STF

Duty Aside...

Posted June 29, 2021, 10:16 a.m. by Chief Warrant Officer Kodek Vonn (RTF Commander) (James Sinclair)

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Duty Aside…

Posted by Chief Warrant Officer Kodek Vonn (RTF Commander) in Duty Aside…

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Duty Aside…
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Casela walked out of the holodeck. She’d probably get yelled at for that little display. She didn’t really care. It was Manhattan and Raauhl with her all over again. But now it was Cobb, Vonn and Quinn. She let the doors close behind her, hands on her waist and took a deep breath. She turned to head down the corridor and spotted Vonn leaning against the wall, sounding very out of breath. She walked over, sure to stay in his line of vision. She wasn’t sure Vonn could be startled by anything, but never hurt to be cautious. “Kodek?” She took in the wheezing and the posture, took his arm without flinching. She was stronger than she looked, she may not take his whole weight, but it was more about support than strength. “Do you think you can make it to your quarters? Or do you want sickbay?” She didn’t know much about Breen physiology, but there was no denying that using his own voice had been difficult and wasn’t made for human speech.
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

“Quarters.” was all the voice said and they pushed off the wall, but didn’t pull away from Casela. They moved down the passageway, and at one point they heard voices and Vonn stood up and walked normally without touching her. As they passed the Security patrol and entered the lift, Vonn leaned hard against the wall. The voice said only “We are not made for speaking like that.” and then was silent. As the doors opened, Vonn pushed off the wall and strode purposefully to their door and inside, the blast of the cold air sending a small cloud of cold air visibly into the passage. They pointed at the furs on the wall and then said “Sit.” and walked into the other room.

Vonn, RCO

Casela nodded silently and started him walking that way. Hearing the security patrol she anticipated his move, it’s one she’d make herself and moved slightly away as if they were conversing. It wasn’t odd to see the counselor with the anyone, no matter who they were. And everyone knew Casela had loved her time on RTF and that she’d taken over for Manhattan in his absence. So if the situation was odd, security took no notice of it. In the lift she simply nodded at the statement. She had an inkling and started to tell him to stop talking but he wasn’t using his own voice so there was no point. She followed him into his quarters, until she knew he was able to throw her out without straining she’d be a thorn in his side if necessary. She grabbed one of the heavy coats on the hooks and pulled it on quickly before the extreme cold could affect her. She watched him walk into the other room, she didn’t want to invade his privacy, and so she half sat, half kneeled on the furs he pointed to, listening for signs of distress.
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

A few minutes later and the voice came from the other room. “I have recovered sufficiently. There is no need for you to stay. I thank you for your assistance… Casela.”

Vonn, RCO

Casela was comfortably wrapped in the fur (as much as one could be when not made for such an environment) and hunkered down on the furs. She stared at the doorway contemplating. Sufficient did not mean fully. She’d played that word choice many times. “You are my friend, Kodek, you do not need to thank me. That was quite the impassioned allocution you gave. I do not need to stay, but would you like me to?”
Lt Synthi-er CNS

“Cobb was far out of line. While I do not appreciate Ms. Quinn’s approach, I can understand her motive. Cobb had no right to scold her like that… especially in the presence of others.” and there was a pause.

“Tradition dictates that I am not allowed to show my flesh to non-Breen. But I cannot put my suit back on for some time. If you wish to stay, then we will have to converse in this fashion.”

Vonn, RCO

“They were both wrong. Good intentions and all that, but they both went about it in the wrong way. And Quinn is under the impression that your conversation with Cobb was only focused on her and it was not.” There was a ripping sound as Casela reached inside her uniform jacket and ripped a long strip from the heavy cotton lining. Long practice of using it for bandages and tie offs for splints told her there was enough material there. Breathing warm air against her fingers she then took the strip, wrapped it twice around her eyes and tied it off, then quickly tucked her hands back underneath the fur coat. “There I can’t see anything, so no worries about breaking tradition if that works for you. My intention is not to invade your privacy, offend, or make you uncomfortable, but to make sure you are fully recovered. If you wish to continue conversing perhaps we can determine what we shall do about the sad state of things. It is a problem that has plagued this ship from the moment it was acquired for the ARU. If not, then I will leave you in peace and you can find me when you are recovered.”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

With her eyes closed, she heard the sound of shuffling feet and then something heavy landed next to her. More shuffling followed and then something warm was in her lap. “Heating crystal.” the voice said from right next to her, but lower than her shoulder. “Put it in your fur, it will heat your whole body in a just a moment.” More shuffling feet and then the sound of something large settling down across from her.

Casela nodded and with ease and comfort at being ‘blind’ she carefully picked up the heating crystal (not sure of how hot to the touch it was so caution was prudent) and placed it inside the fur, and then wrapped the coat closed again. “Thank you.”

“My opinion is that ships like this are poisoned from the top down. Cobb used to be a great Captain. Even I have heard stories about him. But those stories are not reflective of the man I see here.”

Vonn, RCO

Cobb was a friend and she’d developed a great deal of respect for the man Cobb was now. But Vonn was not wrong. “No those stories are not. Such is the way with the human psyche. Events can change a person irrevocably. But that does not excuse the behavior. This ship is working with less than half a deck, as the saying goes. Every person on this ship has been sent here because they are an outcast and not fit to work elsewhere in the fleet. Maybe it is a scientist that is too free with their experimental morals, or a security chief who was a member of an Orion Syndicate, or a engineer who is half machine because he went head to head with an anomaly without precautions, but won, or a ship’s counselor who knows more than the intel chief about things she shouldn’t and is trained and more suited to psychological warfare than helping people. ARU command set this ship up for failure. When I first arrived at the Star Base the bets being taking on how many weeks Leviathan would last were rampant, and among the ranking officers of the ARU. None of us are the people we used to be. The task, for me anyway, is to make them see who they can be now and get them there. Some are more difficult than others.” She shrugs in the dark, some she could prod and cajole into trying, others were more difficult.
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

“If people refuse to see their failings, they will never improve their position. Without improvement from where we are, we are all destined to fail… as those who created this situation wish.” the voice said from right beside her.

Vonn, RCO

“Sometimes it’s not a refusal to see their failings, but a refusal or an inability to accept they can fix it. Humans are very....different that way.” Casela had found it unique to her human patients to not be able to see that change was possible no matter how dire things may appear. She had seen it in other species but only when there was extremely severe trauma. Humans seemed to acquire that trait even for the smallest of things, and when they were major....it was a nightmare to work through. “But you are correct. Command keeps changing our crew. No explanation, just changes it. We work out the problems, compensate for weaknesses, address failings and then they yank old crew and give us new. Baring my little display after you left landing me in the brig I suppose I shall be busy forcing them to deal with their underlying issues.” She shrugged again. Casela understood the value of her profession but there were times her wealth of patience was drained having to deal with those who fought her every step of the way. She took note of the location of the voice, but knew he had sat down across from her. She guessed he had placed the translator or the helmet near her since he didn’t need it. She just had to remember that so if she had to move she didn’t become twisted around.
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

“Underlying issues can get one killed. I wish… sincerely wish… Cobb would acknowledge that. But I doubt he has the will to do so. Sometimes one is simply too damaged to repair one’s pain.”

Vonn, RCO


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