"Trouble Over The Horizon"
(Previous Post: Tiffany's 'The Harsh Sting...')
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Stardate: 60326.1330
One of her duties as Chief Medical Officer is that she could pull anyone from the roster if the cause was just. After returning to her office, Lea had removed David from active duty... not that he was going anywhere. She had also ordered him to Sickbay to further study. After a long drawn out reason as to the why David needed to be moved, Captain Rikar allowed it, only after increasing security in and around Sickbay. Lea still couldn't believe it. Here David was. A decorated officer, well liked and respected member of the crew and one of the best engineers she'd ever met... being treated as if he assassinated the Federation President. She shook her head as she checked in on him. They had corded off a section of OR for him so he could moved around. Only with the inhibitor could she tell who was speaking for the CEO. And when she checked, she didn't like what she saw.
"How are you feeling?" Lea asked David through the partrition.
He only glared at her. "Exchanged places with me *then* ask that asisnine question!"
"I'm sorry David..."
"*MY* name is Richard... and I advise you to address me as so," the CEO said through clenched teeth.
"But *his* name is David... and that's who I'd like to speak with."
The massive CEO folded his arms across his chest. "Sorry 'Doc'... but nothing doing."
Commander Wellington entered and approached. "Any news?"
Lea shook her head. "Whatever it is David asked you to do to him, I can't reach him. *Richard* won't allow it."
"Maybe it was a part of his plan" Sarah said as she looked at the CEO as he glared back at the both of them, his eyes ablaze with fire and hatred.
"Let me talk to him" Sarah said as Lea nodded.
"Richard... what are you looking to accomplish by taking over David's body?"
He chuckled. "Are you stupid?! What *else* could I possibly want. I want to *live!* I want what was denied me and that was a life. But now... I have a second chance."
"And what about David?" Wellington asked.
"He can rot in hell for all I care... and since he won't be leaving anytime soon, then I'll put him through enough" he said tapping his temple.
Sarah sighed as Commander Maya entered the medical facility.
"Maya?" Lea said as the Shillian scientist approached, "what are you doing here?"
For the first time since the CMO has known the science chief, she said nothing. Just looked at David.
"What the hell are you looking at?" David hissed.
"Doctor, would you mind if I had a look at David's medical file?"
"What are you looking for?" Lea asked.
Maya shook her head. "I don't know. Anything that'll help David. I mean, have you heard that Captain Rikar will be leading the prosecution against him? I mean, how could she? After all David has done for this ship and the crew? I mean its mind boggling..."
"And its her duty Commander" Wellington said, "she's only doing what she has to do."
"And she can refuse as well" Maya said, "you know..." the scientist said, "maybe we need to exploit that..."
"Maya!" Lea said, "calm down first of all. Now... what are you talking about?"
"Yes" Serenna said as she entered, "what are you talking about?"
"Rumors" David said from his medical jail cell, "plots and plans on how you gonna save his soul. Well, you might as well give it up *Commander*... and by the way, did he ever tell you that he hated you?" he said with a laugh.
Serenna rolled her eyes and focused her attention of the matter at hand. "You were saying Maya?"
"Maybe we can exploit the fact that Captain Rikar is too close to the matter. I mean, she and David did date."
"She has a point" Lea added.
"Which Koneki just might turn around on us because who would know David better than his former lover?" the ExO asked.
"Oh" Maya replied.
"Strike one" David said.
"What about this SDS?" Lea asked looking at Wellington, "just what is it?"
"SDS" Maya said, "I've heard of that before... at a conference on ONAIRA VIII when I was back in the Academy."
Sarah sighed, "Soul Displacement Syndrome."
"I'm not sure I've heard of that Commander" Serenna said.
"Quick synopsis... when someone is dying, especially in the case of a twin, part of their soul can be displaced upon the twin that lives. It normallys leaves the living twin with a connection with his or her sibling. But in Richard's case, he somehow manifested all the negative traits in his passing. All the anger, all the hatred, all the pain."
"No..." a voice said very faint as all four officers turned. Lea picked up her tricorder and looked at the brain wave pattern.
"David" she said, "are you alright?"
The CEO shook his head, "I... don't... Lea" he said looking at the CMO, "there's... only..." as he dropped to one knee.
"David!" the CMO exclaimed as she went to enter the OR as Serenna stopped her.
"Wait" the ExO said as she nodded at the CEO as his body shook and he slowly rose to his feet.
"Kill... me..." David said before Richard took over.
"I wouldn't advise you to 'Doc'."
Lea looked at Sarah. "How can we seperate Richard from David... without killing him?"
"We never found a way."
"Why not?" Lea asked.
"David was off to the Academy before his first loss of temper occured. He was given sedatives and it was easily dismissed as traumatic stress disorder in dealing with his parents death."
"But you knew" Lea said to the MERCURYs XO, "you knew and did nothing."
"I had my own life to live... my own career to handle." Sarah snapped, "I was drummed out of the medical corps because of the procedure I thought would cure him."
"I remember reading about that" Serenna said as her eyes narrowed, "when I read your file. Exactly what happened Commander? Why were you dismissed?"
"I went against a superior officers orders. And it didn't help that the superior officer was Patti."
"David's mother" Maya said, "but why would you take it upon yourself to do a procedure to her son if she ordered you not to?"
"It was the right thing to do" Sarah replied.
"Apparently not" Serenna said entering her command tone, "people we have less than a hour before we arrive at NEW ALEXANDIRA. Maya, I want you to work with Commander Wellington. Get me *everything* you can find on SDS good or bad. Lea, I want you to work on a treatment. Something that might look good in the eyes of the brass *if* we can prove that David was not himself."
"Really doesn't give me a lot of time but I'll see what I can do."
She nodded as she turned to leave, "The minute we pull into base and dock, Captain Rikar is having David arrested. For his hearing, I want everyone in dress whites. Maya... I also want you to gather other members of the senior staff. We need to show support."
"Won't that make the captain think that we're siding with David?"
"For as long as I've known Sabrina she won't hesitate to pull out all the stops. She'll no doubtly get as many people to testify that David is an unstable officer and we want to prevent that." Serenna said. She then focused her attention to the CEO. David's eyes had returned to normal and she nodded to the guard.
"Sorry Commander" he replied, "Captain's orders. No one is to get near him."
"As counsel to the CEO *I'm* entitled" she snarled. The guard hesitated then lowered the forcefield. She entered. David was seated on the biobed.
"Do you trust me?" Serenna asked.
"Commander... its not a matter..."
"That isn't what I asked you Lieutenant. I asked you if you trusted me."
David nodded.
"Then return to your quarters and get into your whites. I want you to get all your medals and pins and put them on. We need to show the board that a decorated officer such as yourself can not be cast away like scrap."
"Serenna" David said as he slowly stood, "I might not get the chance to..."
"Don't" Serenna said, "not yet at least. We have a" and she paused and David saw something he hadn't seen cross the face of the executive officer in a while... she grinned.
"We have a hard row to hoe." she said with a cuty nod, "and *I* don't plan on loosing this one." as she tapped her badge, "computer, site to site transport Lieutenant Dawson to his quarters and notify me when base security comes for him."
David nodded as he was engulfed in the transporter wave. The ExO looked around and saw the ladies still standing there.
"You waiting on an invitation? We have our friend to save. Dismissed."
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, David's Quarters
Stardate: 60326.1350
As David stood in front of his full length mirror he looked at himself. Black pants, boots shining, grey vest and white blazer. The neck of the dress uniform trimmed in the color of his division and around the cuff of the sleeve. As he affixed his rank pips and decorations to his jacket he looked at the portrait of his parents, his brother and himself when he entered the Academy. There was his father in his dress uniform and his mother in hers. Jordan was dressed in a mock tuxedo and David in his dress Academy uniform.
"A lifetime ago... a lifetime lost" the CEO said as he looked in the mirror again. It was him.
"Damn don't *we* look good."
"Well... I guess you're happy" David hissed, "you're ruined my life."
"Moi?" Richard asked, "I did nothing of the sort. It was *you* that did everything David. I only..." and he grinned, "only made suggestions."
"Bullshit!" David spat, "suggestions?! My captain hates me. I'm about to loose my lively hood and you only made suggestions?!"
"As I've said... it was only suggestions. Suggestions that has led us to where we are now. My crowning achievement. No one will want a crazy engineer on their staff. No one will want a murderer around them. I believe I'm about to get my just desserts."
"Revenge" David said, "its always been about revenge hasn't it?"
"Of course!" Richard boomed, "what was it Mom and Pops taught us? An eye for an eye? You killed me David. It was only right that I destroy the very thing you loved and that's your career... well... *was* your career" as he laughed, "oh David. If you could only see you how I see you. Weak. Pathetic. Beaten. Will all your skills and talents there's no saving the day now."
David turned and placed the inhibitors on his temple. Lea told him that'll help him control his temper, i.e. control Richard. David picked up a small type II phaser. Almost like the same one he used against his evil doppleganger all those years ago. He slipped it into his waistband and if it looked as if they would throw the book at him he'd do the world a favor.
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Julian Knight (d_dawson_1@yahoo.com)
as
Lieutenant David Dawson
Chief Engineer
USS ANUBIS NCC 18501
"A Starfleet officer... that's all I am and that's all I'll ever be." 2005 post #405
- Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko,
Commanding Officer of the Federation Spacestation Deep Space 9
