection again. Thomas (NPC) glanced over toward the captain from where he stood, waiting to see what the man's reaction would be. There hadn't really been enough time for the sovereign's words to sink in properly and he still wasn't sure what had just happened.
Raven exhaled silently, unaware that she had even been holding her breath. Partially to break the tension and partially to cover up her inexcusable nervousness, she muttered, "What he lacks in manners, he more than makes up for in melodrama."
"Keep an eye on them," Lange ordered, unwilling to relax just yet. "This could be a trick."
<USS Orlando>
Quinn heaved a sigh of relief and slumped back into his chair as the communication channel was cut by the sovereign. While he had fully expected to face oblivion within the hour, words could not describe how relieved he was that they had managed to put Armageddon off at least until tomorrow.
As the Elyshan ships slowly began to turn from the station and head back to the border, Quinn's head fell back onto the headrest of the chair and he unzipped his uniform jacket. "Ensign," he said, looking slightly towards the tactical station, "stand down from red alert. We'll remain at yellow alert until the fleet leaves the edge of the system and then set a course for the shipyards."
Janis nodded, then turned back to her station. She tapped in the sequence to change from red alert to yellow and left the alarms on silent. Despite the Elyshans withdrawal, Janis remained alert just in case they decided to try something to go out with a bang. Hopefully it would be the last she saw of them though.
Tobias watched the Elyshan vessels as they withdrew, knowing just how easily it could have gone the other way. He shared in the relief felt by his fellow shipmates in their small victory. Whether or not the Elyshans would return was not a concern that was readily on most peoples' minds, but as Tobias began working on the necessary preparations to bring them into the shipyards, he had a pretty good feeling that this was not going to be the last time they would hear from the Elyshans.
<Starbase 386>
Quinn let out a breath that he wasn't aware that he was holding; watching the ships turn away from the station was one of the prettiest sights that he had seen in a long time. He tapped a few icons on his display, hoping that their withdrawal met the end of the jamming signal. "Sir, they've switched off that jamming signal. Long range communications have been restored."
Kilana glanced from Quinn to James, waiting to see what he would want to do. She had a sneaking suspicion that after all this, her Engineering teams would be spending most of their time getting the orbital defense platforms operational. The Elyshans might have bought their trick the first time, but she doubted it would work a second time.
Kaylin wondered what had happened on board the Sovereign’s ship that caused him to suddenly cut the comm link and turn around. However, she was thankful that the Elyshans weren’t staying around so she could find out. Something about the whole thing nagged at the back of her brain, but she couldn’t figure it out. Perhaps some meditation later would help clear her thoughts. But at the moment, meditation was the furthest thing from her mind. She was relieved that no battle had ensued.
"Stand down to Yellow Alert. Maintain until they're back across the border," Lange said, finally allowing himself to sit down on one of the stools around the situation table. "Launch Bronze Squadron. I want them to track the Elyshan fleet out, just in case. And raise the Orlando, Ticonderoga, Malinche, and Tethys."
Looking up from the display on the command table, Thomas (NPC) focused on the man seated across from him. Already, he could sense the easing of the tensions that had wound everyone up for the duration of the standoff. Even he was feeling a little better at the sight of the Elyshan fleet withdrawing. "Reply coming in from Rear Admiral Iluvar aboard the Tethys, sir," the yeoman reported.
"On screen," Lange answered automatically.
The image on the main viewscreen was immediately replaced by that of the interior of the Tethys' bridge. Rising from the center chair, Iluvar took a few steps forward until he was standing just behind a young ensign at the helm. "It would appear, captain, that the Elyshans have decided that today is not a good day to die," the admiral said wistfully, invoking the famous Klingon tag-line, "All the more fortunate for us."
"The man has a gift for understatement doesn't he?" Raven murmured to no one in particular.
"I'd agree with you Admiral, but I have a feeling they're going to be back, possibly very soon," Lange answered. "It won't take too much analysis of their sensor data for them to figure out that the defense platforms weren't actually online."
"Indeed," Iluvar said, glancing down at the readouts on the operations console to his right, "All the more important that we prepare ourselves. If they return, we shall be ready."
Lange nodded. "I believe we're going to have to rethink how our forces are deployed in this region, Admiral. With the platforms active 386 might be able to hold off a fleet that size long enough for reinforcements to arrive, but much beyond that and we're a sitting duck."
The readouts on the command table started to light up with comm traffic from just about every Federation and allied vessel in the system. Thomas was trying his best to stay on top of everything and, for the most part, was succeeding. Still, it wasn't an easy task. "Incoming hail from the Malinche," Thomas announced, trying to minimize his interruption of the captain's conversation.
"If you'll excuse me, Admiral," Lange said to Iluvar, "I have a few more calls to take."
"Of course, captain," Iluvar replied with a kind smile, "Tethys out." With that, the admiral's image vanished from the viewscreen, replaced by the exterior star field once again.
<USS Malinche, Alpha Bridge>
Isabel, seated in her command chair, waited for James to acknowledge her response. Obviously something had happened, as it appeared that the Elyshans were leaving. Either James had said something to convince them or they'd just....given up. It didn't entirely make sense, considering the Elyshans' numbers, but if it meant they wouldn't have to fight the Fleet, it was alright with her.
Sean looked up from his seat at ops. Turning his head so that he could see the Captain, he said, "Captain, I have Starbase 386 responding to our hail."
Isabel nodded, "On screen." Standing, she watched as the commands were entered to show the image from 386's Ops Center on the main viewscreen.
Lange's face appeared on the main screen and he gave a mirthless smile. "Captain... Another day, another hopeless situation averted."
"Careful Captain, you're building a reputation. Soon they'll give you a desk job," Isabel joked a smile playing on her lips. "What convinced them, and how long will it last?"
"Either I have a better poker face than I give myself credit for, or one hell of an engineering crew," Lange answered. He looked over his shoulder and smiled, then returned his attention to the screen. "I'm betting on the latter. I wouldn't expect it to last long, though. They were here long enough to get some really in-depth sensor readings of our defenses and communications."
Isabel nodded, "At least next time they won't catch us as off guard as we were this time. Is there anything I can do for you, Captain?"
"Stay out there with your sensors on until we have confirmation that the Elyshans are back across the border?" Lange replied.
