If the Mountain will not come to Muhammad...
Posted on Sunday 31 March 2019 @ 14:44 by Commander Cale Llewellyn DSci & Lieutenant Michael Ki MD & Captain John "Apollo" Barstow, M.D.
Edited on on Tuesday 2 April 2019 @ 05:32
Mission:
The New Collective
Location: Sickbay/Isolation Room
Timeline: Following O'Hara's isolation to Sickbay in "The Fallout Begins"
2724 words - 5.4 OF Standard Post Measure
Stephanie sat in isolation in sickbay. Isolation wasn't really a fun place to be. Doctor Ki had forbidden her anything that she may possibly use to harm herself or any one else for that matter.... No PADD, she couldn't even have a physical book. She laid down on the floor and stared up at the ceiling.
Word had gotten to the tired Captain about O'Hara and he was at a loss as to how to approach it. He was still angry at the blatant disregard for orders that had led them to where they were now. However, on the other side of the coin, he was worried about an officer who had a very high potential if she could get past her ego. Apollo sighed as he stopped just inside the doors to sickbay and then moved to the medical chiefs office, "Doc?" he asked as he stuck his head in.
In all of the hustle and the bustle of everything that happened Michael fell behind on his paperwork. Now that O'Hara was safely behind an iso shield in an iso room he thought it was the best time to catch up. Just as he was reading the Sick Bay after action report, he heard the voice of the Captain. He stood at attention behind his desk. "Captain, I wish I can say that this was a surprise but I expected you. Figured it would be a matter of time before you got down here. Can I get you anything sir?"
John chuckled, "that easy to read, eh?" he asked then stepped into the officer and shook his head, "not unless you can clone me," Apollo added before inhaling slowly, "so, if you knew I was coming then you know why, how is she?"
"She is recuperating. Her brain took major trauma both from the entity and from the surgery. However, she is mending well and with Counselor Miller's assistance I believe she will make a full recovery and return to duty in due time." That was the official answer, in the brief time that Michael had been on the Merlin he believed that he had developed a bond with the Captain. One that the doctor was going to use right now. "Apollo I must tell you that even when she returns to duty she will not be the same. Some may think that the changes are for the better. However, she will be a bit more timid and perhaps unsure of herself for a time."
Apollo nodded, "understood," he replied, knowing very personally what the Doctor was saying, "I'll be careful," he added then motioned for Ki to lead the way.
When the Captain entered the isolation room, Stephanie didn't look at him, and just kept staring at the ceiling. "What can I do f'r ya this time, Docta?" she asked in a slightly annoyed sounding tone. She clearly thought it was Ki, because she couldn't think of who else would be here.
"It's Captain today, Lieutenant," the CO replied, but only with a slight gruffness, she was half right, then leaned back on the wall and just watched her, arms at his side and face relaxed.
Stephanie froze. This was not the doctor's voice. She at least had the good grace to look mortified as she scrambled to her feet. "Sir," she said sharply as she stood at attention and stared at an imaginary point about 6 feet from the bridge of her nose. She could feel the beads of sweat forming on her forehead and the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She looked pathetically like a deer in headlights. She knew this was going to happen eventually, she just didn't think it was going to be so soon. She wasn't really prepared.
Michael stood a silent observer for the time being. In truth he wanted to see the interaction for two reasons. The first being that it would allow him to gauge O'Hara's state of mind. The other was that Barstow would no doubt have questions for him.
John didn't move or say anything. Instead he just watched the young woman expressionless. He could yell, scream, order her to tell him what in the hell she'd been thinking, but, instead he decided to just play on the nervousness. She was less likely to lie if she couldn't figure out the question.
Stephanie didn't say or do anything. She was fully aware that the initiative in the current situation did not belong to her, and anything that she attempted to say in her own defense had the potential to make her situation infinitely worse. So there she stood, at full attention, staring fixedly into the middle distance, desperately hoping she would not have to make direct eye contact with her CO.
Llewellyn walked into Sickbay right after Barstow did but from a different location. "Well, what has O'Hara gotten us into today, sir?" Cale asked as he walked over to the Iso-room trying not to look too shocked at the Captain's appearance only moments before him.
