Farewell, Doctors

Posted on 03 Nov 2012 @ 2:22pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Captain Jonathan Holliday & Rachel Hardaway Ph.D. & Anthony Hardaway Ph.D. & Eric Anderson

1,790 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo - Transporter Room 1
Timeline: MD 02 - 1000 hrs

[ON]

"Are these really necessary..." Eric raised an eyebrow at the female officer to his right, holding up his shackled hands. "I may still hate the guy but I'm not going to try kill him... well I won't this time anyway." Having his statement met by silence, the scientist just let out a sigh, looking around him as he noted he was the first one here. The last time he'd stood in this place... the memories caused he to fall back a step, causing his guards to almost rush him. "I'm not going anywhere! For crying out loud...."

"Correct Mr. Anderson, you most certainly are not going anywhere... except to a secure facility within the colony. Now I suggest you remain silent otherwise I will have you sedated."

From behind the escort group, the ship's XO made his way along the corridor towards the transporter room, phaser on his hip, in case of any unforeseen developments.

"I for one will be glad to see you and the rest of the Sienna project off this ship before it causes us any more trouble."

Turning his head at the sound of a voice, Eric just shook his head as a sad look entered his eyes. "All the good I did in helping your crew is completely over shadowed by one action. Given your opinion on Sienna, surely you can't deny you'd have done the same thing to... him given half the opportunity."

"My own opinions are unimportant... you broke Federation law... and there's a price to pay for that."

Holliday had little time to debate the morality of their sitaution, in fact he was a little annoyed that a man who had tried to murder his colleague had willingly attempted to say that his actions were for the greater good of John's ship.

Moving further along the corridor, John swept into the transporter room and relieved the Chief on duty. He would make sure that this man was removed from Galileo himself. Taking a step behind the transporter panel, the XO quickly locked onto the coordinates of the Federation facility they had been instructed to transfer the Sienna materials to along with their prisoner for transport back to Earth.

The Hardways were the next to arrive. Anthony looked less annoyed than he had at any other point during the Galileo's trip. He glanced at Eric but did not acknowledge his presence.

Rachel was still feeling extremely tired after the last few days of debriefing and getting everything in order for the transfer back. She knew that they still had hours to face of more questions about Sienna and what had happened but after the last week, the hours more that would be needed to study the results of the jump, the side effects and the adjustment required. All she really wanted rightnow was a corner on her own with Anthony.

"Commander Holliday," Anthony said with a nod. "Is the captain going to be here?"

"I presume so Doctor Hardaway....she certainly informed me of her intention to be here, if you would like I could call her and..."

Lirha was running surprisingly late and stepped through the transporter room doors with a swish and a quick step, looking rather fatigued and somewhat disheveled. Her dark hair was barely kept in loose pony tail, and several strands bobbed free across her face. To say it had been a busy morning was an understatement.

She stopped several paces into the medium-sized room and glanced around, noting the collection of senior Sienna scientists as well as her XO. The captain wanted to personally oversee the transfer of the mission VIPs and was grateful that she had arrived in time.

Rolling his eyes as the CO arrived into the room in a rush, Eric turned his eyes back the the XO and his phaser. He had absolutely no doubt that the man would use it if he felt that there was good reason to do so, this scientist had no intention of giving him the opportunity.

Glancing at the Hardaways, Lirha gave them a curt nod. "Well... I guess this is goodbye, doctors. I never got the opportunity to congratulate you on your success, but I think the fact that we are still alive is proof enough of that."

Anthony Hardaway regarded the captain with his usual impassivity. When he spoke, his voice seemed almost pleasant, but his words were plain and tersely polite. "Indeed," Anthony agreed. "Thank you for your assistance, captain. Sienna is a long way from completion, we've already begun reviewing the telemetry from the jump and there is much work to do, but we've made a huge leap..." the doctor allowed himself a dry smile at the unintentional pun, "in our research."

Smiling slightly at the CO, Rachel's strain was still evident as she kept close to Anthony's side. "Thank you for your hosp..." the scientist had begun to say hospitality but realized that wasn't exactly a right word after all which they had been through, "...for you and your crew's assistance Ma'am."

