Late Night Pain

Posted on Saturday 13 November 2021 @ 20:52 by Lieutenant Nir’anyar & Major David Scarlet

Mission: First Contact
2260 words - 4.5 OF Standard Post Measure

"Computer over ride security protocols for this quarters and initiate Marine Readiness Drill program. Alert the appropriate departments as per usual regulations." Scarlet commanded the computer while standing in front of the door. "Authorization code Scarlet Charlie Sierra Charlie."

The computer beeped, which seemed louder than normal for this time of night in the quiet corridor. "Quarters are assigned to non-Marine personnel. Do you wish to proceed?"

Scarlet grinned at the thought of the ensuing chaos. "Proceed."

Inside the quarters of Doctor Nir'anyar the lights suddenly flashed on as a klaxon sounded through the intercomm. A loud automated voice began repeat the phrase. "ALL TRAINEES REPORT TO SECTION COMMANDER. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION."

The Doctor rolled over in bed, the sheet clinging to her skin as she turned trying to find the control to shut of the alarm... which in her sleep addled mind sounded odd. Eventually she found the controls on the bedside shelf and slapped the control for the alarm. Instead of it turning off another sounded started, minxing in an ear shattering cacophony of noise that started to dredge the grobby benzite from her slumber.
"What in the blazes!"

Scarlet could hear the commotion from outside the door and for a moment remembered back to when the instructors at the academy had done similar to his squad.

"Hurry up doc, at this rate you'd be late to your own funeral." Scarlet called through the door. He stood to the side and made sure this time he was more than arms reach away for when it opened.

Inside the klaxon continued to sound as the automated voice seemed to become more aggressive. FAILURE TO REPORT FOR TRAINING WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY MEASURES AND POSSIBLE FILING OF CHARGES FOR DERELICTION OF DUTY.

Still in a sleep haze the confused Doctor tapped some controls on her bedside shelf, still unsure of what was going on. She had never been a morning person at the best of times.
"Doctor Nir'anyar to Engineering. I think there is something wrong with the computer". Her sleep deprived mind hadn't noticed she had instead only turned the lights on in the room.

After a second or so of dozing back to sleep in her sitting position she roused again and started to drag herself out of bed.

Scarlet looked at the PADD and sighed. This was horrible timing. "Computer, patch me through to the comms in the doctors room."

The computer chirped for a moment before a low tone sounded.

"Come on Doc. You wanted training. This is it. Get ready and get out here now of the training is off." Scarlet's gruff voice rang over the comms in Anya's room as the klaxon continued to sound in the background.

"You may want to come in Major... I have some news that you will likely find exciting!"
The groggy but now more cognoscente voice of the Doctor came back over the comm as the doors to the quarters opened obediently. As he stepped through she was emerging from the sleeping chamber, now donning a pale pink silk dressing gown.

"Take a seat Major... Drink?" she moved right past him to the decanters on the dresser near the dinning area. "Its real Saurian Brandy!"

"Drink?" Scarlet replied incredulously. "Doc, this is your training you wanted. I suggest you get dressed because that gown isn't going to be easy to run in."

The klaxon continued to sound and Scarlet scowled. "Computer end wake up call."

Weeooo Weeooo Wee-

"Did you hear what happened on the bridge today?"
She continued regardless, pouring herself a tall glass of the brandy before finding herself a seat across from the Marine.

"Doctor, you asked for this training." Scarlet reminded her firmly. "This is what it entails. You have to be ready at any time for any thing."

He paused for a moment and narrowed his eyes at her. "Touchè" Realizing his own words and the implications he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"All I could think about was people relying on me to keep them alive... I can't even make a decision to keep myself alive. I watched them die, all of them... my crew, the other prisoners... I nearly watched a planet die Major and it would have been my fault and then" she laughed but there was no mirth included in the sound that was plainly ugly. "And then on the bridge I froze... Everyone could have died. What right do I have being in Starfleet Major!"

"Suck it up." Scarlet responded quickly, but without anger in his voice. "You're going to get your shit together and you're going to do the best you can. We're out here where the rules rarely fit every situation and we're left to make difficult decisions. Sometimes you're right, sometimes your wrong. It happens. Get over it and move on."

He took a step towards her. "Because the worst thing you can do is doubt yourself. Now are we doing this training or are you going to sit there and mope like a sad little lump on a log?"

She was taken aback by his words, like the proverbial slap to the face and she was reeling from it, but also there was something of truth in his words, no matter how much she wanted that not be the case and in many ways it was the same thing Caroline had been trying to tell her.

She placed the glass down on a side table with a scowl pulling her features as she stood with an almost playful smile tugging at her as she pursed her lips at the man before her. "Have I told you how much I dislike you Major... But, I do also appreciate your lack of bedside manner and sage words... Perhaps I need to speak to the Captain again!"

"Let me dress and we shall do this... will there be live rounds and do I get to shoot at you Major?"

Scarlet snicked. Good. He'd gotten through hopefully. "I barely trust you with a tricorder right now let alone a fully armed phaser rifle. Let's start you out with something you more your speed. Like a Tarkessian Sloth."

