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Rivers quarters - ghosts of the past (Tag CNS)

Posted March 6, 2021, 7:40 p.m. by Lieutenant Revna Edman (Counselor) (Jennifer Ward)

Posted by Lieutenant River Styxx (OIC Marine) in Rivers quarters - ghosts of the past (Tag CNS)

Posted by Lieutenant Revna Edman (Counselor) in Rivers quarters - ghosts of the past (Tag CNS)

Posted by Lieutenant River Styxx (OIC Marine) in Rivers quarters - ghosts of the past (Tag CNS)

River sat at the table in her quarters her trigger finger stroking the console in front of her. She had manged to put the disc in but now it seemed almost impossible to press play. As she hesitated her eyes traced her room resting on the two footlockers and the small box sitting on her floor. she had received them weeks ago and still hadn’t opened them. River was scared of what they would awaken to her they where Pandora’s box and she knew of she opened them she wouldn’t be able to close them again.

With a deep breath River tore her eyes away and let them wonder before stopping at the sword on the wall it was an elegant blade with carving in an alien language few knew how to read, a bitter irony as River knew the sword so well, every Knick, every imperfection. its sheath was above it its intricate detail rubbed away by Rivers hand. The only reminder she had allowed to exist. But now she had three and a video, so mustering all the courage she had, she pressed play.

An man in his late 40s appeared he wasn’t a star fleet officer he wore simply civilian clothes. “I hope this message find you well Miss Styxx. My name is Maximillian Davidson. I’m the lead restorer of the Acheron restoration and memorial trust. I’m contacting you today to inform you that we have managed to retrieve your belongings, the belongings of you fiancé and the belongings of your adopted daughter from the ruins. we have also been able to recover some partial information from the computer as well. I have included all this and sent you your belongings to you as well as the report on your fiancé Abigail Harkin. I’m told she is doing well and has manged to read again. Her physician Doctor Selar has included a message for you and a copy of her reports. I’m also happy to inform you that we have selected a spot for the memorial park and are ready to begin reinterning the dead. we need your permission for one of the dead, so if you could send a written replay a soon as you’re able that would be very helpful. I am truly sorry for all you have endured but I hope that these belonging and these files will give you some solace. I wish you well” the image of the man froze and River sighed.

No going back now she thought as she got up and walked over to the footlockers, she could read the files later. She moved the boxes to the centre of her room and spread them out. As he moved them her hand froze on the names on the box and one of the footlockers Abigail Harkin and Lily Styxx. she smiled sadly at the name They gave her my name, the name she never got to use she thought that was when she became aware that her cheeks where wet, she wiped her eyes and went to the end of her quarters. She had to do this, she had to. But could she? Eventually River realised she couldn’t do it alone and tapped her com =^= Styxx to Revna. you know you said to contact you if i needed you. i need you now more then ever=^= She said as walked closer to foot locker and sat down on the floor waiting for the CNS to arrive.

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)

=^=This is Revna. I’ll be right there.=^= Revna took the time to slip a wrap dress over her uniform. River wanted privacy and this way anyone seeing Revna arrive could assume it was a social call between colleagues or friends. She stepped out of her office and looked at the NE at the desk. “Cancel my appointments for the rest of the day.” The NE nodded and Revna walked to the turbolift and entered. “Computer where is Lt Styxx?” “LT STYXX IS IN HER QUARTERS” Revna nodded and instructed the lift to take her there. She stepped off the lift and down the corridor, walking with leisurely purpose, so not to draw attention. She stopped at the door and hit chime. Luckily no one was around.
Lt Edman, Counselor

“Come in” came Rivers voice.

When Revna walked in she would see that River was sitting in the middle of her floor with two large footlockers and small box round her. River looked up at her and it was easy to see that she had been crying. “Counsellor. Thank you for coming I just needed someone to be here. for this, someone who could keep things confidential” she said gesturing to the boxes around her. “I received these a few weeks ago and I’ve been working up the courage to open them. Now that you’re here I have no excuse not to open them.” she added before gesturing for Revna to sit.

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)

At her request, yet not a request, for confidentiality Revna nodded, “Of course.” She looked at the trunks as River spoke and then Revna entered and sat herself down on the same side of the trunks as River, but not inside her personal space. “Why do you need courage to open them? What’s in them?” It was a sincere question but one to allow River to give name to her apprehension and resistance. Sometimes that made it easier to look at things that were hard to see.
Lt Edman, Counselor

River sighed “These are the personal belongings of who I used to be , My fiancé Abigail Harkin and my adopted daughter Lilly Jones.” River paused her voice full of sadness “She never got to use my name.” she added.

