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Posted on 02 Feb 2016 @ 5:18am by Lieutenant Tuula Voutilainen M.D. & Jynn & Lieutenant Benice Gyce Ph.D.

1,903 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo; Deck 2; Mess Hall
Timeline: MD 12- 0845 Hours

[ON]

Jynn had his back turned on the past. It was like he was trying to avoid it. Like if he pretended nothing happened then nothing actually did happen. But just like with anyone else ignoring their past the fool-hearted Deltan couldn't shake the feeling that it was still there. Only in his case it actually was there. Right behind him. Sitting at the table next to his with her back towards his was the person who had held his hand on his journey towards oblivion. He had asked for everything from her and now in return he would have to give everything.

Tuula.

And Jynn.

Sitting in the Galileo's mess hall without one single word uttered between them for the moment. It wasn't intended but this would be the only place they could meet even if they wanted to. The questioning eyes upon them now where almost better than the alternative. The wondering thoughts of where they could have been when neither of them were present at once. Or maybe nobody knew yet, but it sure felt it to him. To Jynn everyone knew. At this point what did it matter anyway? Still, better to not attract attention to the two of them. Just sit and eat.

Sit.

And eat.

Until he broke the silence with a whisper to the plate in front of him. “Tuula.”

A tingle went down Tuula's spine as she heard his voice. She had tried to ignore him for both their sake, but in spite of all the effort she put into ignoring it, the bond between the two of them was still here. If she tried really hard, she could ignore it, but not even Allyndra's vampiric therapy could break that bond.

Tuula was used to attracting attention in a crowd, but the way all the eyes in the room fell on her and Jynn, staring, judging, was disconcerting. She held a napkin up to her mouth. "Jynn," she whispered into the napkin, concealing the movement of her mouth. "What's going to happen to you? To us?"

"I have no idea." To Jynn that was only half a lie. He had no idea what would happen to Tuula. In fact, he actually had no idea if anything had already happened to her at all. He was completely in the dark in those regards. And even his own fate was still uncertain. He was as much in the dark about his own pending punishment as he was with Tuula's current status. They hadn't even spoken since that second encounter. Since before everything went sour so fast.

"How are you feeling," he questioned openly in query to her general mental health as well as how she had fared over the previous week's events. He was afraid of the answer, but he had to know.

"Physically, I'm alright." Tuula held a coffee cup to her lips to disguise the movements of her mouth. "I had some... aftereffects, but they've been kept under control thanks to Allyndra." She decided not to go into detail about the cocktail of medications that the Chief Medical Officer had prescribed her, or the unorthodox treatment of vampire bites to the arms whenever she was having issues.

"They asked me about you..." said Tuula, trying to keep calm. "Stace. I don't know what is going to happen to you. To us..."

There was a moment of silence from behind her as Jynn tried to compose himself. He of course knew there would be something wrong even despite the initial assurance that nothing seemed wrong with Tuula, but it still didn't make it any easier to hear from Tuula herself. It made the whole thing sound like an attack or a spreading of some disease perpetrated by himself.

He mustered the strength to suppress the feelings of guilt from the sound of his voice. “So long as the effects are... taken care of... I see no reason why you cannot continue your service. You've suffered enough as it is. But as for myself? Well,” he started to trail off without another word spoken. The sudden pause in speech would probably say more than enough as to what he thought was going to happen.

"No," gasped Tuula. Indignant, she suddenly didn't care if anyone saw them. She turned her head to the side and looked over her shoulder. "We can't let that happen. There has to be something we can do..."

“Like what? Run and hide,” Jynn snapped back quietly in a frustrated tone. It's not like he hadn't gone through all the scenarios in his head already. “I'm afraid that ship has sailed. And what else could we do? Do you think there's some way I can be pardoned for this crime?” There was a brief silence followed by a heavy sigh. It was obviously more than that, but with each passing day it slowly became the only way to look at what had happened. He had broken the law and committed a crime. It was almost that simple. Almost. “Anything else we do could just make things worse. Even sitting here right now.”

Tuula held her head in her hands and tried not to sob. "I'm sorry, Jynn..." she whispered, not knowing what else to say.

“Me, too,” Jynn whispered back. He was beginning to feel very much the same as she did and it certainly didn't help that he could actually feel as she did as well. It was like he was juggling the emotions of two. To turn and face her would be to finally face fate. To stand up to it as a strong person would.