With Herculean effort, Stephanie managed to not twist her neck around to look at the new voice. She was reasonably sure it was Cale. She began to relax a little now that she thought she understood Barstow's plan. He was going to be to stare at her unit she broke and he had called the XO down to engage in a little game of Good Cop/Bad Cop.
Kudos for staying in character straight out of the gate, Commander. But I would have cast you in the role of Good Cop. It's more believable. She thought.
This was finally familiar territory to her. She had been in trouble enough times on New Sydney that she could now see the Iso room for what it had become... An interrogation chamber. She was sure that Doctor Ki would no doubt have someone on the other side of the mirror taking sensor readings and recording her eye movements.
Relax, She told herself. You're already broken. They can't break you again.
Michael shot both the Commander and the Captain a look that spoke volumes. However, the summation was simply go easy on her. For now the doctor was content to let the officers do their duty and sit back. He would step in if it went too far.
"Lieutenant, are you going to make me ask," Apollo more said than asked and stood up off the bulkhead, "and try to talk without the bravado, I'm a Marine, it doesn't impress me much," he added, the last part coming sing-songy as it triggered the memory of a song he'd heard then motioned for Ki to explain to Cale. The Captain didn't want to give an opening for Stephanie to put up a wall of sarcasm and anger like he'd seen so many combat Marines and pilots do to deal with the death and combat they all see, this was something he knew about very personally.
In any other circumstance, Stephanie would have giggled uncontrollably at the Captain quoting a Shania Twain song. Even in the current circumstances, she made a mental note to giggle at it later. This wasn't a giggling situation.
"Permission t' speak freely?" Stephanie asked meekly. She wasn't sure if Barstow was waiting for her to say something or just waiting for to step out of line again as a prelude to more uncomfortable and awkward staring and silence.
John just made a quick affirmative gesture with his hand, but, not saying anything. He wanted to hear what she had to say without him coloring it with his tone or even what he'd ask.
For the first time since he'd entered the room, Stephanie looked the Captain right in the eye "I thought I was th' smartest," Stephanie began. "Turns out I'm not a smart as I think I am. All th' lies that thing told, it said two true things. This happened because o' m' hubris. It happened because I thought th' rules didn't apply t' me an' I thought I could play fast an' loose, an' everythin' would work out. I thought I was untouchable. Instead I handed that thing control of my brain... An' when he got in I was too weak to stop him. I ignored it when I first felt it. I thought it was a residual from th' data link, an' I didn' tell anyone because I didn't want ya lot t' think I was crazy."
"If it's a confession yer after, I did it." She said simply. "I've no excuses, an' bravado is somethin' ya save for when yer feelin' like a hero. I'm th' villain o' this story... An' I deserve t'get hit by th' full weight o' whatever book ya see fit t' throw at me." Her voice was small, and she found herself fighting the urge to break eye contact and look very intently at the tips of her boots. "Quite frankly, sir, there's na a thing ya c'n do t' me that's worse than what I've already done t' myself."
"Oh trust me, I can," John replied and motioned Cale in, "you know as the wing exec flying birds off this very ship I lost my entire squadron fighting with a Romulan starbase," he started, "I was assigned to be an instructor at the Academy then nearly drummed out of Starfleet because I was in your position. Commander Llewellyn can tell you how close I was to being pushed out when I was given my last chance as CO here. We've all done stupid shit, you don't have the market cornered."
'I doubt that, Sir. Compared t' where I grew up, A Federation penal colony would be like a trip t' Risa... An' my job doesn't mean as much to me as yours does to you."
So far, so good... Michael thought. He kept tabs on his patient's vitals while he listened into the conversation. The doctor was pleased that it was not just him that the engineer tried to one up constantly. Currently it seemed to Michael that Stephanie and the Captain were engaged in a game of who had the worst past. It amused the doctor slightly.
Michael cocked an eyebrow at the comment from Cale, he had no idea why the man had been summonsed to the isolation room. Ki figured that it must have been something that the Captain wanted and bit his tongue rather than respond.
"Is someone going to fill me in on what's going on here?" Cale asked Barstow and Ki.