“They where with me in Acheron, Lily died there, my sweet twelve year old girl. she’d never hurt anyone. Abi was captured broken and experimented on, she’s been institutionalised and has only just learnt to read, nearly a year and a half later.” River said sadly, it was clear that this was very hard for River, not many knew how much she had lost on Acheron. Even after that she nearly lost her commission, her freedom and her life.

“I don’t know what’s in these boxes. what I do know is that they will probably open wounds, I have hidden for so long.” she said. she had never felt so venerable so exposed.

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)

Revna listened quietly. They had spoken, briefly about Acheron, and Revna had done her research, but a news report, and official briefing, was never close to the reality. “Let’s start with Abigail’s.” Opening her own things would undoubtedly be easier, but Revna knew that saving the easiest for last (or potentially easiest) would help ease them back to the present. So they could start with Abigail. Why? Because though she was hurt and far away she was still alive and making progress. A real person, that if River wished, she could contact, write to, even go see if she wanted. “One item at a time. Do you want to open it, or would it help if I did it?”
Lt Edman, Counselor

River shook her head “No I’ll do it” she said as her shaking hand reaching for latches. with a click the chest unlocked and the lid creaked open. The chest was full of what you would expect mostly clothes including a silk wedding dress, a few Padds and few interesting items. There were two picture frames, a child’s drawing, dog tags, a few trinkets but the item River took first was a small box. She opened it and inside sat a Dimond incrusted dolphin ring.

River looked at the ring and smiled sadly “She had a thing for dolphins so I had this engagement ring specially made for her. I wasn’t sure is she’d say yes but to my joy she did. I thought I was the luckiest girl in the galaxy. I Remer my CO and the CO of the Starfleet officers had a falling out over who would get to walk her down the isle” She said as he handed the ring to Revna

Revna took the box and examined the ring. The work was of excellent craftmanship. “It’s beautiful.” It was a shame the doctors wouldn’t let Abigail keep it. She understood why, but something like this could act as a very strong reminder, trigger a sense or person and happy memories.

“You know she doesn’t remember me. Last time I tried to talk to her she didn’t even register I was there.” she added after a small pause

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)

Renva touched her arm gently. “She remembers you. I promise. She may not be able to tell you or show you, but she does. She’s in there, somewhere. Sometimes it just takes the doctors awhile to find her and lead her back. She’s not gone or broken, just lost, River. She’ll find her way back.” Revna believed it, she’d seen it, she’d helped people with it. And sometimes the path seemed endless but it wasn’t. She closed the box and set it down between them and nodded at a picture frame inside the trunk.
Lt Edman, Counselor

“Maybe, one day” River said simply as she reached for the albums “Her fate is the same as so many others, can that many lost people truly be found again?” she asked as she picked up one of the frames.

“Yes they can be, with enough help, with enough doctors, and if they have the will to be found.” Some times, Revna knew, the person wanted to stay lost, and they were the hardest to save.

The picture was of River she looked younger, her eyes where warm and a joyful smile was on her face. She had her arm round another women with long black hair, beautiful blue eyes sand ivory skin. then in the middle was a small child about 11 she had long blond hair in two long pony tails, grey eyes and light skin. the adult wore marine uniforms and the little girl had a blue dress on. They where outside some kind of restaurant, the sigh behind them said Bolwart’s Bolian banquet.

River smiled again more fondly this time she had forgotten how happy she had once been. She remembered the restaurant the owner was a very kind and cheerful man, always there to listen and always there to make you laugh. “We look so happy.” she said a hint f warmth on her voice “This was our favourite restaurant. the owner Bolwart was one of the nicest people I had ever met. If you where down he would cheer you up, he always listened to your problems and never judged. almost everyone felt that way. we used to joke that he was better then the counsellors star fleet had sent us.” she said.

Revna smiled, but didn’t comment. She’d met a lot of people like this Bolwart. She’d even sent patients to some on occasion. She was not to proud to go ‘off book’ of someone else could help.

“I’ve forgotten the exact days we went but we where there a lot. Bolwart used to say we might as well be part of the furniture” she added after a pause handing the picture to Revna.

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)

Revna took the picture and looked over it; taking in the happy family. A frozen moment of a happier time. Instead of putting it down Revna set it in her lab and placed the box with the ring on top. If River was willing later, she thought she should put some of these things up, to remember, to honor the memory. Revna knew something about that. She looked back at the box and waited.
Lt Edman, Counselor


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