What is Inside All of Us

Posted on 11 Jan 2014 @ 7:08pm by Lieutenant Teth Miir & Captain Jonathan Holliday
Edited on on 11 Jan 2014 @ 9:37pm

1,249 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 05 - Solstice
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 1, Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 7 1130

[ON]

Miir noticed that the ship repairs had been underway quite nicely as he made his way to the captain's ready room. He couldn't remember the last time he had been on a starship that was so empty though. The entire place had a cyrpt like aura to it without the usual crew members buzzing about, seeing to their duties.

He reached the ready room door and took a moment to straighten his uniform, make sure his rank pips were in precisely the right place, and that his com badge was on properly His footwear was a shiny, uniform black. His mane was neatly pulled back and he smoothed the fur on his face, neck and hands. And then with a deep breath, he buzzed to be let in.

"Come." The response from Captain Holliday boomed through the small speaker embedded in the chime panel moments before the doors parted to allow his guest entry. Finishing looking at a PADD, he signed it with his thumbprint before handing it over to an engineering crewman who dutifully nodded before heading out of the office.

"Yes Lieutenant, can I help you?"

"I am here to report for duty, sir." the lanky Caitian said, stopping just short of the captain's desk, "I am Lt. JG Teth Miir, the new counselor assigned to the Galileo."

"Welcome aboard Lieutenant. Take a seat, I'll be right with you."

The CO replied, picking up yet another PADD and furiously typing away on it's surface before handing it to yet another engineering crewman who had arrived to receive their documentation. As the second individual left the room, the Captain thumbed the instrument panel ahead of him to close the doors to his office.

"I trust you found us easily enough?"

"Yes sir, I had no problem at all." Teth turned his head to make sure the door was actually closed behind him before continuing, "Is it ok to sit down, I would like to speak to you for a moment- if you have the time of course."

"Please, help yourself." John motioned to the two chairs on the opposite side of his desk. He had not thought to authorize his subordinate to take a chair - usually it was him on the far side of the desk, and his working relationship with Lirha had been at the stage that he felt comfortable simply taking a chair automatically.

"What did you wish to discuss?"

"Well, a few things, sir. And I don't meant to impose. It's just that I have been reading recent records and personnel files from the Galileo, you know, in hopes of familiarizing myself with the crew. I am feeling somewhat concerned..."

By the way the captain was looking at him, Teth thought it would be best to simply to get to the point.

"You were assimilated? By the Borg?" he treaded carefully in his soft, low voice, "How are you adjusting to being back and to having this command?"

John felt shocked at the almost incredulous attitude of the young Lieutenant sat opposite him. He had been in the Ready Room less than five minutes and had already started trying to psychoanalyze his Commanding Officer.

"I'm fine Lieutenant. Yes I was assimilated, yes I was rescued and yes I am quite settled in command of this vessel. Will that suffice?"

Miir bristled at the irritated edge to the captain's voice, it was obviously a difficult topic for him. But then, it is probably a difficult topic for anyone who had been assimilated.

"I trust you have been speaking with Dr. Carlisle regarding this manner? When I was given my transfer orders, I was also sent a list of crewmembers who had not had their yearly psychological evaluation and I was quite surprised to see your name there."

"Lieutenant Carlisle has extended an offer of discussion to me yes. Once I get the time I am sure I will take her up on her offer if I deem it necessary." John knew that there was a big question mark hanging over his command role as far as his psych evaluation had gone. He had so far avoided speaking with anyone about it as he simply saw it as unnecessary at this stage.

Teth could tell the captain was putting off the inevitable and it made him rather nervous. Not only for the sake or the captain himself, but for his command and the safety of the crew. He didn't want to step out of bounds during his first meeting with his new commanding officer, but he also felt it was his duty as a Starfleet counselor to make sure he was at least functional.

Teth swallowed hard before continuing, he rarely felt nervous talking to new people, but something about Holliday put him on edge.

"If I may speak freely sir, I have worked with many people who were liberated from the Borg. With humans in particular, it isn't something that can just be put aside to be dealt with later. I understand you are an extremely busy man and settling into your new command, but don't let the stress of it all get the better of you. You don't have to deal with this alone. I am sure you are more comfortable with Dr. Carlisle, but know that my door is always open as well."

John felt almost incredulous that the young counsellor would try to understand even an iota of what he had gone through. John had been forcibly transformed into the darkest creature in the universe and had overseen pain inflicted on his crew members beyond anything he could ever forgive himself for. He had been a machine, a tool of destruction and completely out of his own control.

"Thank you lieutenant I will take that under advisement. For the meantime however I believe I am capable of looking after myself. My....experiences....are not something I find joy in sharing with others."

"Then I will leave. I have patients to see already."

Teth stood and headed toward the door, but then stopped.

"There is no joy in speaking of a immensely traumatic event, but short of erasing memory engrams, the only way to deal with it is to talk about it and acknowledge what happened."

he leaned against the chair he had been sitting in a moment before and lowered his voice.

"I can't pretend to know what you have been through. But I do know what it is like to survive a horrific violation of my body and my free will. And I do know what it's like wake up, pieced back together like a machine. The only reason I can stand here and speak to you right now is because of a device in my brain that controls my motor function. And to make matters worse, that device is derived from Borg technology. We may be more alike than you think. "

"Dismissed." John replied, silently thinking about the reliance of Borg technology by the young counselor. The captain may have had Borg technology left in his body, but at least he did not necessarily need it to live.

"And thank you lieutenant."

Teth gave a weak smile to the captain as he turned and left, hoping with every fiber of his being that the man would not self destruct the way so many like him had before.

[OFF]



Captain Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

and

Lieutenant JG Teth Miir
Counselor
USS Galileo

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