He wasn't in this to be liked. Quite the opposite. He wanted to be the worst thing the recruits had to deal with. That way he knew they could handle themselves. Anya might not like it, but she was like a lot he had seen and trained. Full of potential, lacking in confidence.

"Just hurry up Doc. At this rate even the paklids would have taken over the ship."

"I think it's pronounced Pakled Major and I won't be but a moment... It's not like I have to fix my hair!"
Some of her usual bite and sarcasm returning to her voice.

Scarlet huffed and casually looked around the apartment. For someone running so late for training she got her attitude back quickly.

In short order she returned, this time wearing something a little more befitting a training exercise. Form fitting, neck to foot one piece all in black. She was ready, and perhaps even in need of this. She could work out some frustrations, worries and inner demons.
"Will this suffice?"

"Yes, good enough. Let's go." Scarlet said as he turned and walked out the door, expecting the doctor to follow close behind. "We're going to baseline you. Figure out what you can and can't do and work from there. Questions?"

"Not yet!" she said, still feeling a little aside from herself but just hearing this gruff and highly unapproachable man handle her the way he did seemed to have broken through her shell. She had issues, many of them and a war veteran saw right through it. Perhaps she needed to speak to Caroline?

She kept in step beside Scarlet taking her lead from him on where they were heading.

He spent the turbolift ride silent and barely acknowledged the doctor. Soon enough it opened onto what had been lovingly coined 'Marine Country'. He'd have to get a better name for it. Something that fit the ship.

Walking to the side of the large training area, he motioned to Anya. "Start here, three laps and then come back to me."

The training area was mostly empty this time of morning. Only those who couldn't otherwise sleep or had alternative duty shifts were present.

Without question or complaint she set off, she started slowly giving her muscles time to warm up before she started to ply the pressure and speed. Working her legs to the point of burning as the powerful muscles propelled her forward. It had been a while since she had run but it was something she enjoyed doing from a relaxation stand point.

Her breathing starting to get heavy as she neared the end of the second lap, the burning in her legs manageable but proof she needed to spend more time in the ships gym. She didn't let up her pace as she came back round to Scarlet before stopping next to him, bending over with her hands on her knees, gulping in the air her body was demanding.
"Next!"

Scarlet watched as Anya did her laps. He raised an eyebrow as she came back around and stopped next to him, out of breath. She was pushing herself hard. He walked over to the rack and picked out a training rifle. Walking back to her silently, he pointed to the three targets. "Three targets, three shots." He handed her the rifle and watched.

She handled the rifle for a moment, weighing it up, feeling it in her hands before she brought it up into a firing position, nestling it in her shoulder, the muzzle aimed at the first dummy. She squeezed the trigger and the recoil caught her by surprise sending her shot wild, thankfully it was a training round... or so she hoped!

The second dummy she missed also but the margin was far closer this time after being ready for the recoil and better balancing herself with a wider stance. Her final shot landed, if not a direct hit. It caught the side of the dummy but still a shot.
"Well, that could have gone better!"

"You're not done yet." Scarlet replied. "Three more laps, this time carrying the rifle. Then you're going to shoot the targets again."

He crossed his arms over his chest and watched Anya. She wanted training, he needed to see what he had to work with.

She wanted to roll her eyes but forced herself not too. She had asked for this and perhaps even needed it at the moment. With rifle still in hand she started her laps of the bay once more.

She was tired, but he could see she was determined. That was only a part of it though. Scarlet watched in silence as she continued her laps. They'd have to work on her endurance for sure.

When she rounded her third lap he held up his hand to stop her and pointed to the targets. "Shoot first, then you can catch your breath."

A flash of anger washed over Anya at the ridiculous approach this seemed to be taking. Running in circles, trying to shoot while she was exhausted and now angry but instead of voicing her displeasure she took aim and channeled the anger into the rifle. Quickly she squeezed off three rounds, the first one missed but only just. The second two-hit square in the center of both targets. This took her slightly by surprise.
"Huh!"

Scarlet nodded. "Good job. You still failed the exercise, but good job not being a complete failure." Before she could think of turning the rifle on him, he grabbed it from her hands. "You failed when you took your sweet time reacting to the alert to wake you up. Being a crack shot counts for nothing if you're caught sleeping."

All she did was nod knowing he had no interest in rehashing her earlier emotional vulnerability. In truth, she still felt it now, an open wound that was still weeping and poisoning her slowly from the inside out. He had been a help to her, in more ways than he probably appreciated or could understand, as had Caroline earlier in the day. Instead, all she did was nod her understanding, releasing the rifle as he took it from her.

"This is just a baseline to know what I'm working with. If you want to continue the training we can still build on this. Or you can go back to sleep and let the rest of us protect you from the big bad boogymen."

"If you struggle with that come to sickbay during the next duty shift. We can give you a hypospray direct to the sinuses to prevent any clogging of the canals" although she was unclear as to why the nasal cavity was being applied to this situation. Even she had to admit that a phaser rifle was a little bit overkill when applied to nothing more than a mucus build-up that would solidify with the flow of air into the cavity while one was breathing.

Scarlet just raised an eyebrow before shaking his head slightly. "Good night doc. Get some sleep and we'll figure out your next session."

OFF

* Major David Scarlet
Marine Company Commander
USS Merlin


●● Lieutenant Nir’anyar
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin