Posted Aug. 24, 2020, 9:23 p.m. by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) (Jennifer Ward)
Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Holodeck - A Captain, a Counselor and a Campfire
For the last few days the image had haunted him - his friend, Casela, lying injured and scared in a hospital bed. He had gained from it a focus and a clarity that was rare in these alcohol-washed days. It had forced him to admit how much her friendship and her advice meant to him. It had also forced him to realise how destructive her current lifestyle was and the damage it was wreaking not only on herself but also on those around her.They needed time out, far away from the Leviathan and the ARU and anomalies and the bloody RTF! And if physical distance was impossible then mental distance would have to do in its stead.
And so, upon returning to her quarters after a long and arduous shift, Synthi-er would find a message on her terminal, requesting her presence on the holodeck with her captain.
Casela saw the message flashing on her screen. Well, it was from the Captain, and he wasn’t too happy with her at the moment. She couldn’t blame him really, she wasn’t too happy with herself. She was tired. She’d been pushing herself, the added 12 kg was a pain in her ribs. She was slower and not as agile. She resented Fey for not telling her it was experimental to begin with. She wasn’t so proud, however, to admit even if Fey had told her the truth, she still would have chosen this option. She trusted Fey and her medical expertise. But the deception had caught her wrong and along with the heavy sedation, she hadn’t handled it well. She’d spent quite a bit of time in the meditation room working it out. She’d considered talking to one of her staff, but unfortunately none of them had the required clearance. She even pondered, for a flash of a second contacting Revna Edman because she did, but her ship was listed as MIA at the moment. And of course those were all excuses. She should talk to Ryder or Zachariah, but she did admit, to herself anyway, her pride, not wanting to seem weak, or as anything other than the carefully cultivated hot-headed persona she had created over the years, stopped her. If it was a patient, she’d break them of that habit. She chuckled darkly, doctors really do make the worst patients. She read the summons, for that is what it was, again. She couldn’t ignore the captain, even if she wanted. She changed out of the uniform, into her black gi pants and black under-amour t-shirt, and headed out to the holodeck.
If she chose to accept, then beyond those innocent, nondescript doors, Casela would find a moonlit forest, silent except for the chirping of crickets and the snap-crackle of a campfire. Through the trees she could glimpse the welcoming, orange glow and beside it, a lone figure. Toasting marshmallows.
- Captain Zachariah Cobb
Upon arriving to the holodeck, out of curiosity she scanned the description of the program and then left, albeit briefly. The quick jog, adding to her new workout to recover from her ‘treatment,’ brought her back carrying a small bag. She stepped through the doors and stopped; the door closing behind her. She looked around and shook her head. The men in her life…knew too much apparently. The similarities between Cobb and her father was not lost on her, yet again. This was something her father would have done if he knew about this place. She moved quietly without a sound towards the clearing, out of habit. Though it was harder and took a moment to adjust her gait due to the added metal in her system. Jake would have her hide if she spooked the animals on her way in, but this was a holodeck and it didn’t matter. Her tread became a little heavier, snapping twigs and crunching fallen leaves as she moved.
Casela stepped into the clearing and looked around. Every. Single. Detail. was as it should be. The deep dug fire pit, surrounded by large obsidian stones, the clearing cleared of debris and underbrush. The ground, hard packed dirt well worn and soft in places to sit. Surrounded by evergreens that towered like ancient giants, standing guard about the clearing. “You, Zachariah, have been reading up on my file,” she spoke into the silence softly. This was Norda III, the clearing of remembrance, as Jake called it. Here, Jake would take T’Jal and F’actar to tell old war stories, to remember their fallen friends, and to chase away the demons. After she had returned the first time, to Norda III, the first night Jake had brought her here, and the four of them had stayed the whole night, the stories filling the silence and escaping into the stars.
Casela recognized her position here in this space, even if Zachariah didn’t. She moved to his right sitting down, as she would have as T’Jal’s apprentice, the spot familiar and comforting to her. She knelt by the fire after a moment and looked among the stones; she smiled softly pulling out a small leather bag, she opened it and took out a handful of what was inside and threw it into the flames. The sent slowly drifted to them, the rich soothing scent of dragon’s blood wafting to them. Out of her bag Casela pulled a kettle filled with water and placed it near the fire to warm. She placed two cups, hot chocolate mix, and handed Zachariah a new bottle of Kahlua to add to his when it was ready. “I peaked at the program description, it said campfire, so I went back and got this,” she said pointing at the things in front of her. “I take it T’Jal, or maybe Jake, left a detailed description of this place and its purpose in my file?” She sat down staring at the flames, but not at Zachariah. In this place, she felt the weight of disapproval and concern, and, as she gently touched the Freya rune on her necklace, affection from light years away, and she was ashamed of her behavior.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS
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