"The Lieutenant tried to resign her commission with extreme prejudice," Apollo replied, hoping Cale would know what he meant then looked back, "so you think, but I lied to myself then and you just lied to me now. Here's the deal, and why I asked the exec here. You will be attending counseling and you will give Miller all the respect she has earned and deserves. Until you satisfactorily complete this you will remain here. There's no easy way out when you screw up, you either face it or you hide under a rock the rest of your life....this ship is about second chances, this' yours, what are you going to do with it?"
"I'm gonna feck it up," Stephanie said without the slightest trace of mirth. "It's a runnin' theme. It's what i do... Mostly without even tryin'."
Barstow shrugged, "then you'll enjoy this padded cell," he replied, "because I'm not going to let you out that easy, Lieutenant. When you're done with your pity party we'll talk more," he said then walked towards the door before turning, "and, currently you are not in a frame of mind to sign any legal document, which means I cannot accept any form of resignation from you unless Miller signs off on your mental state, just in case you had any ideas or thought to press the Counselors buttons."
"And he means it too, young woman. I know not from personal experience but from frame of mind. He's a stubborn ole coot and it stems from his being a parent not from being a Marine or Starfleet officer," Cale explained. "So, I suggest you cooperate, Lieutenant. And it's my final say before anything goes to him," Cale cocked an odd smile at O'Hara.
"F'r what it's worth," Stephanie said, her voice was shaking. She was trying very hard to maintain the composure and unflappability that she set so much store by. She was failing. "I didn't mean t' hurt anaone... I never wanted this t' end up the way it did. I couldn't stop 'im. I wasn' strong enough an' I wasn' smart enough. I put everyone aboard th' ship in mortal danger jus' f'r a monument t' m' ego. I don' deserve another chance." She squeaked out in a In spite of her best effort to hold it back, a tear streamed down her cheek. An embarrassed shade of red began to creep it's way into her complexion. It proved to be the trickle preceeding the deluge.
All the hate, pain, rage, fear, sadness, nostalgia, regret, and drunken stupidity of the past few days used the embarrassment caused by a single tear to bubble to the surface at once. She buried her face in her hands, shoulders shaking as she sobbed silently.
Cale, as he watched the officer, felt her pain. Though, he said nothing nor mentioned it to either officer though if they were half the officers they claimed to be they noticed it also. He took a step towards the iso-cell and placed his hand on it and simply looked at her then said, "Stephanie, I understand your fear about how this looks but you're in no condition to do anything regarding your career, so just sit back and talk with Dr. Miller and allow the process to work itself out. If you still want to resign, I'm sure Captain Barstow will grant your request to be relieved of duty. Though, I would hate to lose as fine an engineer as you, I will not stand in your way, Cale said in a soft and soothing voice.
Michael observed the conversation between the officers, his fellow shipmates, his friends as he cocked his head at that notion. He took a few tentative steps forward and out of the shadows where he had been observing. The fact was he too would be rather upset if the Irish lass was to leave. "Stephanie, I am going to echo what the Commander and the Captain have said. As Chief Medical Officer it is my duty to look after the health and well being of all who are on this ship. That includes stubborn Irish women." He smiled, one of those smiles that a person does when they smile with their whole face. "Counselor Miller is impeccable, and I too will assist in your treatment. I would hate to loose a friend, I do not have many of those you know."
Stephanie fought to regain her composure. She wiped ineffectually at her face with her hands to push away the tears and then sat slowly on the bed. She frowned deeply and looked back and fourth between Ki and Barstow. "If I'm t' be here f'r th' duration, could I at least have somethin' t' read?" She smiled lamely.
Before anyone else in the room could answer, Cale, in an attempt to win the woman's trust, asked, "What would you like, Miss O'Hara? I can bring you anything."
"Um..." Stephanie floundered. She obviously hadn't thought it all the way through. "At this point, I'd take a colrin' book jus' t' have somethin' t' look at besides th' bloody walls." She pndered momentaritly. "Look up an author by the name o' Terry Pratchett. I'll take anythin' by him."
OFF:
Captain John "Apollo" Barstow
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin
Task Group Commanding Officer
Task Group 47-A
Commander Cale Jason Llewellyn, DSci
Executive/Strategic Operations Officer
USS Merlin
LTjg Stephanie O'Hara
Chief Engineer
USS Merlin
Lt Michael Ki
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin
