" Counselling "
(Previous Post was Serena's "Operational Feelings")
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Stardate: 60322.1120
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Corridor outside Dawson's Quarters
The ship's Cns… Ens. Susan Mei… stood just outside of the doorway, out
of sight of the officers inside but close enough to insure that the door
would not close between her and them. As the ANUBIS' Cns Susan felt that it
had been her duty to stay nearby and be ready to intervene should the
situation demand it… actually Ens. Mei felt guilty and responsible for the
emotional turmoil David had been experiencing following the end of their mission. After all she had been the one to go see the captain and inform him of her professional concerns about the CEO's state of mind.
From where she stood, Susan could see Serenna and Lea several meters
down the corridor… the two of them having some sort of a discussion. As
curious as she might have been, Susan fought against the urge to go and
investigate, instead remaining where she had been certain that if something was to happen, she would be of more use to Cmdr. Rikar than Serenna and Lea.
That said though, the Cns silently wished that someone else would have been
with her… confronting the massive Engineering not having been her idea of
something overly smart to do.
"What's going on?" Pravat asked as he approached Susan from the side,
the woman's startled reaction clearly indicting that she had not heard him
come.
"You giving me a heart attack for starters." Susan growled in a
whispered voice, not wanting her words to reach the ExO and CEO who had been in the middle of what the Cns could only guess had been a very important
discussion.
"Sorry… it's just not everyday that I see someone peeking through an
open door like that." The Enaran chuckled, glancing inside the room to see
nothing more than shadows moving about in the darkness.
"Cmdr. Rikar is speaking with Lt. Dawson… we are all worried about
him." The Cns explained while still trying to make out what those shadows had
been doing.
Pravat remained silent following the explanation. As the ANUBIS' MCO
he knew first hand how dangerous the life of a Marine could be and how
deeply felt the lost of someone close could be… so he understood in many ways
how the CEO likely took the death of his brother. That David had been so
close to those responsible only to see them slip away had not helped matters
any and had certainly made the situation that much more difficult for the
engineer to handle.
Just as Prav had been ready to comment on what Susan had said, the
lights turned on in the CEO's quarters revealing a large number of crates and
luggage… which the MCO and Cns saw with horror. Shocked by the sight,
Ens. Mei took a step back taking her out of the door's sensor range which
resulted in the door closing and sealing the ExO and CEO inside.
"Did you see that?" Susan inquired, hoping that she had been mistaken.
"Looks like T'Reni might just get the full time CEO position after
all." Pravat noted with a hint of disbelief.
The next several minutes passed in complete silence as Susan and Pravat
tried to figure out what this would mean for them… how would the
departure of Lt. Dawson affect them on a personal and professional level? The
moment of silent deliberation was interrupted when the redheaded woman emerged
from the room looking emotionally exhausted.
"I am sorry commander… this is all my fault… I should never have gone
to speak to the captain." Susan announced leaving the young woman to look
at the Cns with puzzlement and confusion. With a glance, she instructed
the MCO to leave them which Pravat did without question… he was a Marine,
not a Cns.
The young woman waited a few seconds to allow the Enaran to get out of
earshot before challenging Ens. Mei's apology and misplaced guilt
"Susan… you have absolutely nothing to be sorry about… you acted
according to set protocol and did exactly what you were required to do." The ExO offered as she fell back onto her training and experience as a Cns.
"But the mission… it was called off because of me." The Ensign
countered with, making the young woman shake her head and smile… a reaction that took Susan a little by surprise.
"If I hadn't spoken to Capt. Simmons… the mission would not have been
called off and David would not be thinking about quitting." The Cns said
explaining her reasoning and indicating that she had seen the preparations made by the CEO.
The young woman hesitated for a moment… she had just left David without
having worked out the situation which she hoped to be able to resolve
in him staying… but right now had not been the time. The CEO had been too
emotional to discuss this or anything else rationally, so Sabrina had
decided to leave him be for the time being and had walked into *this*.
"Susan… the mission was not called off by James or even me… it was
Enaii that decided that the mission had been irreparably compromised and that
the crew as a whole and as individuals risked a great deal by staying any
longer. The decision was hers and hers alone… brought on by a number
of elements… your report to James about David had actually nothing to do
with it. As far as I am concerned, your performance during the mission was
beyond reproach and has moved you one step closer to receiving a well
earned promotion." Rikar offered, using both her skills as a Cns and her
position as the ship's ExO to give the Ensign as much support as possible.
Through teary eyes Susan looked at the redheaded woman wondering if
what had been said had been meant only to make her feel better or if the ExO had been truthful in her evaluation of the Cns' performance while on the
TANGIERS ORBITAL. Before Susan could say anything, the young woman continued.
"Right now what I need you to do is to check up on Maya, Lea and
Serenna… I had asked Enaii to speak to them and now I wonder if that was not a
mistake. While you take care of that I will take care of David… does that
sound fair?" The ExO proposed, not entirely certain that she had given the
easier of the tasks to the Cns instead of keeping it for herself. David might
have been a difficult person to deal with at the moment, but having to do
damage control following what Enaii had done would by no stretch of the
imagination be something easy.
Eventually Susan nodded her agreement and left the young woman to
contemplate alone what her next move would be in regards to David and
his decision to leave the ANUBIS and those who cared so much about him
behind.
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"We are Grey, we stand between the Candle and the Star, between the
Darkness and the Light" 2005 post #227
Sabrina Jones {sabrina_sweet@hotmail.com}
Commander Sabrina Rikar
Executive Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
-Entilza Delenn, Babylon 5