"Of course, wouldn't dream of coming back in until they're gone," Isabel replied. "If we pick up on anything, you'll be the first to know. Kersare out."
<Starbase 386>
Lange sighed and looked at the communications status board nearby. It was, of course, lit up like a Christmas tree. "Clear the delegates' vessels to dock, along with the Ticonderoga and Peacekeeper. All ships that dock are to remain ready to re-launch within 10 minutes until further notice, however."
Lange turned to Gates. "So... who's next on the phone?"
OFF: This has been a Joint Post by:
Various USS Orlando NPCs
As played by: Lt Aniela Darvetti
Chief Science Officer
USS Orlando
and
Lt Commander Tobias Naros
Executive Officer
USS Orlando
and
Commodore (RAdm) Quinn Androski
Commanding Officer
USS Orlando
and
Rear Admiral Iluvar
Commanding Officer
USS Tethys (USS Pandora)
and
Sovereign Yatan (NPC)
As Played by: Cdr Richardson
Ensign Thomas Gates (PNPC)
XO's Yeoman
Starbase 386
As Played by: Cdr Richardson
and
Chief Petty Officer Raven'nik
Armory Master/Command Chief
Starbase 386
and
Warrant Officer 1st Class Kilana Nira
Chief Engineering Officer
Starbase 386
and
Lieutenant, JG Kaylin Kenah
Chief Diplomatic Advisor
Starbase 386
and
Lieutenant, JG Quinn Scott
Chief Operations Officer
Starbase 386
and
Captain James Lange
Commanding Officer
Starbase 386
and
Lieutenant Sean Hansen
Chief Operations Officer
USS Malinche
and
Lange had given up sitting and was now pacing around the main level of the Operations Center. He wanted this stand-off over, yesterday. While he didn't want a fight, he was starting to think that a battle might be preferable to waiting to see what would happen. "Any change in the Fleet's position or status?"
"None," Quinn reported. "I would say that your bluff has so far worked sir."
Although to be honest Quinn would have preferred anything over the waiting game they had been in. He was getting antsy and was almost convinced that shooting at something might be better then just sitting around. He wondered what was going through the minds of the others in the fleet.
Kaylin stood in anticipation. Captain Lange’s bluff was a gutsy move. A move that she had seen fail many times before in other situations. Ships had been destroyed, people killed, diplomatic relations strained or even severed. But this situation was different. This time she was on the receiving end of the powerful aggressor. And diplomacy, well….
Once again standing at the main Engineering console, Kilana's eyes moved slowly about the room. By now, everyone seemed tired of waiting. Actually that point had likely passed hours ago, if they were to be honest. The defense platforms were still "powered up" and the Bajoran was simply standing by - there was nothing else she could do,
Raven watched the Captain and wondered how long this standoff could continue before someone snapped. She wasn't worried about Captain Lange, it was the Elyshan commander that remained an unknown quantity. Quinn's words struck her as a bit premature. "Let's hope he doesn't play poker Lieutenant," she said, fixing Quinn with a look and a thin smile.
Quinn nodded, turning his gaze back to his various displays.
<USS Orlando>
Commodore Androski sat on the edge of his seat on the Orlando bridge, helpless to do much more than sit and wait with the rest of them. While he knew he had the authority to order the next move, he also knew that there were bound to be officers on the starbase with much better strategic thinking skills than himself trying to think of what the next move should be.
As always, Turok (NPC) was standing with a calm expression on his face. Based on his observations the Terrans were, for the most part, unsettled and anxious. That was one advantage of being Vulcan - he had the necessary patience and demeanor. Looking over at Tobias, it seemed the El-Aurian also shared that advantage.
Janis (NPC) had been at her station for quite some time now. She'd tried her best to remain quiet, but it was difficult. Her nerves and need to do *something* were taking over. Absentmindedly she started tapping her fingernails on the side of the console.
Suddenly hearing a tapping sound, Jason twisted around to investigate the noise. Finally he saw Janis drumming her fingers on her console. Her eyes were running back and forth around the room, so Jason tried to catch her eye. She must have noted the look he was giving her, as the sound stopped abruptly.
<Starbase 386>
Sitting still was not something that Quinn Scott was good at, a fact that had become painfully clear during the first hour of the standoff. At the moment Quinn was running another check through the sensors, making sure that they were in top condition. Next, he ran a check on the ships targeting sensors; they too were in perfect working order.
Thank god for small favors, Quinn thought. Having to be in their current situation with a station that was breaking down all around him was not something that he wanted to do. Even more so when they were surrounded by a bunch of very trigger happy enemies.
From where he stood at one end of the command table, Thomas (NPC) had been watching the deployments of both fleets with somewhat of a detached interest. All this tension and anxiety that he was sensing, both from himself and from everyone else on the station, was starting to give him a headache. He'd tried a few different techniques, but the effects were starting to wear on him as the situation continued to hold at a standoff.
A new signal on the command table drew his attention and he glanced down to see that an incoming message was being received. He tapped in a simple command and frowned when he saw where the message was coming from. "Captain," he said, looking up from the table, "I think the sovereign wants to talk...again."
Kilana's eyes snapped quickly to James, wondering what his reaction would be. Part of her was glad that something was happening, but she was also concerned about what exactly that something would be. Would the Fleet finally leave, deciding that they didn't want to call James' bluff? Or would they give the Federation "one last chance" to surrender before blowing them out of the galaxy?
This was what Kaylin, along with everyone else in Ops, was waiting for. She clasped her hands in front of her and took a more diplomatic and less casual stance. She smiled, happy that something was about to happen. She also hoped that the diplomatic smile might be somewhat disarming. Hoped. Kaylin wasn’t sure what sort of help she could offer by being there. It had turned into more of a military situation than anything. But maybe having her there was at least comforting.
"Then by all means, Ensign," Lange said in reply, "put him on screen." Lange stopped pacing and took up a position at the head of the situation table, facing the main viewscreen straight on.
<USS Orlando>
Just turning around from glancing back at Janis once again, Jason was a bit surprised when he looked at his console. Typing in a few commands, he turned towards Quinn, "Sir, it appears the Elyshans are signaling Starbase 386!"
Quinn nodded in response to the operations officer's comment. "Thank you, Ensign. Let's see if we can't eavesdrop on the conversation, shall we? Put it on screen." he said, almost thankful that things would hopefully be coming to a head at last, for better or worse.