The captain simply nodded, unsure of how to respond. It seemed strange that despite the uncooperative and disgruntled nature of the two scientists several days ago, they now appeared calm and more... normal. Lirha knew that the stress of their mission had probably contributed to their bad attitudes, so for now she just dismissed it as a case of nerves. Afterall, they had survived the seemingly impossible odds stacked against them, and in the process had successfully equipped and tested the latest piece of new Federation technology. Under normal circumstances, a celebration would probably be in order, but now was not quite the time nor the place.

"I'm happy to have been able to keep you and your project safe." she finally replied to Rachel, then turned to her XO. "But I'm afraid Commander Holliday is the one to thank. Without him and his resourcefulness, none of us would be standing here today."

John had to admit he was a little flattered to be receiving such praise from his captain, but in his mind he had done nothing more than step up to the plate when the situation had required it. He had done his duty, as he would have been expected to.

"Resourcefulness would have counted for nothing if Sienna hadn't have worked... you have my thanks for a job well done Doctors Hardaway."

"Yes, well," Anthony replied, "there's enough gratitude to go around for everyone. You will get your promotions and we will get our prestige. But that is likely not what we really want. I for one want to move on."

"Your carriage awaits." John replied, stretching out his arm to indicate towards the transporter platform which was already set up and ready for use as soon as its passengers were ready.

"I've locked in the requested coordinates, the existing materials and supplies have already been transported down."

Holding out his shackled hands, Eric raised an eyebrow at Jonathan. "Great! So you can release me now and I'll just be on my way with our two merry scientists bosses."

"I don't think so." John replied, before looking back down at his console to check the target lock was still in place. He had no intention of releasing someone who attempted to murder their colleague, if the shackles were ever going to come off, it would be the decision of security officers at the transfer site.

"Now get on the pad before I throw you onto it."

Sighing, Eric shuffled his way across to the transporter pad, all the time keeping on eye on the Commander and his phaser as the scientist considered the ramifications of disobeying the practical order.

Lirha stepped next to John and let her gaze wander towards the handcuffed scientist. Though she had been indisposed during his tirade, she had read the report about his meltdown, and wholeheartedly supported her XO's decision to transfer him over to Starfleet Security. A man with dangerous tendencies such as him needed to be heavily evaluated.

Turning her attention towards the Doctors Hardaway, the captain gave them a small smile and a wave. "Until next time, doctors." she said, then turned towards John and gave him a nod to begin the transport sequence.

"Until next time," Anthony replied. Though he did not really have any desire to see the ship again and, he imagined, they had no desire to see him again. He turned and slipped his arm around his wife's waist, walking with her up the transporter pad.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Rachel leaned her weight into Anthony as she realised that they were finally getting away from their nightmares. Even though Sienna had worked it hadn't been without the loss of lifes, the involvement of the Klingons. Even though the purpose had been to get their people home, the people infront of them had forced her and her husband to make Sienna work. Finally moving away, she stepped onto her own pad before narrowing her eyes. "Next time had better not been soon Commanders."

Nodding to the assembled group, John moved his hands back down to the control panel and triggered the transporter cycle sequence, watching as his guests disappeared into the blue haze of the matter stream and left Galileo at long last. As he completed the program, the XO looked down and smirked at the confirmation light that the cycle had been successful and that his cargo had materialised at the other end in one piece.

"I for one am glad that's over."

Lirha watched the three civilian scientists dematerialize and let out a mental sigh of relief. The commander's comment pretty much echoed her own, and she chuckled lightly and affectionately squeezed his arm. "Yes, I bet you are. And so am I, to be honest. I don't think I could have tolerated another week with them on board. They're not exactly people-friendly."

"I'd have rather spent longer with the Klingons than go through anything like that again...next time Starfleet orders us to do anything involving a top secret project, we walk away, agreed?"

John had to smirk as he logged himself off of the transporter console and headed towards the doors. Their mission with Sienna might have drawn to a close, but there was still plenty of work to be done.

The captain slowly nodded with a small smile on her face. "Agreed."

[OFF]

--

CMDR Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Eric Anderson
Scientist
Project Sienna
NPC'd by Pola Ni Dhuinn

Rachel Hardaway Ph.D.
Lead Scientist
Project Sienna
NPC'd by Pola Ni Dhuinn

Lt Cmdr Jonathan Holliday
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

Anthony Hardaway
Lead Scientist
Project Sienna
NPC'd by Amril

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