Star Trek: Theurgy

Day 02 [1515 hrs.] Untimely Offer

December 15, 2017, 04:00:22 PM

Day 02 [1515 hrs.] Untimely Offer

[ Lt. JG Derik Veradin | Lower Shuttle Bay's Upper Level | Deck 22 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Even Angels Cry
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By the time Derik Veradin reached the Lower Shuttle Bay, both the Thames and Tigirs Runabouts had set down inside the shuttle bay, both on their own platforms respectively. On the lowest level of the bay, the prototype Valravn fighters could be seen, since they had yet to be moved to the Fighter Assault Bay. Overall, the circumstances aboard the Theurgy was highly unusual to Derik, nothing like the Luna-class Resolve, and he felt a bit overwhelmed to deal with it all on his first day of command on the Theurgy-class dreadnought.

As he walked towards the Thames, he could see the Tigris on the other side of the bay. There was a throng of medical and security personnel surrounding the Runabout, and he had yet only heard rumours, but apparently, the Devoted had seized the craft in attempt to put their religious icon in command of the starship. Evidently, they had failed, since bodies were being transported off to Sickbay, and Derik found it all... ludicrous. Was this what happened to a starship crew when pushed far enough? They never had these kinds of problems on the Resolve. Well, at least not those specific kinds of problems. Alarmed by the development, he had already set up meetings with Security to set up routines that might prevent more shuttles from being hijacked in the future.

Reaching the Thames, Derik saw medical officers there as well, one of them talking with the very woman he meant to speak with. The one with the teal collar was a Klingon with short hair - which was odd enough - but Derik couldn't place him. The Klingon had administered some kind of inoculation to Petty Officer Jaya Thorne, and Derik hoped she wasn't hurt or anything after what had just happened out there. When the sirillum gases had been detonated by the Devoted on the Tigris, they had all felt the reverberations against the hull, but he couldn't imagine what it could have been like flying a shuttle out there.

"Are you all right, Petty Officer Thorne?" he asked, coming to a stop before her. He had a PADD in hand, but he wanted to make sure she was okay after her ordeal first. His business with her could wait a few moments given the circumstances. "I came as soon as I could."

They were alone at that point, anyone else that had been aboard the Thames already gone.

Re: Day 02 [1515 hrs.] Untimely Offer

Reply #1 – January 28, 2018, 10:19:48 AM

PO Jaya Thorne | Lower Shuttle Bay's Upper Level | Deck 22 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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Jack and another Klingon had helped her off the ship.  Then he left her in the nurse's care.  She didn't blame Jack.  It wasn't his job.  Besides, the nurse knew exactly what to do.  The inoculation or hypospray or whatever injection he gave her was painless.  He'd told her she would be fine, completely functional in a few minutes and feeling normal within the hour.  She was supposed to take it easy the rest of the day.  If she felt any more symptoms, she was supposed to go directly to sickbay.  She'd heard all this yesterday, too, but she'd ignored that advice.  And now look what had happened.  Rihen was.. Rihen..

Jaya didn't even know the woman.  She was just another nameless face on this strange ship.  How was it possible that the death of a stranger was affecting her so poorly?  She had shot, stabbed and maimed people before with less guilt.  Hell, she'd killed a woman once, ages ago, and it barely scratched her conscious.  But this.. this felt different.  No, it wasn't the same at all.  Jaya swallowed the lump forming in her throat.  She still couldn't feel her arms or legs, which meant she couldn't move.  She had no choice but to sit there, lost in her own head, until her limbs decided to cooperate.

The nurse asked some routine questions.  Jaya gave him routine answers.  She was numb.  Not physically, not anymore.  In actuality, her arms and legs felt like they were on fire.  But her mind had numbed everything except the very real moments of Rihen as a fireball drifting through space.  The image consumed her so much, she neglected to notice the first time the nurse checked her reflexes.

