"Frustrations"
(previous post David's “Diversions”)
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Stardate: 60308.1138
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 7, Corridor outside of Sickbay
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Prav paused just outside the doors of sickbay. He wanted to hit something but instead leaned forward and tapped his forehead against the bulkhead in a show of frustration. He knew he shouldn’t be angry with Maya, after all she was only expressing her feelings and concerns but he couldn’t help it. It was like something snapped and a rush of anger filled his body. Deep down he knew it wasn’t really Maya he was angry at but he wasn’t willing to acknowledge what was truly to blame.
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Stardate: 60308.1200
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 20, Marine training Center
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He had been pounding on the heavy bag for about 20 minutes straight and hadn’t noticed that his knuckles had cracked and were bleeding. He kept his eyes locked on a single point on the bag never losing focus on it, not even when Corporal Julia Yang came up behind him. “Sir, you’re bleeding,” she said as she saw the bloody fist prints on the bag,
He continued pounding the bag, lost in some aggressive trance. “Sir,” she said a little more forcefully, “Your hands are bleeding.”
It wasn’t until she reached out and gently touched his shoulder that he realized he wasn’t alone.
“What?” he said, spinning around ready to swing at the intruder.
Yang had been in the Corp long enough to know what to expect and had stepped back immediately after touching his shoulder.
He relaxed when he saw who it was and lowered his fists. He bounced from foot to foot keeping loose while shaking out his arms. He hadn’t realized how long he had been at the bag but his arms felt like rubber. “Can I do something for you, Corporal,” he asked with a familiar grin on his face.
“I just wanted to tell you that your hands were bleeding,” she said hesitantly, thinking he probably already knew that and she was just being a nuisance. “Ah, it’s all over the bag,” she pointed out.
He looked back at the bag and then down at his hands. “So they are,” he said as he opened and closed his hands, which only seemed to make it worse. Looking back at the Corporal he scoffed “Seems I’ve made quite a mess of things. I knew I should have taped up first.”
He grabbed the towel that was on a nearby bench and clumsily tried to wipe off the bag but only managed to smeared it over a larger surface area.
Yang stepped over and took the towel from him. “Sir, I’ll take care of this, go and get your hands looked at first.”
He stared at her for a moment and for the first time really saw her. He looked into her bright, eager eyes and noticed how young she really was. It hit him, that she was someone’s daughter. That somewhere out there, there were people who loved her and were worried about her and they trusted him with her life. Had he earned that trust? A thousand doubts filled his head as he looked at the young Marine in front of him. Did he really have the right to risk her life? Was Maya right, had he casually chosen to place his men in harms way? He knew he was responsible for the four casualties but maybe those deaths could have been prevented had he not been so cavalier in his leadership.
“Sir?” Yang queried, beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable by the awkward silence.
Prav shook his head, scattering the doubts for the moment. “I’m fine Corporal, thank you.” He looked at his hands again. “I really should go take care of this,” he said as he turned from the young Corporal and exited the gym.
A relatively quick stop in sickbay and a once over with a tissue regenerator would have gotten his hands back to perfect health but the thought of running into Maya sent the Marine 2nd Lieutenant back to his quarters for soap and water and some ice.
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Matt Kelly (downwitmal@yahoo.com)
Writing for:
2nd Lt. Pravat 2005 post #102
MCO
USS ANUBIS