But he wasn't ready for that. Not Jynn. At least not at the moment. Instead he just sat and stared at the table in front of him. But he could still see his face in the reflection. His fate was obvious, at least to him. But the one he couldn't see was Tuula's. Maybe he could make some right out of him and ensure at least one of them would be safe?

“I can keep you safe.” It almost sounded like he didn't want to, or at least that he was afraid of what he would have to do, but the offer was still there and it sounded like one he would not take back.

"No, I can't let you sacrifice yourself for me," whispered Tuula, holding her napkin up to dissuade any lip-readers. After what they had shared, she knew about his fears and insecurities, and how much Starfleet had meant to him. "I didn't violate any oaths; I'll take my slap on the wrist if it can save your Starfleet career."

“I guess only time will tell, Tuula.” Jynn let out a slow, defeated sigh as he rested his head in one hand, rubbing his forehead as he continued to try and make sense of everything that was happening. “The report is submitted. I can only assume my apprehension and trial will come in the next couple of days. From there... well... maybe with a good defense and a lenient judge I might stand a chance. But since that is uncertain I suppose the most we can do now is.” His heart dropped audibly as he began to speak his final thoughts. He hated what was coming, but there was no other choice. He was going to miss her, miss everyone, the ship, and all that that implied. “Say goodbye?”

With one hand holding a coffee cup in front of her mouth, Tuula reached back with the other, offering it to Jynn. "I'd like to do more than just 'say' goodbye," she whispered in a sullen tone.

A look of concern crossed Jynn's face. It was the way she had spoken combined with the way she had felt that made it obvious as to what she meant, but he almost couldn't believe it. Had she gone mad? How could she even lust at a time like this? “What do you mean,” he questioned knowing the answer.

Tuula's heart sank as she heard the concern in Jynn's tone. Withdrawing her hand, she placed it on the table next to her tray. "You know what I mean," she whispered. Her tone was crestfallen; she knew it wasn't really a possibility but part of her hoped more than anything for a chance at a third encounter. She sighed. "I guess it is goodbye, then?"

When Gyce had learned Jynn was not in his quarters, a simple bioscan read he was in the mess. She was reverent upon seeing the two interact. For a few reasons, really. She wanted to see if Jynn's declaration of love for Tuula was genuine or false. That, and even cops learned to be compassionate.

From her PADD, Gyce began to write an official summons for Tuula and Allyndra to be at her office in two hours. All the while, her eyes darted back up at the star-crossed lovers.

Once she was done, Gyce gently walked over to the pair and sat at Jynn's table. Only she pulled a chair to the middle so both knew she was talking to them.

"The next time you skip out of your quarters while you're supposed to be under house arrest?" Gyce whispered, looking to Jynn, "I'll brig you... Be as it may, I'll write this little jaunt of yours as exercise, which prisoners are permitted an hour a day for."

The incursion by any person into Jynn and Tuula's moment together was somewhat startling, but for it to be the investigator assigned to his case only seemed to make it worse. He was already quiet and sullen and so the only thing he had to do to adjust to the current situation was look down and stare at the table.”I am sorry, miss Gyce. I only wanted a moment to say goodbye. I don't know which day could be my last.”

"I know," Gyce spoke more gently. "It's why I did not interrupt you two. But we do need to go, and fast. Miss Voutilainen? This is an official summons for you and Allyndra to be in my office in two hours. The captain asked me to give his findings and your direct CO should be there as well."

Gyce handed Tuula the PADD and nodded politely to her.

Tuula sighed. Her heart sank as Jynn was escorted away. "Jynn... don't leave without saying goodbye," she said, pleading, not caring anymore who heard.

That really was the hardest part. Saying goodbye. Was it to her? Was it to himself? His career? It was probably a combination of all of the above, but the right thing to do would be to say goodbye the right way. Right now it wasn't about losing anything else. It was about never being able to see someone again. As final of a goodbye as there ever was. “Goodbye,” he spoke in a subdued tone, though the finality of the statement rang loud.

There, left behind in the mess hall, Tuula just sat there and watched Jynn get dragged off to meet his fate. A tear ran down her cheek; she hoped this wouldn't be the end, for him or for them.

[OFF]

---

Lieutenant JG Benice Gyce
Chief of Security
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Jynn
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Tuula Voutilainen
Medical Officer
USS Galileo

 

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