"Hey"

His voice made her jump.  She'd lost time.  Minutes of staring at nothing were gone, disappeared into thin air.  She swallowed again.  The nurse checked her eyes now.  She was fine.  Her reflexes were fine.  Her heartbeat was fine.  She could even feel her fingers and toes now.  Everything was fine.  The nurse reassured her that she would be fine.  Fine.  Fine.  Except.. she wasn't.  She didn't feel 'fine'.  What did that even mean?  She'd said it to herself long enough for the word to lose both meaning and pronunciation.  Fah-een.  He asked her something else.  Jaya half heard the question.

"I'm fine.  What about her?"

The nurse watched Jaya with a stern expression.  Her eyes focused in on his for a second.  He seemed to frown, but he already looked like he was scowling.  She blinked. 

The sensation was refreshing and new.  To close her eyes for just one nanosecond and let the world go on without her being aware of it.. It was bliss.  How long had she been staring?  For the life of her she couldn't even remember what she was staring at.  Everything.  Nothing.  It didn't matter.  She needed relief.  She blinked again, longer this time.

"We have counselors aboard the ship if you want to talk.  Hayden O'Conner, Zelosa Eljek and B'Nila are all available, should you decide you need to be seen.  Given what just happened, one visit will most likely be recommended."

He seemed displeased.  Or distressed.  Jaya brought her eyes up slowly and focused on the nurse.  He wasn't scowling.  His face just made it look that way.  He spoke of counselors, but she was fine.  He'd said so himself.  She shook her head rapidly from side to side in small motions. "I'm fine."

"Yes.. so you've said."  He shook his head but began packing his tools away.  Jaya watched with disinterest.  Her fingers felt normal now and she used them to grip the bench she was seated on.  She pressed with all her strength and then released until her fingerpads felt inflated enough to try again.  Over and over.  Her toes flexed and curled within her boots.  The pins and needles had left.  She had regained control of her body once more, but she still couldn't move it.  So she remained seated as a new face entered the bustling shuttle bay.  She would have paid him no mind except he was calling out her name.

    Jaya looked up at the man who'd addressed her.  Her eyes were wild and unfocused.  She saw his uniform; clean and pressed, the same color as her own.  She noted his rank insignia; above her rank.  He was pleasant enough, concerned enough.  Jaya let her head list downward.  Her eyes followed the movement until they were staring at the floor, then she began nodding her head slowly.  He was looking at her in a way she hated.  Concern.  He was concerned.  Just like the nurse.  But she was fine.  Fine.  Fine.

"Yes.  That's me.  I'm fine."  Short sentences, simple words.  She stared at nothing, in the emptiness between the floor and the ground.  Movement caught her eye.  A PADD?  Curious.  She looked back up at her superior.  This was important, whatever it was.  She shouldn't be sitting.  With more strength than she felt she had, Jaya pushed herself to a standing position and gave a weak salute.  By the time she did, all the commotion around her had faded into the background.  She didn't notice when the nurse left, only that now the bay seemed quiet and empty.  Her attention returned to the Lieutenant in front of her and his PADD.  She hadn't the capacity to be snarky right now.

"Can I help you, Sir?"

Re: Day 02 [1515 hrs.] Untimely Offer

Reply #2 – January 29, 2018, 02:46:19 PM

[ Lt. JG Derik Veradin | Lower Shuttle Bay's Upper Level | Deck 22 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Even Angels Cry
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Oblivious to what had happened out there, he had no way of telling if she was being earnest or not. With a pause, Derik continued.

"I look forward to the briefing about what happened out there, but you got the shuttle back in one piece. The reason I came, however, is because I am in a bit of a bind after becoming Chief CONN Officer on this ship," he said, turning the PADD over in his hands as he wondered how he might best say this to the human woman. He had just met her, but after reviewing her personnel file and the tactical information from the battle at Starbase 84, she was definitely the best candidate. "You see, both the Theurgy and the Resolve are short on truly qualified, high ranking officers to lead the department. My predecessors here on the Theurgy have been killed in action, and I am the only Line Officer available to the Department unless someone transfers over to us. At the same time, I need to name my second-in-command, should I suffer the same unfortunate fate. Let's hope not, though."

He said this with a chuckle to take the edge off the situation. "I noticed you in the tactical logs from Starbase 84, and I have reviewed your service record. You are lined up for a promotion to Chief Petty Officer soon. It would mean a lot to me - and be of interest for the Senior Staff as well - if you'd consider taking the Ensign test instead... and become my Assistant Chief CONN Officer."

It might have been an untimely offer, for all he knew, but hoped she could give him an answer sooner rather than later. "Do you need time to think about it? I have the information here."

He held out the PADD to her, and given her apparent state after the coup attempt of the Devoted, he wouldn't be surprised if she wanted some time first.

Re: Day 02 [1515 hrs.] Untimely Offer

Reply #3 – February 02, 2018, 09:36:49 PM

PO Jaya Thorne | Lower Shuttle Bay's Upper Level | Deck 22 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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He was talking but all Jaya heard was noise.  The words drifted in one ear, deposited sound to her brain and then dissipated.  It was obviously important, else he wouldn't be here.  But try as she might, she couldn't force her brain to cooperate.  The fireball played in slow motion now.  Frame by frame.  And each time Rihen's helmet made a full revolution and came into veiw, she saw the panic, felt the fear, heard the deafening cries.  Over and over, the same 30 seconds of fireball looped in her mind.  30 seconds.  That's all.  But in that brief span of time a life had been extinguished; a soul was ripped from it's body. 

Jaya felt the wave of emotion and stiffened her lip before it hit.  Her chin trembled but she held the cry inside.  Her eyes blinked too fast but the tears didn't break.  She exhaled slowly as the overwhelming feeling subsided.  'Not the time or the place!  Keep your shit together, Jaya!!'  But the lieutenant was staring at her.  She quirked the corners of her mouth up in a slight smile.  'You're fine.  Act fine.  Don't let him see anything else.' 

It must have worked because the Lieutenant broke into a small chuckle.  Jaya let her smile grow and hummed a chuckle along with him.  What the hell was so funny?  Maybe if she'd bothered to pay attention when he was talking instead of ruminating on Rihen, she'd know.  The thought stung, but it had merit.  She needed to push her guilt aside and focus on the here and now.  She was still alive and she had work to do and a shift to finish.  She didn't have time to hate herself over Rihen's death.  Not now.  But she couldn't just shove the thoughts aside.  They had ingrained themselves in the forefront of her mind.  So instead, she chose to ignore it.  It would fester like an untreated, open wound and eventually she'd need help, but that wasn't a luxury she had at the moment.

Jaya tried to pay attention.  He discussed her service record and her actions during the battle.  She hadn't felt like she'd done anything heroic.  Really, she'd just flown around, shot some things, got shot at, and kept track of signals.  She was basically support the whole time.. but ok.  And she knew about the upcoming promotion.  She'd done everything in her power to make herself the most attractive candidate for the CPO position, but she'd never considered switching over to Ensign.  Why not?  As an Ensign with her experience, she could theoretically pilot a starship one day.  The thought of herself sitting at navigation controls and acting as helmswoman for the Theurgy was inspiring.

He offered Jaya time to think on it, but she'd already decided.  She reached for the PADD and glanced down at the information it contained.  This would be a whole new career path for her.  She'd have to learn starship navigation, among other things, and really keep her tongue in check.  The tipping factor, however, was that if she went down this path, she'd have less chance of repeating what happened to Rihen.

Jaya gave the Lieutenant a nod.  "No, I think becoming an Ensign is in my best interest.  Thank you for the opportunity.  I'd be honored, Sir.  What's the next step?"

- FIN