"Aye sir," Jason nodded as he turned back to his station. The fingers of his left hand quickly tapped at his screen to carry out the request. "On screen, sir."
Finally perking up, Janis straightened herself slightly. She'd been slightly embarrassed when Jason had shot her a look, but she recovered nicely - in her opinion at least. Now, perhaps there would be some action or it would be over. Perhaps both...
Turok stood quietly, watching the bridge seem to magically come to life at Jason's announcement. Perhaps the long wait was over, or perhaps it would simply be more posturing. Either way, they would soon find out.
<Starbase 386>
The familiar, perhaps unwelcome, visage of the Elyshan fleet commander, Sovereign Yatan, appeared on the screen. There appeared to be no attempt on his part to hide the frustration and contempt that he held toward them for continuing to defy his demands. "Captain Lange, you have not surrendered the station as ordered," Yatan snarled, fixing his gaze on the station's commander.
Quinn bit his tongue, trying to not say something like 'thank you captain obvious'...or in this case would it be Sovereign obvious... He shook his head, turning back to his instruments. He was still working on a way to track the jamming signal, mainly for lack of anything else to do. So far he had it narrowed down two 7 of the large battleships out there and even doing that had taken him a considerable amount of time.
"As I already said, Sovereign," Lange replied calmly, "I cannot and will not surrender this station to you. You'll just have to find someone else to bully."
For an infinitesimal moment, the sovereign looked ready to order his ships to open fire on the station right then and there. He turned his attention to something off screen and when he looked back, the moment had passed. "You may have survived this day, captain," Yatan snarled, "but rest assured, you will not be so fortunate next time."
Kilana raised an eyebrow, rather surprised at the new development. She found it odd that Yatan would simply give in and leave. Of course, there was the threat of his return - which they would undoubtedly be sure to be ready for - but after bringing this size of a Fleet, it still was strange that the Elyshan would leave after having a standoff for hours. Perhaps it was just a test though....
The screen snapped to an exterior view of the lead battleship as the sovereign severed the connection again. Thomas (NPC) glanced over toward the captain from where he stood, waiting to see what the man's reaction would be. There hadn't really been enough time for the sovereign's words to sink in properly and he still wasn't sure what had just happened.
Raven exhaled silently, unaware that she had even been holding her breath. Partially to break the tension and partially to cover up her inexcusable nervousness, she muttered, "What he lacks in manners, he more than makes up for in melodrama."
"Keep an eye on them," Lange ordered, unwilling to relax just yet. "This could be a trick."
<USS Orlando>
Quinn heaved a sigh of relief and slumped back into his chair as the communication channel was cut by the sovereign. While he had fully expected to face oblivion within the hour, words could not describe how relieved he was that they had managed to put Armageddon off at least until tomorrow.
As the Elyshan ships slowly began to turn from the station and head back to the border, Quinn's head fell back onto the headrest of the chair and he unzipped his uniform jacket. "Ensign," he said, looking slightly towards the tactical station, "stand down from red alert. We'll remain at yellow alert until the fleet leaves the edge of the system and then set a course for the shipyards."
Janis nodded, then turned back to her station. She tapped in the sequence to change from red alert to yellow and left the alarms on silent. Despite the Elyshans withdrawal, Janis remained alert just in case they decided to try something to go out with a bang. Hopefully it would be the last she saw of them though.
Tobias watched the Elyshan vessels as they withdrew, knowing just how easily it could have gone the other way. He shared in the relief felt by his fellow shipmates in their small victory. Whether or not the Elyshans would return was not a concern that was readily on most peoples' minds, but as Tobias began working on the necessary preparations to bring them into the shipyards, he had a pretty good feeling that this was not going to be the last time they would hear from the Elyshans.
<Starbase 386>
Quinn let out a breath that he wasn't aware that he was holding; watching the ships turn away from the station was one of the prettiest sights that he had seen in a long time. He tapped a few icons on his display, hoping that their withdrawal met the end of the jamming signal. "Sir, they've switched off that jamming signal. Long range communications have been restored."
Kilana glanced from Quinn to James, waiting to see what he would want to do. She had a sneaking suspicion that after all this, her Engineering teams would be spending most of their time getting the orbital defense platforms operational. The Elyshans might have bought their trick the first time, but she doubted it would work a second time.
Kaylin wondered what had happened on board the Sovereign’s ship that caused him to suddenly cut the comm link and turn around. However, she was thankful that the Elyshans weren’t staying around so she could find out. Something about the whole thing nagged at the back of her brain, but she couldn’t figure it out. Perhaps some meditation later would help clear her thoughts. But at the moment, meditation was the furthest thing from her mind. She was relieved that no battle had ensued.
"Stand down to Yellow Alert. Maintain until they're back across the border," Lange said, finally allowing himself to sit down on one of the stools around the situation table. "Launch Bronze Squadron. I want them to track the Elyshan fleet out, just in case. And raise the Orlando, Ticonderoga, Malinche, and Tethys."
Looking up from the display on the command table, Thomas (NPC) focused on the man seated across from him. Already, he could sense the easing of the tensions that had wound everyone up for the duration of the standoff. Even he was feeling a little better at the sight of the Elyshan fleet withdrawing. "Reply coming in from Rear Admiral Iluvar aboard the Tethys, sir," the yeoman reported.
"On screen," Lange answered automatically.
The image on the main viewscreen was immediately replaced by that of the interior of the Tethys' bridge. Rising from the center chair, Iluvar took a few steps forward until he was standing just behind a young ensign at the helm. "It would appear, captain, that the Elyshans have decided that today is not a good day to die," the admiral said wistfully, invoking the famous Klingon tag-line, "All the more fortunate for us."
"The man has a gift for understatement doesn't he?" Raven murmured to no one in particular.
"I'd agree with you Admiral, but I have a feeling they're going to be back, possibly very soon," Lange answered. "It won't take too much analysis of their sensor data for them to figure out that the defense platforms weren't actually online."
"Indeed," Iluvar said, glancing down at the readouts on the operations console to his right, "All the more important that we prepare ourselves. If they return, we shall be ready."
Lange nodded. "I believe we're going to have to rethink how our forces are deployed in this region, Admiral. With the platforms active 386 might be able to hold off a fleet that size long enough for reinforcements to arrive, but much beyond that and we're a sitting duck."
The readouts on the command table started to light up with comm traffic from just about every Federation and allied vessel in the system. Thomas was trying his best to stay on top of everything and, for the most part, was succeeding. Still, it wasn't an easy task. "Incoming hail from the Malinche," Thomas announced, trying to minimize his interruption of the captain's conversation.
"If you'll excuse me, Admiral," Lange said to Iluvar, "I have a few more calls to take."
"Of course, captain," Iluvar replied with a kind smile, "Tethys out." With that, the admiral's image vanished from the viewscreen, replaced by the exterior star field once again.
<USS Malinche, Alpha Bridge>
Isabel, seated in her command chair, waited for James to acknowledge her response. Obviously something had happened, as it appeared that the Elyshans were leaving. Either James had said something to convince them or they'd just....given up. It didn't entirely make sense, considering the Elyshans' numbers, but if it meant they wouldn't have to fight the Fleet, it was alright with her.
Sean looked up from his seat at ops. Turning his head so that he could see the Captain, he said, "Captain, I have Starbase 386 responding to our hail."
Isabel nodded, "On screen." Standing, she watched as the commands were entered to show the image from 386's Ops Center on the main viewscreen.
Lange's face appeared on the main screen and he gave a mirthless smile. "Captain... Another day, another hopeless situation averted."
"Careful Captain, you're building a reputation. Soon they'll give you a desk job," Isabel joked a smile playing on her lips. "What convinced them, and how long will it last?"
"Either I have a better poker face than I give myself credit for, or one hell of an engineering crew," Lange answered. He looked over his shoulder and smiled, then returned his attention to the screen. "I'm betting on the latter. I wouldn't expect it to last long, though. They were here long enough to get some really in-depth sensor readings of our defenses and communications."
Isabel nodded, "At least next time they won't catch us as off guard as we were this time. Is there anything I can do for you, Captain?"
"Stay out there with your sensors on until we have confirmation that the Elyshans are back across the border?" Lange replied.
"Of course, wouldn't dream of coming back in until they're gone," Isabel replied. "If we pick up on anything, you'll be the first to know. Kersare out."
<Starbase 386>
Lange sighed and looked at the communications status board nearby. It was, of course, lit up like a Christmas tree. "Clear the delegates' vessels to dock, along with the Ticonderoga and Peacekeeper. All ships that dock are to remain ready to re-launch within 10 minutes until further notice, however."
Lange turned to Gates. "So... who's next on the phone?"
OFF: This has been a Joint Post by:
Various USS Orlando NPCs
As played by: Lt Aniela Darvetti
Chief Science Officer
USS Orlando
and
Lt Commander Tobias Naros
Executive Officer
USS Orlando
and
Commodore (RAdm) Quinn Androski
Commanding Officer
USS Orlando
and
Rear Admiral Iluvar
Commanding Officer
USS Tethys (USS Pandora)
and
Sovereign Yatan (NPC)
As Played by: Cdr Richardson
Ensign Thomas Gates (PNPC)
XO's Yeoman
Starbase 386
As Played by: Cdr Richardson
and
Chief Petty Officer Raven'nik
Armory Master/Command Chief
Starbase 386
and
Warrant Officer 1st Class Kilana Nira
Chief Engineering Officer
Starbase 386
and
Lieutenant, JG Kaylin Kenah
Chief Diplomatic Advisor
Starbase 386
and
Lieutenant, JG Quinn Scott
Chief Operations Officer
Starbase 386
and
Captain James Lange
Commanding Officer
Starbase 386
and
Lieutenant Sean Hansen
Chief Operations Officer
USS Malinche
and
Captain Isabel Kersare
Commanding Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
-
Peters
- Senior Staff
- Posts: 202
- Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:17 pm
- Location: Space, the final frontier...
- Contact:
Re: Mission 15 - Be Wary Of Your Friends (JM with Starbase 386)
ON: <USS Malinche, Alpha Section Engineering, Day 4, 2315>
Peters, along with the rest of the Alpha section Engineering crew, was sitting on a stool and staring at the MSD display. They'd come up with the idea of displaying the forward visual sensor feed at the center of the MSD panel with system status information clustered around it after the second hour of sitting and doing nothing.
Once that had been set up it hadn't taken more than 15 minutes for all of the engineers to move their work stools to a cluster in the center of the engineering bay, all facing the MSD panel. If they'd had popcorn, they could have pretended they were watching an old Earth movie.
Peters imagined that they made a rather ridiculous site, but since the Malinche had been at battle stations for hours, no one had come into or left Engineering in several hours. Suddenly a flicker of motion on the sensor feed caught Peters' attention. He looked closer and saw nothing.
Just as he was about to turn his attention back to the Warp Core pressure readings the Elyshan ships started to move. Peters looked closely, fearing the worst, but after a moment it became clear that they were moving away from the starbase. a cheer went up from the Engineering crew, small as it was, and Peters couldn't help but smile.
He let the commotion continue for a few moments before standing up and waving to get everyone's attention. "OK, folks, it looks like we're not going to have to hold the ship together with chewing gum tonight... but I have a feeling we'll still be on alert status for a while yet, so calm down, keep your eyes open, and start planning your shore leave for tomorrow."
OFF:
Peters, along with the rest of the Alpha section Engineering crew, was sitting on a stool and staring at the MSD display. They'd come up with the idea of displaying the forward visual sensor feed at the center of the MSD panel with system status information clustered around it after the second hour of sitting and doing nothing.
Once that had been set up it hadn't taken more than 15 minutes for all of the engineers to move their work stools to a cluster in the center of the engineering bay, all facing the MSD panel. If they'd had popcorn, they could have pretended they were watching an old Earth movie.
Peters imagined that they made a rather ridiculous site, but since the Malinche had been at battle stations for hours, no one had come into or left Engineering in several hours. Suddenly a flicker of motion on the sensor feed caught Peters' attention. He looked closer and saw nothing.
Just as he was about to turn his attention back to the Warp Core pressure readings the Elyshan ships started to move. Peters looked closely, fearing the worst, but after a moment it became clear that they were moving away from the starbase. a cheer went up from the Engineering crew, small as it was, and Peters couldn't help but smile.
He let the commotion continue for a few moments before standing up and waving to get everyone's attention. "OK, folks, it looks like we're not going to have to hold the ship together with chewing gum tonight... but I have a feeling we'll still be on alert status for a while yet, so calm down, keep your eyes open, and start planning your shore leave for tomorrow."
OFF:
Tony
AKA
Lieutenant Commander Todd Peters
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Mission 15 - Be Wary Of Your Friends (JM with Starbase 386)
<<USS Malinche, Alpha Bridge, Day 4, 2345>>
Once Captain Lange had informed her that the Elyshans were indeed leaving, Isabel had been relieved. Per his request, they'd continued to watch their sensors for any unusual activity, but none had occurred. Her eyes watched the viewscreen as the last Elyshan vessel left. Once it had, she turned to Caitlyn (NPC), "Contact Starbase 386 and inform them that we didn't pick up any unusual readings."
"Aye, ma'am," the young officer replied with a nod.
Tapping her comm badge, Isabel addressed the crew, "Kersare to all hands...The Elyshans have retreated. I'd like to thank all of you for staying alert and for your decorum throughout the stand off. We will begin re-integration of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma sections in fifteen minutes. Please report to the proper areas and prepare for re-integration at this time. "
Part of her was glad to finally have something concrete to do, but she was also weary after sitting and waiting for hours on end. They would put the Malinche back together, dock with 386 again, and go from there. Turning to Joshua (NPC), Isabel said, "Ensign, once we're re-integrated, we'll be re-docking at Starbase 386. Please notify the Dockmaster that we'll be doing so and confirm we'll dock at the same spot."
<30 minutes later>
With the Malinche docked back where she began hours and hours ago, Isabel leaned back in her chair. It had been a long day. Reports or checking in with her Senior Staff would simply have to wait. She was curious as to how things had gone, even though they hadn't actually been in battle, per se.
Isabel heard the turbolift doors open and saw a few officers walk onto the bridge. Once the Malinche had been re-integrated and was preparing to dock, she'd requested a skeleton bridge crew take over. She knew that some crew had taken time to rest during the standoff, so now it would be their turn. Then, in the morning, shoreleave would officially begin....again. At least until they received their next mission.
Thus far, Isabel had heard nothing regarding what the Malinche's next mission would be. However, given what had just happened, it could be that StarFleet would want the Malinche to stay in the area for a little while, in case the Elyshans came back. At some point, StarFleet would tell her...until then, they'd stay where they were and enjoy some shoreleave.
Deciding it was time to head back to her quarters and slip into bed, Isabel nodded to the senior officer who would be in charge. "You have the bridge," she said as she stood.
The rest of the bridge crew already gone, Isabel stepped into the turbolift alone, "Deck Three."
OFF: Alright all, this wraps up Mission 15. I'll leave it open for a couple days in case anyone wants to post anything else, otherwise, be sure to post in the Shoreleave area.
Once Captain Lange had informed her that the Elyshans were indeed leaving, Isabel had been relieved. Per his request, they'd continued to watch their sensors for any unusual activity, but none had occurred. Her eyes watched the viewscreen as the last Elyshan vessel left. Once it had, she turned to Caitlyn (NPC), "Contact Starbase 386 and inform them that we didn't pick up any unusual readings."
"Aye, ma'am," the young officer replied with a nod.
Tapping her comm badge, Isabel addressed the crew, "Kersare to all hands...The Elyshans have retreated. I'd like to thank all of you for staying alert and for your decorum throughout the stand off. We will begin re-integration of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma sections in fifteen minutes. Please report to the proper areas and prepare for re-integration at this time. "
Part of her was glad to finally have something concrete to do, but she was also weary after sitting and waiting for hours on end. They would put the Malinche back together, dock with 386 again, and go from there. Turning to Joshua (NPC), Isabel said, "Ensign, once we're re-integrated, we'll be re-docking at Starbase 386. Please notify the Dockmaster that we'll be doing so and confirm we'll dock at the same spot."
<30 minutes later>
With the Malinche docked back where she began hours and hours ago, Isabel leaned back in her chair. It had been a long day. Reports or checking in with her Senior Staff would simply have to wait. She was curious as to how things had gone, even though they hadn't actually been in battle, per se.
Isabel heard the turbolift doors open and saw a few officers walk onto the bridge. Once the Malinche had been re-integrated and was preparing to dock, she'd requested a skeleton bridge crew take over. She knew that some crew had taken time to rest during the standoff, so now it would be their turn. Then, in the morning, shoreleave would officially begin....again. At least until they received their next mission.
Thus far, Isabel had heard nothing regarding what the Malinche's next mission would be. However, given what had just happened, it could be that StarFleet would want the Malinche to stay in the area for a little while, in case the Elyshans came back. At some point, StarFleet would tell her...until then, they'd stay where they were and enjoy some shoreleave.
Deciding it was time to head back to her quarters and slip into bed, Isabel nodded to the senior officer who would be in charge. "You have the bridge," she said as she stood.
The rest of the bridge crew already gone, Isabel stepped into the turbolift alone, "Deck Three."
OFF: Alright all, this wraps up Mission 15. I'll leave it open for a couple days in case anyone wants to post anything else, otherwise, be sure to post in the Shoreleave area.
Captain Isabel Kersare
Commanding Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Mission 15 - Be Wary Of Your Friends (JM with Starbase 386)
OFF: This is a back post.
ON:
<<USS Malinche, Counselor's Office, Day 4, 1415>>
Jake approached the door to the Counselor's Office and tapped the console. "Come in please." Nora replied warmly from the other side of the door.
The doors slid open and Jake stepped through looking quite agitated. He walked up to her and looked her square in the eyes. "Counselor I have no god damn clue what is happening to me but all I know is it has to stop now!"
Nora nodded, relieved that Jake had decided to come and see her again. “Have a seat, Lieutenant,” she said calmly, moving to her own chair. “I’m glad to see you back, although I do wish the circumstances were different. I'm sorry that you've been having a difficult time. Can you tell me what’s been happening?”
Jake sat down adjacent to Nora. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself before he spoke. "Counselor I think I've been hallucinating or something. It seems like at random points in the day I find myself on some part of the Destiny at some time in my life. The first time I was walking from the Captain's ready room and I looked at Malinche's plaque, but it was not the Malinche it was Destiny. Then I was in the shuttlebay with Anna from back when I was a shuttle pilot. Just now I found myself on the bridge of the Destiny just before the borg attack. Captain Kersare took me into her ready room when it faded and suddenly I was with Captain Conaway. They seem to be getting more frequent, but I don't know why." Jake placed his head in his hands.
Nora was quiet as she absorbed all that he had told her. It sounded as serious as she had feared, but now that he was prepared to face his demons, she was hopeful that she could help him. “Jake, I think I may have an answer for you. I believe from what you’ve described to me, and from our previous visit, that you’re experiencing the effects of post traumatic stress disorder. I know that may sound extreme, but PTSD can manifest itself in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons. Do you think it's possible that your experiences aboard the Destiny have been affecting you more than you might have thought?"
Jake looked back up at the counselor. "Right now counselor I am pretty much open to any ideas. I was never a big believer in PTSD I always said a few minutes alone with your thoughts could clear the mind, however I've tried everything and still I see these images. I really don't understand what is so different about this incident. I have encountered hostile species before and we did lose some good men and women." McCarty sighed. "Nora, Starfleet is the only life I know. I can't lose it now...You have got to help get these things out of my head." For the first time in his life, tears dropped from Jake's eyes in front of another person. He had never stepped out like this before. "How can I ever make a good Captain like this?" He said softly.
“PTSD is nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn’t define you,” Nora quietly assured him. “And it certainly is no indicator of your personal character. In my experience as a counselor I’ve known many good men and women who have faced similar experiences and come out stronger for it in the end. And it is treatable,” she added with a comforting smile. “Your decision to seek help is the first step towards a resolution.”
Jake got up, wiped the tears from his face and began to pace. "Right now Counselor, I feel like I'm in the middle of a fog with no clue where to go. The images are so vivid but the message is so cryptic." He sighed. "I am so used to giving help rather than receiving it. I figured that was a great leadership quality that would place me above the rest."
Jake sat down. "I am telling you that other helmsman is hopeless. There was plenty of clearance in that field and I wouldn't have had to run back and rescue him."
"Most people don't take Sovereign-Class starships into an asteroid field as an escape attempt. Sure you destroyed one sphere in the process, but at what cost, what if you miscalculated hmm? You could have destroyed this ship and left the Requiem at the mercy of the Borg, that's over 1000 people dead or assimilated because of your impulsiveness. " Tomlinson replied angrily.
"Well most people aren't like me alright? I did what I felt was the best course of action and I got us out of a pretty tough bind. Perhaps it is you who should reevaluate the situation." Jake snapped back.
"Mr.McCarty! You are damn lucky this was only a simulation otherwise I would have you relieved of duty. Not only did you place the ship in unnecessary danger you also failed to coordinate with the other ship's Flight Control Officer. While the element of surprise valuable, the point is not to surprise your own team." Tomlinson's face began to change to a shade of red, burning with anger.
Jake swiveled the chair around. "Now what do you suggest I do SIR?"
Tomlinson took a deep breath. "Son, you need to learn to work as a team, you can't just go gallivanting around during a battle, you must open yourself to the advice of others. If you keep on the course you are on now...well Mr.McCarty I'm afraid your stubbornness is going to cost you something you may not be prepared to lose. God help you and those around you if it does."
McCarty suddenly felt like he had been slapped across the face. Instead he was sitting on a couch adjacent to Nora. "Counselor may I have a glass of water please?"
“Of course,” Nora nodded, worried at how pale and uneasy Jake appeared. Leaving her chair, she crossed the room to the replicator. “Computer, water, please,” she instructed, taking the glass that shortly appeared and carrying it to McCarty. After giving him a moment, she commented, “I think that you’re partially right. Helping others is indeed a great leadership quality to have. But I personally believe that there are a number of qualities that can make a good leader. I hope you don’t think that you’re any less of a leader because you have to receive some professional help,” she smiled.
Jake returned her smile with an uneasy one of his own. "If I lied and said no would that change anything?" Jake took a drink from the glass. "Um Counselor, I think I just hallucinated again."
Nora frowned, mildly alarmed by the sheer frequency of his hallucinations. Calmly retaking her seat, she asked Jake, “What did you see?”
Jake took a moment to collect his thoughts and attempt to interpret what he saw. "I was back on a flight simulation I had took part in about a year ago. Lt.Commander Tomlinson felt I needed to learn how to coordinate better with other flight control officers and set up a simulation for me. Unfortunately it did not go as he would have liked. We were under attack by three spheres and the Destiny had taken heavy damage. As a last resort I decided to take her into an asteroid belt in an attempt to avoid any further damage and to allow us to regroup, possibly even lure a sphere in. My plan worked and 1 sphere was destroyed. However Tomlinson felt I had abandoned the other ship putting it in danger and allowed the Destiny to be put in danger itself. We exchanged words and at the end of it he told me my stubbornness would cost me something I wasn't prepared to lose..."
It was clear to Nora that Jake’s experiences aboard the Destiny seemed to have affected him more than he realized. The pressure he apparently felt towards his performance certainly wasn’t helping things, either. “You know, there is more than one way to treat PTSD,” she said quietly. “I feel that you have many memories and many feelings that you have been pushing aside that you now need to face.”
Jake was confused by the counselor's words. "Are you referring to some kind of snowball effect? How do you propose we treat it counselor?"
“I’ve been considering that very question,” Nora said. “Because these hallucinations seem to be affecting you rather frequently, I think we should try two approaches. First, I’d recommend that you start by taking a low dose of amtriptyline. Amtriptyline is effective at treating many symptoms of PTSD, and more specifically it should help with your hallucinations. Second, I think you would greatly benefit from something called exposure treatment. Exposure treatment is designed to help you revisit or re-experience the memories that are affecting you in order to help you better process what it is you initially experienced. It may sound a little daunting, but in many cases it’s been proven to be very effective.”
Jake had mixed feelings about the news. He was filled with excitement about the possibility of quelling his hallucinations however he was not entirely confident about the latter treatment. "With this drug...will I be able to return to duty or does it have side effects? And with regards to this exposure treatment, are you suggesting I return to the Destiny to face my feelings?" His mind continued to fill with questions, thankfully Nora seemed to have the answers.
“There are no major side effects,” Nora smiled reassuringly. “I’ve had patients who have felt a little drowsy, but if you take it before bed, that shouldn’t be a problem. As for returning to the Destiny, that is certainly one way you can revisit the memories of your experience. If that is the approach that feels best to you, then I think that you should consider taking it.”
Jake was relieved to hear there would be no side effects although he wondered why Nora had avoided telling him if he would be fit for duty. "That sounds good counselor I shall go to sickbay soonest. Will I still be off the duty roster or do I just take these pills and carry on?" He took a moment to collect his thoughts about the Destiny. "I am thinking returning to Destiny might be a good idea, the hallucinations I have been happening seem to be telling me to go there, as if there is a message hidden within them."
Although she hated to disappoint him, Nora felt that until he found a way to manage his hallucinations, it would be safest for all concerned if he remained off duty. “I think it’s best that you remain off duty for the time being. I know you are anxious to get back to work, but until the hallucinations stop, it’s too much of a risk. After you visit the Destiny, if that’s what you decide to do, we’ll see what progress you’ve made and go from there, all right?”
Jake was confused. He was under the impression the drug would stop his hallucinations. He wanted clarification on the matter however he would not object to the counselor's request. "Does the drug not stop my hallucinations? That would be a great start. I'd stay off duty for a year if I could get them to go away." He paused for a moment. "Yes Counselor, I would like to return to Destiny at some point. I think I have some soul searching to do."
“It’s different for each patient,” Nora replied, hoping to clear up any confusion about the medication she was recommending. “As I said, it will certainly help with your hallucinations, but it isn’t a cure for them. That’s why I’ve also recommended exposure therapy to treat the psychological trauma that is the source of your hallucinations in the first place.”
Jake smiled as the confusion cleared his mind. He was fully ready to participate in the counselor's treatment. "So counselor, where do were begin?"
Nora returned his smile with one of her own, relieved at the progress that had been made since the last time Jake had visited her office. “I want you to stop by Sickbay so you can start taking the amtriptyline right away,” she instructed. “I’ll let Dr. Dormand (PNPC) know that she should be expecting you soon. If after a couple of days you feel that things are getting any worse, please let me know right away.”
Jake nodded acknowledging the counselor's request. What he was feeling at this moment in time was all new to him, like a lifetime of secrets weighing down on him had just been lifted. "Very well counselor, is there anything else or shall I make my way to sickbay?"
“That’s all for now.” Nora stood to escort Jake to the door. “But thank you for coming to see me again, Jake. I hope you’ll come and see me in a few days so we can keep track of any progress you’re making.”
"Yes of course counselor. Thank you for your help." Jake turned and walked down the corridor.
OFF:
A JP brought to you by:
Lieutenant JG Jake McCarty
Assistant Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
and
ON:
<<USS Malinche, Counselor's Office, Day 4, 1415>>
Jake approached the door to the Counselor's Office and tapped the console. "Come in please." Nora replied warmly from the other side of the door.
The doors slid open and Jake stepped through looking quite agitated. He walked up to her and looked her square in the eyes. "Counselor I have no god damn clue what is happening to me but all I know is it has to stop now!"
Nora nodded, relieved that Jake had decided to come and see her again. “Have a seat, Lieutenant,” she said calmly, moving to her own chair. “I’m glad to see you back, although I do wish the circumstances were different. I'm sorry that you've been having a difficult time. Can you tell me what’s been happening?”
Jake sat down adjacent to Nora. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself before he spoke. "Counselor I think I've been hallucinating or something. It seems like at random points in the day I find myself on some part of the Destiny at some time in my life. The first time I was walking from the Captain's ready room and I looked at Malinche's plaque, but it was not the Malinche it was Destiny. Then I was in the shuttlebay with Anna from back when I was a shuttle pilot. Just now I found myself on the bridge of the Destiny just before the borg attack. Captain Kersare took me into her ready room when it faded and suddenly I was with Captain Conaway. They seem to be getting more frequent, but I don't know why." Jake placed his head in his hands.
Nora was quiet as she absorbed all that he had told her. It sounded as serious as she had feared, but now that he was prepared to face his demons, she was hopeful that she could help him. “Jake, I think I may have an answer for you. I believe from what you’ve described to me, and from our previous visit, that you’re experiencing the effects of post traumatic stress disorder. I know that may sound extreme, but PTSD can manifest itself in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons. Do you think it's possible that your experiences aboard the Destiny have been affecting you more than you might have thought?"
Jake looked back up at the counselor. "Right now counselor I am pretty much open to any ideas. I was never a big believer in PTSD I always said a few minutes alone with your thoughts could clear the mind, however I've tried everything and still I see these images. I really don't understand what is so different about this incident. I have encountered hostile species before and we did lose some good men and women." McCarty sighed. "Nora, Starfleet is the only life I know. I can't lose it now...You have got to help get these things out of my head." For the first time in his life, tears dropped from Jake's eyes in front of another person. He had never stepped out like this before. "How can I ever make a good Captain like this?" He said softly.
“PTSD is nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn’t define you,” Nora quietly assured him. “And it certainly is no indicator of your personal character. In my experience as a counselor I’ve known many good men and women who have faced similar experiences and come out stronger for it in the end. And it is treatable,” she added with a comforting smile. “Your decision to seek help is the first step towards a resolution.”
Jake got up, wiped the tears from his face and began to pace. "Right now Counselor, I feel like I'm in the middle of a fog with no clue where to go. The images are so vivid but the message is so cryptic." He sighed. "I am so used to giving help rather than receiving it. I figured that was a great leadership quality that would place me above the rest."
Jake sat down. "I am telling you that other helmsman is hopeless. There was plenty of clearance in that field and I wouldn't have had to run back and rescue him."
"Most people don't take Sovereign-Class starships into an asteroid field as an escape attempt. Sure you destroyed one sphere in the process, but at what cost, what if you miscalculated hmm? You could have destroyed this ship and left the Requiem at the mercy of the Borg, that's over 1000 people dead or assimilated because of your impulsiveness. " Tomlinson replied angrily.
"Well most people aren't like me alright? I did what I felt was the best course of action and I got us out of a pretty tough bind. Perhaps it is you who should reevaluate the situation." Jake snapped back.
"Mr.McCarty! You are damn lucky this was only a simulation otherwise I would have you relieved of duty. Not only did you place the ship in unnecessary danger you also failed to coordinate with the other ship's Flight Control Officer. While the element of surprise valuable, the point is not to surprise your own team." Tomlinson's face began to change to a shade of red, burning with anger.
Jake swiveled the chair around. "Now what do you suggest I do SIR?"
Tomlinson took a deep breath. "Son, you need to learn to work as a team, you can't just go gallivanting around during a battle, you must open yourself to the advice of others. If you keep on the course you are on now...well Mr.McCarty I'm afraid your stubbornness is going to cost you something you may not be prepared to lose. God help you and those around you if it does."
McCarty suddenly felt like he had been slapped across the face. Instead he was sitting on a couch adjacent to Nora. "Counselor may I have a glass of water please?"
“Of course,” Nora nodded, worried at how pale and uneasy Jake appeared. Leaving her chair, she crossed the room to the replicator. “Computer, water, please,” she instructed, taking the glass that shortly appeared and carrying it to McCarty. After giving him a moment, she commented, “I think that you’re partially right. Helping others is indeed a great leadership quality to have. But I personally believe that there are a number of qualities that can make a good leader. I hope you don’t think that you’re any less of a leader because you have to receive some professional help,” she smiled.
Jake returned her smile with an uneasy one of his own. "If I lied and said no would that change anything?" Jake took a drink from the glass. "Um Counselor, I think I just hallucinated again."
Nora frowned, mildly alarmed by the sheer frequency of his hallucinations. Calmly retaking her seat, she asked Jake, “What did you see?”
Jake took a moment to collect his thoughts and attempt to interpret what he saw. "I was back on a flight simulation I had took part in about a year ago. Lt.Commander Tomlinson felt I needed to learn how to coordinate better with other flight control officers and set up a simulation for me. Unfortunately it did not go as he would have liked. We were under attack by three spheres and the Destiny had taken heavy damage. As a last resort I decided to take her into an asteroid belt in an attempt to avoid any further damage and to allow us to regroup, possibly even lure a sphere in. My plan worked and 1 sphere was destroyed. However Tomlinson felt I had abandoned the other ship putting it in danger and allowed the Destiny to be put in danger itself. We exchanged words and at the end of it he told me my stubbornness would cost me something I wasn't prepared to lose..."
It was clear to Nora that Jake’s experiences aboard the Destiny seemed to have affected him more than he realized. The pressure he apparently felt towards his performance certainly wasn’t helping things, either. “You know, there is more than one way to treat PTSD,” she said quietly. “I feel that you have many memories and many feelings that you have been pushing aside that you now need to face.”
Jake was confused by the counselor's words. "Are you referring to some kind of snowball effect? How do you propose we treat it counselor?"
“I’ve been considering that very question,” Nora said. “Because these hallucinations seem to be affecting you rather frequently, I think we should try two approaches. First, I’d recommend that you start by taking a low dose of amtriptyline. Amtriptyline is effective at treating many symptoms of PTSD, and more specifically it should help with your hallucinations. Second, I think you would greatly benefit from something called exposure treatment. Exposure treatment is designed to help you revisit or re-experience the memories that are affecting you in order to help you better process what it is you initially experienced. It may sound a little daunting, but in many cases it’s been proven to be very effective.”
Jake had mixed feelings about the news. He was filled with excitement about the possibility of quelling his hallucinations however he was not entirely confident about the latter treatment. "With this drug...will I be able to return to duty or does it have side effects? And with regards to this exposure treatment, are you suggesting I return to the Destiny to face my feelings?" His mind continued to fill with questions, thankfully Nora seemed to have the answers.
“There are no major side effects,” Nora smiled reassuringly. “I’ve had patients who have felt a little drowsy, but if you take it before bed, that shouldn’t be a problem. As for returning to the Destiny, that is certainly one way you can revisit the memories of your experience. If that is the approach that feels best to you, then I think that you should consider taking it.”
Jake was relieved to hear there would be no side effects although he wondered why Nora had avoided telling him if he would be fit for duty. "That sounds good counselor I shall go to sickbay soonest. Will I still be off the duty roster or do I just take these pills and carry on?" He took a moment to collect his thoughts about the Destiny. "I am thinking returning to Destiny might be a good idea, the hallucinations I have been happening seem to be telling me to go there, as if there is a message hidden within them."
Although she hated to disappoint him, Nora felt that until he found a way to manage his hallucinations, it would be safest for all concerned if he remained off duty. “I think it’s best that you remain off duty for the time being. I know you are anxious to get back to work, but until the hallucinations stop, it’s too much of a risk. After you visit the Destiny, if that’s what you decide to do, we’ll see what progress you’ve made and go from there, all right?”
Jake was confused. He was under the impression the drug would stop his hallucinations. He wanted clarification on the matter however he would not object to the counselor's request. "Does the drug not stop my hallucinations? That would be a great start. I'd stay off duty for a year if I could get them to go away." He paused for a moment. "Yes Counselor, I would like to return to Destiny at some point. I think I have some soul searching to do."
“It’s different for each patient,” Nora replied, hoping to clear up any confusion about the medication she was recommending. “As I said, it will certainly help with your hallucinations, but it isn’t a cure for them. That’s why I’ve also recommended exposure therapy to treat the psychological trauma that is the source of your hallucinations in the first place.”
Jake smiled as the confusion cleared his mind. He was fully ready to participate in the counselor's treatment. "So counselor, where do were begin?"
Nora returned his smile with one of her own, relieved at the progress that had been made since the last time Jake had visited her office. “I want you to stop by Sickbay so you can start taking the amtriptyline right away,” she instructed. “I’ll let Dr. Dormand (PNPC) know that she should be expecting you soon. If after a couple of days you feel that things are getting any worse, please let me know right away.”
Jake nodded acknowledging the counselor's request. What he was feeling at this moment in time was all new to him, like a lifetime of secrets weighing down on him had just been lifted. "Very well counselor, is there anything else or shall I make my way to sickbay?"
“That’s all for now.” Nora stood to escort Jake to the door. “But thank you for coming to see me again, Jake. I hope you’ll come and see me in a few days so we can keep track of any progress you’re making.”
"Yes of course counselor. Thank you for your help." Jake turned and walked down the corridor.
OFF:
A JP brought to you by:
Lieutenant JG Jake McCarty
Assistant Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
and
Commander Nora Zeral
Executive Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A